Refurbishing Atwater Kent Pot Metal Pulleys

One of the best things to cast these short of parts out of is defunct automotive carburetor bodies it is a zinc alloy and this what so many of these old pulleys where made of. The alloy used in carburetor bodies has a 350 degree lower melting point then aluminum, they cast to a fine finish requiring very little if any finish work. The problem, of course, it the cost of setting things up.

[stusnyder]

Originally Posted by transmaster

One of the best things to cast these short of parts out of is defunct automotive carburetor bodies it is a zinc alloy and this what so many of these old pulleys where made of. The alloy used in carburetor bodies has a 350 degree lower melting point then aluminum, they cast to a fine finish requiring very little if any finish work. The problem, of course, it the cost of setting things up.

The only thing you have to watch using aluminum and similar alloys is shrinkage. Although IIRC cast iron has the most shrinkage.

Originally Posted by stusnyder

The only thing you have to watch using aluminum and similar alloys is shrinkage. Although IIRC cast iron has the most shrinkage.

That is the beauty of the zinc alloy used in the carburetor bodies it has very little shrinkage, which is one of the reasons it was used the castings needed very little beyond cleaning up material from the casting, fill and vent holes, to
to do the final finishing work.

[stusnyder]

Originally Posted by transmaster

That is the beauty of the zinc alloy used in the carburetor bodies it has very little shrinkage, which is one of the reasons it was used the castings needed very little beyond cleaning up material from the casting, fill and vent holes, to
to do the final finishing work.

Next time I get to the scrap yard I'll have to pick a few up and try it. Might be good for making patterns.