Unless you have a lot of coin, and want to tie it up in dust collectors, stay small, and dont re-invent the wheel.
I have 2 commercial furni, and mostly use #16 bilge crucibles. They are lifted by bilge loop, or scissor tong into a pouring shank. The shank is then run by hand for aluminum, or on a pouring rail for brass too heavy to hold. (2 new #30 are on hand).
As I make the next incarnation of my foundry, I have an air powered hoist, 2 ton, to trolly a heavy pour with. One of those lifts by Horror fright might work, if the cable doesnt run over itself, and bounce the load. They are cheep.
On that note, I am shoveling out and mulling my old (new ) sand again with a hint of synthetic outboard oil, and isopropol, to condition it, and putting it in a new 20 gallon galv garbage can. It will be more than half full when complete this week.
While your tilting spout looks good in practice, it does not lend itself to good practice hitting the pouring cup.
Before you commit to a lot o f cost, you can mock up a pouring run with dry sand coffee cups, in carboard boxes, and pour dry sand from a coffee can on a broom stick, and try different arrangements. I know it sounds like kiddies playing metal men, but many things can be learned with a dry run, and floor layout, before you risk money, metal and limb with assumptions.
Uh, ok, I read you have experience. It is ok to try to take the work out of work, and some simple tools and aids can help. Like a 2x4 floor rail topped with conduit, allows a heavy shank to be positioned with ease for pouring.
Luck with your endeavors.
Big Dave, former Millwright, Electrician, Environmental conditioning, and back yard Fixxit guy. Now retired, persuing boats, trains, and broken relics.
We have enough youth, how about a fountain of Smart. My computer beat me at chess, but not kickboxing
It is not getting caught in the rain, its learning to dance in it. People saying good morning, should have to prove it.
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