Design Concept Studiesfor a

Home Foundry Molding Bench

Purpose• Assemble in one place a collection of molding bench

images/ideas for the hobby metal caster

• These pictures have been collected from eBay auctions, web searches

• Two Parts: – Commercial Designs and– Hobby Built

Benefits of a Moulding Bench• Easier on your back

– Puts the mold at an ergonomic height

• Keeps your sand off the floor – Eliminates trip hazard– Reduces waste

• Contains your sand to help keep it clean– Keeps the cat and other critters out of your sand

• Some designs – help organize your molding tools– close up for tidy for storage

Part 1: Commercial Benches

Flamefast Moulding Bench

Flamefast UK Ltd.

http://www.flamefast.co.uk/index.htmlManchester (the heartland of industrial revolution )

For over 25 years, Flamefast has been the market leader in hot metal equipment, extraction systems and gas proving systems for the education sector and more recently in gas interlocking and gas proving systems for commercial kitchens (BS6173).

They also have crucible melters, forges, kilns.

Flamefast Moulding Bench

Flamefast Moulding BenchThis robustly designed, attractive sand moulding bench is specifically designed for use in school and college workshops.

The Flamefast Moulding Bench is rigidly constructed to be totally stable with the 200Kg (440 pounds) sand bin full to capacity.

Aesthetically designed to match the Flamefast range of gas equipment, the Moulding Bench restricts the sand within a specific area when filling moulding flasks and so helps to keep the floor sand free and reduces the chance of accidents.

The sand bin is made of galvanized steel with a tough stove enamel finish. Guide ways are provided to allow the moulding boards to slide easily from left to right.

The two part lid has a dual purpose. It covers the moulding bench when not in use and can be opened independently to give access to all or part of the sand. It also stores all the tools needed for the moulding process.

Dimensions (H x W x D) 765 x 1210 x 570mm (30 x 48 x 22 inches)

http://www.flamefast.co.uk/heat-treatment/moulding-benches.htmlhttp://www.sterlingfarriertools.com/flamefastproducts.htmhttp://www.technologysupplies.co.uk/acatalog/Welding_and_Moulding_Benches.html

McEnglevan Industrial Furnace Company

Danville, Illinois

Supplier of foundry equipment to the vocational field since 1938

A single source for almost all hobby foundry needs

Main catalog page

http://www.mifco.com/MS/catalogmain.html

MIFCO Molding Benchhttp://www.mifco.com/moldbnch.htm

Plenty of working room for two persons side by side. The tools shown are sold separately.

MIFCO Molders Bench closedMolders Bench open for use

Part No. 033600 MB-1 Single Station Molders BenchSize: 30" x 30" x 30“Working Height is 25“Shipping Weight is 200 lbs

Note how the Tool Racks act as front panels to close the bench completely and keep all tools and supplies out of sight.

MIFCO Molding Bench

MB-1 One Man Molders Bench Shown open for use

MIFCO Molding Bench

MIFCO Molding Bench

Molding Bench – MIFCO or Copy?

Maker unknown – is it a MIFCO or a copy?

Flexible Furniture Plainwell, Michigan

Started business in 1906, as Angle Steel Company, with a limited line of three-legged milking stools.

Company has grown to offer high quality steel products such as drafting and filing stools, drafting, electronic and welding benches, laboratory furniture, case goods and media storage.

The Montisa brand of robust, high-quality file and storage products was combined with Flexible Furniture organization in 2003, and the company name was officially changed to Flexible Montisa.

http://www.flexiblemontisa.com/files/angle%20steel%20brochure%20a.pdf

Flexible Furniture

Flexible Furniture?

This complete set up from a trade school was listed on eBay

Possibly a Flexible molding bench?

Brodhead Garrett

Brodhead GarrettGreenville, Wisconsin?

BG is a leading provider of educational equipment and supplies for vocational/career and industrial arts/technology education.

http://www.brodheadgarrett.com

BG is part of School Specialty, an education company that provides innovative and proprietary products, programs, and services to help educators engage and inspire students of all ages and abilities.

http://schoolspecialty.com/

Brodhead GarrettThis foundry sand molder's bench is designed to provide storage space for molding tools and to keep conditioned sand at the proper working condition even when the bench is not in use.

Reinforced hard maple frame with birch plywood panels. A heavy galvanized metal lined sand bin holds 12 cubic feet of sand is fitted with 2 galvanized steel covers that fold out of the way. Four heavy gauge 1-1/2" channels form the flask grid .

Front edge of bin is protected by a steel edge for rolling heavy flasks.

Storage space below the bin includes a drawer for rammers, sprue cutters, slicks, spoons and other tools. An open shelf is for riddles and shovels.

A high back panel provides space for mounting models and patterns and an 8" shelf keeps molding tools within easy reach.

Overall size is 60"W x 30" D x 61" H. Weight is about 310 lbs.

Retail price in the 2005 Brodhead-Garrett catalog was $1,475.00.

Brodhead Garrett

Brodhead Garrett

Shain SolutionsShain IndustriesSuring, WI

Founded in 1961 due to what the owners saw as “The cheapening of furniture in the educational market.”

Shain purchased Shop-Bilt, Inc in the mid-1980s, and changed its name to Shain Shop-Bilt, Inc.

