Aluminum Star Casting
![polished aluminum star casting.JPG](/proxy/?url=https://content.instructables.com/FJC/HCVN/I3H78NWQ/FJCHCVNI3H78NWQ.jpg&filename=polished aluminum star casting.JPG)
Last time that I have published an Ible was about 3 years ago so with Christmas coming up soon I decided to share with you my recent aluminum casting project. I also created my first 2 tutorials, this is the first time that I actually spoke on my videos so it was an exciting process for me as well, I am aware that there is still a bit of polishing needed for my tutorials ;-)
Anyway this project is about how to cast an aluminum star from scrap aluminum describing most of the steps from A-Z.
The first video I will show how I have created the sand mould and in my 2nd video I focused more on my homemade foundry and the actual casting process.
So I hope you enjoy ;-)
Aluminum star casting part 1 (sand mould preparation):
Aluminum star casting part 2 (pouring the aluminum):
Sand Mould Images
![Aluminum star casting pattern.JPG](/proxy/?url=https://content.instructables.com/FNP/T3O6/I3H78NV8/FNPT3O6I3H78NV8.jpg&filename=Aluminum star casting pattern.JPG)
![foundry sand mould 1.JPG](/proxy/?url=https://content.instructables.com/FXV/7Q7C/I3H78NWT/FXV7Q7CI3H78NWT.jpg&filename=foundry sand mould 1.JPG)
![foundry sand mould 2.JPG](/proxy/?url=https://content.instructables.com/F02/KNA0/I3H78NYC/F02KNA0I3H78NYC.jpg&filename=foundry sand mould 2.JPG)
![foundry sand mould 3.JPG](/proxy/?url=https://content.instructables.com/FGN/W7DZ/I3H78NYF/FGNW7DZI3H78NYF.jpg&filename=foundry sand mould 3.JPG)
![foundry sand mould 4.JPG](/proxy/?url=https://content.instructables.com/FIV/JQL8/I3H78O1A/FIVJQL8I3H78O1A.jpg&filename=foundry sand mould 4.JPG)
![foundry sand mould 5.JPG](/proxy/?url=https://content.instructables.com/FQC/QZLD/I3H78O1G/FQCQZLDI3H78O1G.jpg&filename=foundry sand mould 5.JPG)
![foundry sand mould 6.JPG](/proxy/?url=https://content.instructables.com/FL9/QOER/I3H78O36/FL9QOERI3H78O36.jpg&filename=foundry sand mould 6.JPG)
![foundry sand mould 7.JPG](/proxy/?url=https://content.instructables.com/FXT/FKAJ/I3H78O4K/FXTFKAJI3H78O4K.jpg&filename=foundry sand mould 7.JPG)
![foundry sand mould 9.JPG](/proxy/?url=https://content.instructables.com/FK0/C3ZU/I3H78O7X/FK0C3ZUI3H78O7X.jpg&filename=foundry sand mould 9.JPG)
![foundry sand mould 8.JPG](/proxy/?url=https://content.instructables.com/FEI/STDV/I3H78O6C/FEISTDVI3H78O6C.jpg&filename=foundry sand mould 8.JPG)
Here are some images of the sand mould creation.
I used plastic star as a pattern, oil boned sand to get a good casting finishing and a DIY wooden flask.
After Pouring the Molten Aluminum
![aluminum casting 1.JPG](/proxy/?url=https://content.instructables.com/FJI/T0NC/I3H78NPB/FJIT0NCI3H78NPB.jpg&filename=aluminum casting 1.JPG)
![aluminum casting 2.JPG](/proxy/?url=https://content.instructables.com/FSJ/UBRW/I3H78NS0/FSJUBRWI3H78NS0.jpg&filename=aluminum casting 2.JPG)
![aluminum casting 3.JPG](/proxy/?url=https://content.instructables.com/FS9/PMWR/I3H78NS1/FS9PMWRI3H78NS1.jpg&filename=aluminum casting 3.JPG)
![aluminum casting 6.JPG](/proxy/?url=https://content.instructables.com/FEE/OVN8/I3H78NSB/FEEOVN8I3H78NSB.jpg&filename=aluminum casting 6.JPG)
![aluminum casting 4.JPG](/proxy/?url=https://content.instructables.com/FEQ/JPOC/I3H78NS2/FEQJPOCI3H78NS2.jpg&filename=aluminum casting 4.JPG)
![aluminum casting 5.JPG](/proxy/?url=https://content.instructables.com/F93/VXO4/I3H78NS5/F93VXO4I3H78NS5.jpg&filename=aluminum casting 5.JPG)
![aluminum casting 7.JPG](/proxy/?url=https://content.instructables.com/FSZ/QRNE/I3H78NSE/FSZQRNEI3H78NSE.jpg&filename=aluminum casting 7.JPG)
![Aluminum start casting with foundry pattern.JPG](/proxy/?url=https://content.instructables.com/FA1/98WL/I3H78NWR/FA198WLI3H78NWR.jpg&filename=Aluminum start casting with foundry pattern.JPG)
So in this set of images you can see the actual aluminum star casting, taking it out of the oil bonded sand, 1 hour after the aluminum pour.
After cleaning the extra aluminum and cutting off the gating system, some polish and you can see the final result, really cool project ;-)
![Aluminum star, homemade foundry.JPG](/proxy/?url=https://content.instructables.com/FBO/Z4VC/I3VHAEB7/FBOZ4VCI3VHAEB7.jpg&filename=Aluminum star, homemade foundry.JPG)
![Aluminum star on tree.JPG](/proxy/?url=https://content.instructables.com/F0H/L84F/I3VHAEAY/F0HL84FI3VHAEAY.jpg&filename=Aluminum star on tree.JPG)
![Christmas tree with aluminum star.JPG](/proxy/?url=https://content.instructables.com/FAO/CBRA/I3VHAEB9/FAOCBRAI3VHAEB9.jpg&filename=Christmas tree with aluminum star.JPG)
Last step I used my tap and die set to thread a hole for a long nut. The nut is covered with a metal tube and attached to the Christmas tree with zip ties.