That pile of dirt from the new park build is perfect for tempering sand

I mean, they've been digging up ground for a playground a few blocks over, and there's just mountains of this sandy clay mix sitting around. We grabbed a few buckets on a whim, idk, maybe it's just me but it blends way better with our existing molding sand than the stuff we order. Last week we did a big iron pour for some machine parts, and the molds held shape like a dream, no cracking at all. It saved us from having to wait on a delivery, and honestly, it's free if you ask nice. I think a lot of local construction spots might have similar material if you look. Just make sure to sieve it first to get rid of rocks and junk. Give it a shot if you're in a pinch.

3 comments

3 Comments

brian5721mo ago

Heard construction clay works great for casting sand!

olivia_carr71mo ago

Always figured it was junk but Brian's right, it works way better than sand.

taylor_clark651mo ago

Seriously? I read a whole thing about this last year. The clay holds moisture way better than regular sand, so your molds come out cleaner with less crumbling. It's stickier to work with, but way fewer burnt-in spots on the final cast.