Learn About Furnace Torches, Gas Torches, And Soldering Torches

Metal Casting provides the hobbyist with a great way to create personalized parts and pieces that may otherwise be unattainable or far too expensive. Casting is an ancient art that is still is use to this day by major industries to artists to those with backyard foundries. This skill is a valuable one that promises to provide the hobbyist with a rewarding past time. Most hobbyists begin their casting careers with a modest sized furnace to fit their most basic needs. Within a few months, the hobbyist might find that the furnace has grown and that they are casting at every chance that comes along. Don't worry, this is completely natural.To say that metal casting is addictive is an understatement. Metal casting provides a way for an idea to materialize through molten metal.

This is perhaps one of the greatest parts of the entire metal casting process like seeing what was once just sketches solidify from liquid iron, or whatever metal is used. All the metal caster needs is an idea and red hot liquid metal.The furnace is the pride and joy for the metal caster.

Most will construct their own furnace tweaking the design here and there to better suit their needs. Many home foundries are based on home made furnaces and if constructed correctly can prove to be highly effective. The crucial part of the furnace is the furnace torch. The torch brings the heat, incredibly high heat, and without it that chunk of metal would just sit in the crucible and never see life as something new and exciting. Except as a paper weight; a very ugly paper weight.When searching for an appropriate casting torch the hobbyist will need to take several things into consideration. The size of the furnace, and what metals you plan to use are chief among the considerations. Many casters will use a torch that uses propane gas as it provides enough pressure and heat to melt most metals. If the hobbyist plans to use natural gas like the kind that is provide in households they may find that the pressure is just not enough and the desired temperatures will not be reached. The same is true for Butane. While natural gas and Butane can be used, propane seems to yield the best results. Oxyacetylene torches are a favorite with many casters especially for casting iron.Price is yet another consideration. While it may be possible to rig a casting furnace it is not always advisable. Torches can range in price from $40 to several hundreds of dollars depending upon the size, the use, and accessories.Many jewelers are able to use small independent casting torches but when dealing with metal casting in furnaces you will need to use a torch that can be mounted and used in such a fashion. Many think that just because you need a furnace torch you are going to need a large furnace. This is simply not true.

A small furnace and furnace torch can produce enough heat to melt aluminum, iron, and a number of other metals. One of the furnaces functions is to help the flame reach optimum temperature and in the case of Reverberatory Furnaces, a furnace torch is an absolute requirement.Casting torches can be found in some hobby shops and in hardware stores. Several online shops also sell torches for the hobby metal caster. When buying a torch hobbyist should shop around in order to find the best deal. Always use caution when dealing with a furnace torch.

By : Kent Klein

Keeping Powered Up

It may seem an obvious thing to say but when it comes to a notebook computer the battery is the thing that really makes it work. Many people know this, but they forget that the battery only has a certain life span, and at some point you'll probably need to replace it if you want your notebook to keep working at the performance level that you require. This article will look at some of the considerations you need to bear in mind when you're looking to find a cheap deal for your laptop battery needs.
The first thing that you should remember is that you need to exercise care when you're looking for a battery at the cheap end of the market. One of the first things you need to bear in mind is that the shape and the overall design of the battery needs to fit in with the notebook you have. For instance, a cheap battery pack that you bought for a Toshiba notebook may not fit in with the overall design, and so when you go to buy a battery for this make, or any other make for that matter, it is a good idea to take the laptop along with you to the store and make sure that it definitely fits in the housing provided.
The second thing that you need to make sure is that the size of the battery is not such that it will short circuit the laptop itself. You can do a lot of damage to the internal mechanism of a notebook by choosing the wrong battery size and this is something that should be avoided at all costs.
Another thing that is a major consideration when you buy a laptop battery is that the voltage is absolutely correct for your particular model. There are many different types of computer accessory on the market nowadays, and some of them may be made in places where manufacturing standards are not as high as those in others. Make sure that the voltage is just right, because the wrong type of voltage can really do some damage and you could end up completely ruining your laptop all for the sake of buying the cheap battery.
When you go to buy a battery for your laptop make sure that it is one which is being manufactured by a company that is recommended by the actual makeup of the laptop itself. In this way you will avoid any kind of complications which could end up to be an expensive mistake.

by carl formby