Tip for future you: start with aluminum, it's much more approachable. Just make sure your feed stock is a castable alloy, stuff like t6 or cans will make terrib

Tip for future you: start with aluminum, it's much more approachable. Just make sure your feed stock is a castable alloy, stuff like t6 or cans will make terrible castings. Easiest way to do this is to use chunks of scrap that you know were cast, so look for signs that the original part was cast like mold lines or unmachined surfaces. The reason to start with aluminum is the temp is way lower so it's much easier to build the furnace and the metal is cheap and readily available. You aren't wasting your time, since all the basics of mold design still apply such as controlling shrinkage and preventing freeze off. Paul's garage on YouTube has some excellent videos that cover the process in an instructional way, many of the other channels that cover casting just focus on the finished project. While very cool, these videos aren't always super helpful for a beginner. People also hate on the gingery books, but there is a wealth of super useful information there and the fundamentals haven't changed. It's a super fun hobby, especially if you're already into blacksmithing. But do be careful and definitely heed the safety warnings, there is definitely the potential for an explosion or very harmful fumes.