Aluminium Castings - Flux and melt Gas release alternatives

[adamjedgar]

Hi guys,
i was watching myfordboy on youtube casting aluminium.

i note that he uses salt and washing soda for flux and removing gases from the molten aluminium.

Has anyone tried this, does it work as successfully as it seems to for myfordboy.

[China]

Most casters I know use borax

[clear out]

Bluey purple coloured tablets, probably borax.
Ive possibly got the TAFE notes in the stash somewhere.
H.

[Pete O]

I have used them and they seem to work just fine- although I am far from an authority. Lite salt is the stuff to use for flux- it is a blend of sodium chloride and potassium chloride. I wrap about a tablespoon of it in some alfoil, drop it into the pot and stir it in. Sodium carbonate- laundry soda- wrapped the same way and plunged into the bottom of the pot certainly brings a lot of bubbles to the surface. I bought some commercial stuff a few years ago but I have to travel half a day to any foundry supply so use DIY solutions.