Shank.txt

I needed a way to move and pour molten aluminum using steel crucibles.
The standard shanks won't work with my foundry because access is from the side
of the furnace, not the top.

I made this side pouring shank from some black steel and a heavy-duty caulking gun.
It captures the crucible in about three seconds and releases in less than half a second.

With this one tool, I can place and pour without having to move the crucible from the
furnace to a side shank using tongs.

ShankOverview.JPG is a quick Rhino3d rendering of the tool and crucible.
ShankHandle.JPG is a shot of the caulking gun as modified to control the jaw.
ShankJaw.JPG is a shot of the fixed and clamping features on the business end.

--Winston