Appreciation post: My grandpa's 'one tap' rule for the sand rammer

So my grandpa, who ran a foundry for 40 years, always told me when ramming sand for a mold, you only give the rammer one good, solid hit per spot. He'd say, 'More than one and you'll make it too hard, the gas can't get out.' I thought he was just being old school... figured a couple extra taps for good measure couldn't hurt. Well, last week I was making a big gear pattern, about 24 inches across, and I did my usual two or three taps. Poured the iron, and about a minute in... boom. A little explosion right in the mold, sprayed metal everywhere. Scared me half to death and ruined the whole casting. The vent holes were there, but the sand was just packed too tight. The old man was right all along. Anyone else have an old piece of advice they ignored and paid for?

3 comments

3 Comments

fionamurphy6d ago

My dad had a similar rule about tightening bolts, said you could feel the stretch. Snapped a head bolt on my truck proving him wrong.

abbyhall7d ago

Oof, that's a hard lesson. Sometimes the old ways are the best for a reason. Glad you're okay after that pop.

dakotag267d ago

Yeah, that's why you listen to experience. They learned those rules the hard way so we don't have to. Makes you wonder what else we're overcomplicating.