Anyone work making cast iron parts?

Any of you young bucks work at making ci stuff? Seeing if worth making some small grates for vintage stoves a few of us have from the Coleman group.
Duane

 

I've heard there's a service that can take a CAD file and return sand castings. The process uses a 3D print to help produce a sand casting. It's a one time use thing but, you can cast the parts yourself.

 

Several foundaries in my area but all closed in the 1970s after the clean air act was passed. Womack foundary is still open but only cast electric fired aluminum. US cast iron now comes from 3rd world countries which allow us to exploit their poor economic status in exchange for our raw resources.

 

Thank you. There is Shapeways, but can't recall where they be, can look. Was hoping for some place closer maybe. Hardest part will be to get a rendering or the original. I think my Coleman 454 single is so rare and owners so old too and too few and far between to get the ball rolling. Trying a little to see what is needed.
Duane

 

Shapeways uses other material, I have a small cap thru them for a stove.
Duane

 

Good luck finding an operating Coke furnace in California. Was almost 420 when you posted this Try Mexico, no EPA there and it's close by.

 

I stand corrected. Mexico stopped Cast Iron production in 2009. South Africa , India and China still produce CI

 

Couldn’t you just have a blacksmith make them?

 

Where would one be found? A Farrier? What is needed is round with fingers going inward. I have a grate off a different stove. Will post a pic in a little bit, my tablet with a pic is charging.
Duane

 

The is a metal foundry in Charlotte that makes cast iron pipe. Can also do commercial parts for outside company’s. I happen to work for the same company but not the cast iron division.

 

Trying to see what is needed. Hardest thing is getting drawings or a CAD file that was mentioned above. Putting feelers out.
Duane

 

Something along this line.
Duane

 

Have you thought about hitting the Goodwill store and look for a replacement? Something close?

 

Hi Duane,

I follow Forrest and his shop Kooglewerks for another one of my projects. He does some custom cast AL items in his product line and I believe its done in-house. He's in Wine County so somewhat local.
http://www.kooglewerks.com/products

He's super cool but busy with KW. Maybe he can help you out or provide a lead?

(just noticed cast iron....not AL)

 

No Goodwill close, over 90 minutes away. I would like to see if I could get originals. As my stove I posted, does have a grate off some other stove. I acquired the stove about a year ago.
Duane

 

I can do a 3D model for you in Solidworks.

 

What do you need to do that, I have no contact with someone who has the correct grate, all old geezers or don't check topics on the Coleman forum. There are images of the 454 on the internet, not any good images of the grate.
Sounding like what I went thru this morning to facilitate payment and delivery of a stove from the UK.
Duane

 

Reverse engineering is the easiest way, but it appears they are really hard to come by. Since I don't really know much about these stoves I did an image search and saw a few different grates, so I don't necessarily know which one you're after. Obviously the more images the better. If I had a few dimensions from the stove itself and some images I could probably come up with a very close replica of what you're after.

 

Let me dig a little to see of I can come up with more info. My non correct grate is 7 3/8" wide/diameter.
Duane

 

A parts diagram can be found at old town Coleman 454. Will show what the grate looks like, very different than what I have. Working on finding a owner. I'm on a tablet, so very limited on what I can copy, paste.
Duane