I got the pan for Mother's DayThe box it came in says its pre-seasonedI'm planning on making turkey, roasted pepper and mozzerella panini'sAny tips?
Firstthis is science so, if you want specific answers, you need to ask specific questionsSecondThe melting point of aluminum is NOT 3600°F, it is 1220°F for pure AlThirdIt is unlikely that you want to cast pure AlA more common Al casting alloy is 360, Al-Si eutectic with a mp 1070°F but it really depends on what you will do with this castingFourthWhat shape do you want to cast? and how many castings do you want to make? The answer will be different if you want to make 2 castings vs 2 million castingsIf you want a simple shape, a right circular cylinder or a rectangular block, you have many choices for permanent molds: steel, cast iron, graphite, copper, among othersIf the shape is more complicated or if the dimensional requirements are tight, the mold design may be much more complicatedThere are graduate level college courses on the design of castingsOne consideration is how long do you want it to take to freezeYou should, at minimum, do the thermal analysis to be sure that the heat load (superheat and latent heat of solidification) can be absorbed by the mold so that the equilibrium temperature is below the solidification temperature of the alloyRegarding previous answersIf you wet the mold with water or any other volatile liquid immediately before pouring, it is very likely that the molten alloy will create a steam explosion and blow that molten metal right back in your faceIf you plan to do this, please be considerate of others and do it by yourself so you are the only one injured by your stupidityA little knowledge is a dangerous thing and the most dangerous person is the one who does not know that he/she does not knowConsult your friendly neighborhood metallurgist or someone who has actual proven experience.
Casting Aluminum In Plaster
All new (not old pots) cast-iron pots and skillets have a protective coating on them, which must be removedAmerican companies use a special food-safe wax; imports are covered with a water-soluble shellacIn either case, scrub the item with a stainless steel scouring pads (steel wool), using soap and the hottest tap water you can standTHE ONLY TIME THE PAN SHOULD EVER SEE SOAP OR SCOURING PADS! The single most important thing you can do for your Cast Iron Cookware is take good care of it! With proper maintenance, your cookware will last a lifetime only to get better and better with age So what's the key? CURING IT! After it's cured you can clean your cast iron with boiling water and a piece of aluminum foilNEVER use soaps or detergentsNEVER use a scouring pad.
I'm considering on doing the same to make various motorcycle partsDid some research and noticed there are several brands of specialty plasters designed for use as reusable metal casting moldsI'll be using one of those when the time comes to avoid wasting time and material.
