1st, 2nd and 3rd attempt (left to right) at casting my own aluminum for feeding "the Beast" - my "Household Lathe" ("...without which ANY home, relationship or personality JUST ISN'T complete.") Left: Still some impurities/ gas bubbles, decent finish from coarse turned cast AlSiZn junk. Center: less impurities & less gas but rough finish - same junk. Right: Clean, fairly degassed cast, really smooth, shiny surface from shear cutter - just excellent from an office chair wheelstand ripped from the bin! No additional lead or tin needed, as the high (10-12%) Si content makes machining/ chip breaking dead easy. Weight: 864-1006 grams, app 70 mm diameter and length between 86 to 101 mm.