Home Casting !!!
I've always been fascinated with casting . . . the extreme heating of metal to turn it into liquid and make something from it . . that's grade "A" awesome, if you ask me.
I first considered this a couple of years ago when first pondering over the Caddy intake.
I found this :
http://www.instructables.com/id/Quick-cheap-and-dirty-aluminum-melting-furnace-s/ . . And then found it again recently as I'm looking to cast some ally breathers for the PCV system on the Caddy motor . . I'm also planning some cast lids to go on top of the ally intake to space the carbs correctly.
The link above is pretty cool, but the author states - unsurprisingly - that the sheet-metal tins fall apart after a few casts.
Further inspired by Art's recent Propane tank burner post I'm reckoning using a 47kg Propane tank as the burner, with an old CO2 fire extinguisher as the crucible.
All pretty cheap, but certainly heavy duty stuff so far.
I'd also need some tube/pipe (free from the workshop) and a raised plate for the coals at the bottom and a breather lid for the top (cheap 6mm plate).
And a hair dryer (Ooh, Sammy . . )
Once I've got a rig that works, I'll start worrying about the molds and sand.