Experience with Neutec J2R casting machine?

Does anyone have any experience with Neutec J2R casting machine? We
are looking at this unit for a relatively small scale casting setup
probably about 30 flasks per week, mostly in sterling.

Dennis

The J2R would be perfect for you. I have been using the J2R for
about 12 years now and it has proven to be the most dependable
machine I’ve ever used. I originally bought one for a company I was
running and I liked it so much that when I started on my own I had to
have a J2R. I was lucky enough to find a used one and although it had
seen heavy use, the price was right so I bought it. The first thing I
did was order a replacement heating element since I figured the one
in it was probably going to burn out and leave me with an oven full
of flasks. 10 years later it’s still on the shelf. The only thing
I’ve had to do to the machine is replace consumables and a fuse. The
problem with any resistance melter is melt speed and you don’t get
the nice pulse wave stirring that you do with an induction machine.
The J2R has a manual stirring rod if you really feel the need to stir
your metal and as for speed, do what I did when I wanted to increase
my speed - buy another J2R!

Brett Gober

Dennis,

Does anyone have any experience with Neutec J2R casting machine?
We are looking at this unit for a relatively small scale casting
setup probably about 30 flasks per week, mostly in sterling.

How large are the flasks, how many pieces in each flask, what size
burn out oven. I think this helps determine what system
you use. I used to cast 9 3"x7" flasks a day using a large arm Kerr
centrifugal casting machine. I could produce 500-1000 pieces casting
3 days a week.

Richard Hart

I have used the Neutec J2r for nearly six years and love it! We have
gone from casting 1 part a day per flask to 100 pcs. per flask with
nine 4x6 flasks, as big as our kiln can handle. The machine can cast
flasks all day, and I was able to drop sterling silver flasks at the
rate of one 4x6 every 8 minutes. Now that is fast!

The crucible heats up the metal quickly and evenly and the vacuum
draws the metal into the perforated flasks quickly with very few
non-fills or partial fills. Due the the power of the vacuum, I have
had a few blow-outs due my error, either mixing a bad investment
ratio or sprucing parts too close to the top of the tree.

The flexibility to switch flask sizes mid-casting, and crucibles (if
you have the cooling container) makes this casting machine an
absolute dream as it works so efficiently.

The only maintainence I have had with the machine were the
consumables, if you consider that maintainence. It is expected that
one will have to replace them as they are worn out and used.

I would highly recommend the J2r or any Neutec product for that
matter - the sales and service dept. at Neutec/Rio Grande is second
to none, in my opinion.

Sara D. Commers
Studio C Designs
C&L Gems LLC