Continuing to grow, and striving to meet the demands of our clients, in January 2007, Shain Shop-Bilt changed its name to Shain Solutions.

http://www.shainshopbilt.com/default.aspx

Bench may be off the market

Shain Solutions

Shain SolutionsMolding Bench

This molding bench is designed to provide storage for sand and molder tools. This bench is constructed with reinforced solid maple frame with birch plywood panels. The sand storage area is completely lined with heavy gauge galvanized steel for added durability. Maple shaker bars are removable for your convenience. The front is removable which makes cleaning hassle free. Features:

- Constructed with solid maple and birch plywood- Lined with heavy gauge galvanized steel- Finished with sealer and multiple coats of lacquer- Removable shaker bars- Height to shaker bars is 32″- Front is removable

- Overall Dimensions: 60″ H x 48″ W x 24″ D- Weight: 360 lbs Warranty Information

http://www.lockersupply.com/Shain-WFB-1-Molding-Bench-SHS1137.html

We're sorry but it appears the product you are looking for (Shain WFB-1 Molding Bench SKU:SHS1137) is no longer available. This is usually because the manufacturer no longer makes this product, or because we have decided to

http://robertsandmeck.com/Shain%20Shop%20Bilt%20Catalog/ShainShop_Workbenches.pdf

See Page 44

Part 2: Hobby Built Benches

Gingery

http://www.lindsaybks.com/dgjp/arch/fou/index.html

Here, we see the inside of the main building.

On the lower shelf of the molding bench we see flasks and bottom boards.

Molding tools and other supplies are located on the shelf behind the bench.

Al Schoepp

Al Schoepp

www3.telus.net/public/ aschoepp/bench.html

 The main change that everyone suggested was that I make the bench higher so that it wouldn't be necessary to bend over all the time while working. My bench is currently a little too high as I built it extra high thinking it would be easier to cut the legs off to get the right height than having to add more if I found it too low. It is currently too high for comfortable ramming of the sand molds but it is at a very good height for working with the sand. I plan on making a small platform that I can stand on when I'm ramming a pattern, maybe 3" high, that I can slide under the bench when I mix/recondition the sand. Hopefully that will give me the best of both worlds.

Al SchoeppI used pegboard to mount some of the accessories so that they are convenient. In the bottom left corner of the bench you can see a small aluminum slide door. This makes it easy to move the sand from the bench back to the buckets for storage. I put it on the front rather than the side as I have limited room in my shop so I have easier access to the front of the bench. Because of the limited room I have I made my bench 4' wide, if you have more room a 6' or even an 8' bench would be nice to have.

I added a switched electrical outlet to the lower right corner of the bench. I find this very convenient for my sand fluffer. It's easy to get to when I'm using the fluffer and the fluffer cord doesn't get in my way when I'm using it. To provide the power to the outlet I just have a cord that I plug into a convenient outlet. I also installed a compressed air manifold in the upper right corner of the bench. I plan on using this for a blow gun, small spray gun and an air rammer

The first picture above shows the back support rail in my molding bench. I spaced this 1/2" from the back wall of the bench, making sure to leave it open so that it doesn't collect sand. You can also see that the shelf on the back of the bench has a lip that extends 3/4" past the back of the bench. I did this as part of the changes I made to allow the molding rails to be secured to the bench so they can't lift or shift forward when I'm ramming or rolling the flasks. Rather than try to explain with words you can see from the pictures above how this works. Once the molding rails are slid to the right they are secure and can't be removed.

Ray-Vin.com Florida

http://www.foundry.ray-vin.com/

John C. SchwytzerThis is my molding bench. It's 2' x 4', and has about 200 pounds of green sand in it. Under the bench are the molding flasks. And yet another shelf. This one has my riddle (for breaking up the sand); various sized sprues; tools for cutting gates, rapping patterns, and venting molds; and other odds and ends that are needed to make the molds. I also have a fire extinguisher (I hope my insurance agent notices that).

http://home.earthlink.net/~jschwytzer/workshop.html

Jon Szalay Truck Box Bench

First National Antiques & RestorationBarnegat NJ

I used a diamond plate aluminum truck box and built a stand for it from 6x6 timber, been working with it for a few years now and it is awesome, I can close it up for the day to keep the petrobond sand clean and rain free and roll it around to clean under it I store it outside with about 3 hundred pounds of sand in it

when I got the truck box I installed 2x2 runners along the entire length to rest 2x4s on to support the molding flasks, that is the only mods I did initially to the box, it works wonderfully and has met all my expectations,, I work by myself so there is no crowding. the length of the box is nice so you can mold off to one side and pick up sand from the open area next to you,, loose sand and drags offs just fall back into the box,, the only mod I want to make is perhaps drape a leather cover over the interior lid hinge joint to keep sand off the hinge ,, not really a big deal though, plastic boxes are not going to hold up to the pounding when you mold a flask

http://daggoth.smugmug.com/gallery/3439105#192916459

Parts Washer Bench

http://www.artfulbodgermetalcasting.com/11.html

The drawing above shows the idea of my moulding bench. I can not claim this was a great brainwave, I found a dumped parts washer, and with a couple of simple modifications this was what I ended up with!I have put a plastic sheet in the bottom of it to keep the sand moist, this is large enough for the four sides to overlap each other across the top of the sand. I then put my sieve and other tools on top to hold the overlapping sheet in place sealing the sand in and close the lid, this stops the sand from drying out.

When the lid is open, removable legs are placed near the middle of the lid, not the outside edge, this is to give firm support to the flask as it is rammed up.

The edge of the plastic sheet near the open lid is laid over the lid, and a wooden board that's a reasonable fit inside the raised edges around the lid is placed on top of trapping the sheet. The plastic sheet on the other sides are then clipped to the container to keep them out of the way.

Lionel Oliver’s BYMC Bench

http://www.backyardmetalcasting.com/moldingtable01.html