Shoutout to old man Jenkins from the Pittsburgh plant back in 02

He told me to always keep my sand molds just a little bit damp before pouring. I thought he was just being old fashioned and ignored him for about 6 months. Had three castings come out with bad cracks before I tried his way. Now I keep a spray bottle at my station and havent had that issue since. Anyone else have an old timer give advice that actually saved them time?

2 comments

2 Comments

bettywilson1mo agoTop Commenter

Hold on, spray bottle? You mean you literally mist the sand before you pour? I thought if it was even a little bit wet it would blow up in your face from steam. I've been fighting with cracks for months on these little pump housings and I've been keeping my sand bone dry because I was terrified of getting a steam explosion. I always figured old Jenkins was just set in his ways. Now I'm second guessing every pour I've done this year.

diana_king1mo ago

I've been doing this for almost 15 years now and I've always misted my sand, but only for certain jobs. The key is not making it wet, just barely damp like you'd feel on a beach towel that's been sitting out. If you're doing thick wall castings or big parts, you gotta be careful because the steam can definitely get you if you overdo it. But for thin little pump housings, a light mist helps the sand hold together way better and those cracks go away almost every time. Just test it on a scrap piece first to see how your particular sand reacts before you commit.