Aluminum casting - Clothes Hook

I needed several clothes hooks, so I decided to make one using green sand casting. I just made a flask and prepared green sand, so everything was ready for molding. I decided to use as original one old coat hook which was made 40-50 years ago. The good thing is that it was made of aluminum and it wasn’t very hard casting.
Firstly, I loaded and pressed green sand. For all surfaces which shouldn’t be stick together like bottom, original clothes hook, the cope and the drag, I used baby powder. Nevertheless, I tried flour and it worked fine as well. Also, I tried starch but it didn’t work as good as other stuff which I mentioned.
Secondly, it’s important to locate the model in the center between the cope and the drag. I could do it much better because I didn’t choose the best angle and coat peg became little dipper in the drag. After that, I took two pipes and made two holes for funnel and gas ventilation.
Thirdly, aluminum was melted and poured inside the mold. Here I made second mistake and didn’t prepare enough aluminum. It looked like I failed and I decided to melt more aluminium and casted it through vent hole. I knew that there wouldn’t be a required result but that was just an experiment.
Finally, when I had opened the mold I saw that there was lack of aluminum but just for clothes hook tip.
To finish this clothes hook I had to cut off unwanted pieces and to grind it. Additionally of course, I drilled 2 holes for screws.
In the end, I putted it on the garage wall. Mission completed! 

Видео Aluminum casting - Clothes Hook канала Dural Metalurg