Gallery, Projects and General > Gallery
Miniature Tool Collection
flyingtractors1:
Thanks David.
I gathered up more of my miniature tools for a group picture.
See the video on YouTube. Ralph
dsquire:
Ralph
It looks very impressive to see your tools scatered about like that. Thanks for showing us how you go about making the moulds and then casting them. :D :) :D
Cheers :beer:
Don
Meldonmech:
Hi Ralph,
Like the video, I have only sand cast aluminum up to now, and am working towards casting gun metal and brass. I have built a new furnace which is capable of heating to 1600 c . I would like to make some smaller items, using plaster moulds and wax patterns. Is it possible to cast wax using a gravity feed with a shrinkage reservoir above? Is the plaster mould, plaster of paris, and can you gravity pour brass into these moulds, as I think centrifugal casting is beyond my capabilities?
Cheers David
flyingtractors1:
Thanks David.
--- Quote from: Meldonmech on January 17, 2014, 12:10:19 PM ---Hi Ralph,
I would like to make some smaller items, using plaster moulds and wax patterns. Is it possible to cast wax using a gravity feed with a shrinkage reservoir above? Is the plaster mould, plaster of paris, and can you gravity pour brass into these moulds, as I think centrifugal casting is beyond my capabilities?
Cheers David
--- End quote ---
In a word -- yes. When I started I used plaster of Paris as shown in my latest video = the split half plaster mold for the ballpeen hammers. I did it like we do sand casting with aluminum, since that was what I knew, but used plaster instead of sand, and I used a small split half carved wood pattern and small milk cartons as the frame container (cope & drag). Later I built a wax pattern and suspended it with a strip of wax in a small vegetable tin can and filled it with plaster then baked the mold in the kitchen oven at 500 degrees and melted the wax out (my wife still hasn't forgiven me for that - I'm glad that you have an alternate oven). Then I just melted some silver coins (90 % silver - sterling is 92.5%) in an old ladle (ceramic works best but I didn't have one so used an old iron ladle) and gravity poured it in the mold. It worked ok, and I have been trying to perfect the process ever since. First I picked up an old oven to use and a better torch (I'd had trouble melting metal with a hand propane torch - mapp gas was better, then I found an oxy/acc set and started using better plaster which had less bubbles (a commercial "investment" called "Satin Cast Investment" from Rio Grande jewelry supply store (800-545-6566) - find ordering info on Google, or go to any jewelry supply store. I have cast many metals from gold (melt temp = 1947degrees) to lead at 650, aluminum at 1200, brass at 1650, bronze at 1900. Just try it. You will find the imperfections and improvements along the way. A book I found helpful is "The Art of Lost Wax Casting - on the net or in jewelry supply stores. Wear safety gear and Good luck to you. Ralph
Manxmodder:
Hi Ralph,
Thanks for sharing these, they are lovely items.
I don't know about you merely recommending a book on lost wax casting,I think you could write a very credible one yourself.
I have also heard of people using a slurry of dry wall finishing compound, or mud as it's referred to in USA, to coat wax patterns and then followed by baking to melt out the wax and dry the mud.
I intend to have a go at lost wax process myself to reproduce some finials and other ornamental components missing from the cast iron railings outside my house.
I'll be attempting them in aluminum or brass and then attaching them with threaded spigots and epoxy and after fettling and painting they should match in perfectly.
Thanks for a very informative thread and I'll Google that book on lost wax.....Cheers,OZ.
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