Flamefast LT1 User manual

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LOW TEMPERATURE CASTING
SYSTEM - LT1
Operating Instructions
PLEASE READ COMPLETELY
BEFORE USING THE SYSTEM
After unpacking the unit please take a few moments to familiarise
yourself with the various components.

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CONTENTS
1. Starting The Unit
2. Loading The Unit
3. Turning The Unit On
4. Using The Unit
5. Pouring Metal
6. Shutting The Unit Down
7. Regular Maintenance and Operating Tips

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WARNING:- Never attempt to operate the Pouring Lever before the
metal in the pot is molten.
Never leave the crucible pot more than 50% full when
switching off the unit.
Always ensure that Flamefast recommended Lead Free
Pewter is used.
1. Starting The Unit
Place the separate tray on a level surface near to a 230V outlet socket.
Place the Low Temperature Casting System (LT1) in the tray so that the
front opening flap opens within the tray.
Plug the unit in to the 230V power supply.
On first use the unit may generate a very small amount of fumes as any
protective oil films are vapourised.
No extraction is required in regular use as the unit does not generate
fumes.
2. Loading The Unit
Open the swivel lid marked Hot Area on the top of the unit.
The unit as initially supplied by Flamefast is complete with approximately
1Kg. of Pewter.
Do not mix the Pewter with other alloys in the melting pot as the resultant
mixture will have an intermediate melting point.
Place the Pewter metal in the pot. The pot, when full, will hold just over
2Kg of metal although you will not be able to put this weight of cold metal
in initially. Stand the sticks of Pewter in the bottom of the pot. As the
bottom of the sticks melt, they will shrink down into the pot. If you require
more molten metal than is provided by the initial number of sticks, just add
more sticks.

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3. Turning The Unit On
Turn on the Power On switch on the side of the unit. The centre of the
switch will illuminate and the fan and internal light will come on.
Switch on the Heater On switch on the side of the unit. The centre of the
switch will illuminate and the heater will switch on.
The heater is thermostatically controlled.
Select the High setting on the side of the unit when the metal is being
melted. When melted, turn the switch to the Low setting. When the unit is
running on the Low setting, the light will come on or off depending on
whether the metal is being heated.
When adding fresh Pewter , turn the switch to High until the metal is fully
melted and then return back to Low.
4. Using The Unit
From cold, and depending on the amount of metal in the pot, the unit will
take 10-15 minutes to heat up and melt the metal in the pot.
During this time, the mould(s) to be used can be prepared for use.
One mould is supplied with the unit. Alternatively, other moulds can be
purchased from us or can be made using CNC techniques, by making a
model and preparing a clay mould, etc. (separate details are available).
When making your own moulds, please ensure that the external
dimensions are approximately 100mm Long x 100mm High x 25mm Thick
For standard sized moulds, place the mould in the moulding trough. To
ensure a tight fit so that the two halves of the mould are held firmly
together, use the spring adjuster and press it in between the mould and
the wall of the moulding trough.
Slide the assembled mould trough along the top of the front opening flap
into the open front of the unit. Place the mould hole under the pouring
spout beneath the melting pot.
When the metal is molten, the surface of the metal will shimmer in the pot.
Pouring can now commence
5. Pouring Metal
With the “approach hole” under the pouring spout, gently lift the Pouring
Lever and let metal run into the mould until the “approach hole” is full of
metal. Release the Pouring Lever.

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The pouring trough can now be withdrawn from the unit.
CAUTION –At this stage the metal in the mould will be very hot and
must not be touched.
When the metal in the “approach hole” has visibly set, the mould can be
removed from the pouring trough.
After about two minutes the mould can be separated but care must still be
exercised as the metal will still be quite hot to touch.
The mould can then be re-inserted in the pouring trough and another item
can be cast. (If a faster rate of production than about one pour every 2-3
minutes is required, then it is recommended that additional moulds are
purchased or manufactured).
6. Shutting The Unit Down
When pouring has been completed it is not necessary to remove any
remaining metal from the melting pot unless the pot is more than 50% full.
In this case run off the excess metal into a suitable receptacle. The
surplus metal can be re-used next time (but see Section 7).
Turn off the Heater On switch. The light in the centre of the switch will go
out.
CAUTION –Do not move the unit until the metal in the pot has
solidified. This may up to about 20 minutes depending on the amount of
metal left in the pot. If the Power On is left on the cooling fan will continue
to run and the cooling process will be faster. However, it is not necessary
to leave the power on to the unit as long as the unit is not moved until the
metal has solidified.
Unplug the unit from the 230V socket.

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7. Regular Maintenance and Operating Tips
Familiarise yourself and your students with the sensitivity of
the pouring arm control.
Do not over use the metals. Do not re-melt the same metal more
than 5 times. This is due to impurities being added to the metal
from external sources which can hinder the pour or start to block
the nozzle, which may lead to leaks. Spare metal from the
“approach hole” of moulds or spills can be re-used by returning it to
the melting pot. However, this re-use can introduce impurities
which can reduce the number of times a charge of metal can be re-
melted. Impurities can come from sources such as mould materials
and grease on hands.
Periodically use the scraping spoon supplied to remove the “scum”
on the top of the molten metal in the pot.
Periodically, it is good practice to empty the pot completely allowing
the removal of any unwanted impurities. The pot should be
completely emptied when the same charge of metal has been re-
melted 5 times. To reduce wastage of metal, it is recommended
that moulds should be made during the final melt so that only a
small amount of metal remains to be discarded.
When the pot is empty but still warm, pass a piece of small gauge
wire into the pouring spout to aid cleaning. Remove the wire before
starting to use the unit again.
Occasionally the unit may drip molten metal from the pouring spout.
This is due to small flecks of solid material settling on the mating
surfaces of the pouring spout. Using a small screwdriver to turn the
screw slot on the top of the lifting lever cures the problem. This
can only be done when the metal is molten. Turn the
screwdriver several times in each direction until the dripping stops.