Sunday, April 11, 2010

Casting Pots

A couple of Saturdays ago, a few of us went to learn how some local Congolese cast the pots you see around town.  We wandered around a neighborhood on the north side of town before eventual finding some guys who were still working and willing to show us the ropes.
























They use an old engine and wheel crank to serve as an underground blower to feed the charcoal fire to melt the random metal scraps that are used for the pots.







The molds are made simply of dirt and wooden or metal frames.  The topsoil here has a lot of sand, so the best dirt is several feet underground and more dense.  They make simple but impressive molds of the pots and lids.







As the guy keeps turning that wheel, eventually the charcoal gets hot enough to completely liquify the scrap metal, and it is poured into a slot that has been made in the top of the dirt molds.  The metal hardens very quickly, and you are left with a new pot 












Lastly, he uses this contraption to scour the inside of the pot.


Click here for the full album.



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