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Sand casting aluminum tree steps.

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dennism

Member
Joined
Mar 16, 2014
Messages
67
Location
S.E. Michigan
So I decided instead of fumbling something together out of parts that weren't made for this purpose I'd give this a shot. It doesn't look very hard and I would get exactly what I want. I got the OK from the wife to build a foundry in the back yard, she thinks it's going to be cool! Plus I've live in the middle of nowhere, not that this thing is going to be huge or anything but I could see some people having a problem with it.

I have never tried anything like this before. I thought I'd start a thread for people who were interested and also to keep me motivated. I do however have a lot of experience working with aluminum.

Today there wasn't any work, so I was able to have a whole half hour to work on my idea in my shed. :oops: I've got some scrap melamine from the laundry room so that's what the form will be.




rough cut and routered



The two halfs finished sanded.


In order to sand cast you need to have it in 2 pieces. (from what I understand of course) I still need to make the flasks, green sand, a crucible and of course the foundry.

I'm a finish carpenter and really do some beautiful work. This however isn't the best looking wood product I've made, GEFWIF I guess :D
This is going to take some time to get set up.
 
Looking forward to seeing how this idea develops. I'm sure you'll have some fun regardless. I can't believe your wife said it will be cool! I might be able to get the ok for something like that, but never a "cool"!

I have some other ideas in a completely opposite direction that I am rolling around. I will keep you appraised of how they develop.

"GEFWIF".. Thats a new one for me... I had to look it up ;)
 
Yeah Gefwif, dead nuts, fat balls working construction your whole life you get a ton of stuff that slip out from time to time that people look at you funny. At least I don't swear!
 
Cool stuff hope it works out. I've been wishing for a long time that someone would explore the option of aluminium steps . Back in the olden days when I worked at an achery shop in the eighties and early ninties loggy bayou used to sell these.

and I was alway hoping that I could get a hold of 5 or 6 of them and put them on a strap. The only problem was the starps did't thread through the step. They had some little lip that hooked to the strap, but the size and design are perfect. They were light as a feather as well.
Some other cool homegrown options That I liked.

 
Bigburner said:
Cool stuff hope it works out. I've been wishing for a long time that someone would explore the option of aluminium steps . Back in the olden days when I worked at an achery shop in the eighties and early ninties loggy bayou used to sell these.

and I was alway hoping that I could get a hold of 5 or 6 of them and put them on a strap. The only problem was the starps did't thread through the step. They had some little lip that hooked to the strap, but the size and design are perfect. They were light as a feather as well.
Some other cool homegrown options That I liked.

Click to expand...

I found a couple aluminum steps on eBay that look similar to those, I'll take a pic when I get a chance, might not be til later in the weekend, I'm heading up to our camper tonight for opening day of trout season tomorrow.

What did you use to make the ones in your bottom two pics?
 
I didn't make those. Something I found pics of that I thought was cool. The old loggy steps looked like what dennism was going for.
BTW have fun trout fishing cant wait to get to my camp in NW. PA to do some trout fishing after turkey season.
 
Bigburner said:
I didn't make those. Something I found pics of that I thought was cool. The old loggy steps looked like what dennism was going for.
BTW have fun trout fishing cant wait to get to my camp in NW. PA to do some trout fishing after turkey season.
Click to expand...

Gotcha. I like the look of them a lot for "permanent" setups on trees you need to use strap ons. They might be a little big for a mobile setup. Where did you find the pics? Do you know what they're made out of?

Thanks. We had a good day. My dad got 8 and I got 7 trout this morning. Also woke up to a turkey gobbling his brains out about 150 yards from our camper. Can't wait for turkey season! :D
 
I would imagine that they're aluminum I beams. Iron would be way to heavy. Looks like they just mitered them in a chop box.
 
I finished remodeling my laundry room. Now any free time I have can go towards these steps. I'm thinking since I have no idea how thses are going to go I don't want to spend a ton of money making the foundry. I'm thinking I'm going to go caveman style on this fist one. :lol:
 
Any free time.. until your wife finds your next project ;)

Good luck and keep us updated with pics :D
 
Erich,

This is a pic of that step that I told you about. It looks very similar to the one in the photo that you posted. I got a set of 3 of these on ebay a couple years ago. They are API strap on steps. They are very light. My only complaint about them would be they do make a very loud ping when they bang together.
 

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Those are the ones. I would give my right eye for a set of those. I know your not a fan of the ratchett straps but I have no choice so I modified some cranford rope steps. Those old Apia steps are way lighter. Did you ever try using stealth strips or tool dip to queit them down. If you ever want to part with then let me know.
 
Bigburner said:
I would give my right eye for a set of those.
Click to expand...

I hope you shoot lefty ;)

I just started using plasti-dip on some stuff last season and you are right that should quiet them down. I think that the overcenter buckle that dennis and I have been talking about on the other thread will be an even better option than the ratchet strap. After I get a chance to fool around with it more I am going to do a write up on it and maybe a video too. I don't think I'll be parting with these, but I have a few ideas for replicating them. I'm not sure if my ideas are possible or how much they would end up costing. I have a big exam I have to take for work in May, so I am out of commission on research and development until about memorial day. After that I have all summer to work on new ideas. Any free time I have between now and then is going towards turkeys. I woke up at 4 last sunday and hiked to the top of a mountain. Heard 2 different birds gobbling :D
 
I just use the force when I shoot. My arrow goes where my mind tells it to go :lol: the steps are good thing to ponder but turkeys are in the now. Sat. Is opener I have to post a pick of my rig for this season in the other section. Its pretty freaking cool!
 
Bigburner said:
I just use the force when I shoot. My arrow goes where my mind tells it to go :lol: the steps are good thing to ponder but turkeys are in the now. Sat. Is opener I have to post a pick of my rig for this season in the other section. Its pretty freaking cool!
Click to expand...

You're gonna have to teach me that trick Jedi Master :lol:

Yea I'll keep the steps in mind and like I said, come June I'll start working on that again. I definitely have turkeys on the brain. They are taunting me around my neighborhood :x Can't wait to see a pic of your setup. I'm not good enough at turkey hunting to use a bow, but I'll post some pics of my shotgun pattern in the other section too. Just checked it out on Monday and I'm good to go!
 
It's still moving forward but slowly. I have everything I need to melt and the aluminum to melt. Only thing I need to be 100% is to make greensand. Which is just play sand mixed with a powdered clay. Time is still a issue. This Saturday my sister is going to baby sit my son and my wife is going shopping, so I have the day to myself. I'm either going to melt some metal or scout the state land down the street. I haven't been able to get any scouting in this year.
 
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