Gallery, Projects and General > Project Logs
Steady Rest Rehab + a New Steady Rest Casting
WeldingRod:
Stacked and welded plasma cut plates was how I did my follow rest. Worked really well!
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vtsteam:
I happen to love pattern making and casting, I guess.
Here are the pattern pieces, all cut on the bandsaw, and every edge is drafted. I don't always do that, depending on how thick the pieces are and whether there are greensand cores. Rapping can get you pretty far, but this one is done right.
A tip to those interested. When adding draft to a complicated pattern via a bandsaw or jigsaw, always proceed around the piece in the same direction with a tilted table. For instance cut as much as you can clockwise, and nothing counterclockwise. Then to clean up any needful unfinished cuts, reset your table angle (or the shoe of your jigsaw) to the opposite angle, and cut the counterclockwise edges.
vtsteam:
The pattern pieces glued together.
mattinker:
--- Quote from: vtsteam on April 02, 2022, 10:41:54 PM ---I happen to love pattern making and casting, I guess.
--- End quote ---
I can relate to that!
Cheers, Matthew
vtsteam:
Matt, :thumbup: :beer: it's just really rewarding to imagine a shape, take intractable stuff. metal, melt it down in a fire, pour it into some pounded sand, and then have it come out of the mold looking like a new part -- and just the shape you wanted! It's also, at least for me, much quicker to do for something odd shaped than any other method -- and less costly, into the bargain. It's just a gas! :beer: :med:
Okay so here's the greensand mold. Notice how clean those corners are and all of the greensand cores look precise. That's a result of drafting a pattern -- they release so much more cleanly. And a result of molding in proper moisture content ordinary traditional greensand.
What is ordinary greensand for me? Just fine silica sand, mixed with fireclay 1:3 by weight. Not even Bentonite -- though that is good stuff. But it doesn't guarantee anything. Just because you use bentonite, doesn't mean your castings will come out the way you want them. High class ingredients are just helpful, not determining.
Nope, this is just the same old 100 pounds of plain sand and fireclay that I have been using for 20 years. I use it for aluminum, zinc, and brass. Iron sand is different, but this mold will be used for aluminum.
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