Sure, done lots of castings. What are you wanting to do? Create your own little foundry and cast some product? Just get an understanding of the process?Hi all, Anybody ever do any bronze casting or other metals? I was attempting to get into a class but sadly I’m on the waiting list.
This is all the "rage" in casting technology these days. With mold making costing in the 6 digits, 3D printing is providing some cost benefits.I've 3D printed patterns for sand casting which was really quick and worked out very well.
I talked to one shop that 3D printed wax patterns for investment casting. They could make some very detailed parts using this technique. Sand casting tends to be cheaper for small quantities but you can't get the same level of detail as you can with investment casting. Of course, if you are doing the work yourself maybe there is no cost difference. I don't know the difference in cost between green sand and investment material. I found some casting printer filament that I could use in my printer if I wanted to try it. Sand casting seems a bit simpler.Interestingly, the original lost wax method where you have few parts to cast can still be cost effective....
Well I'll let @All U Get answer for himself as he started this thread. But for me - I'd be interested in learning how do you control quality on a small scale. I work within a large industrial scale and have at my disposal X-ray, ultrasound, penetrant inspection at as broad a scale as needed.Strange to find this discussion at this moment. I’m a fellow sailor and a metalsmith and I teach Metalsmithing at a college. I’m currently sitting on my boat preparing for a 5 day workshop on the casting process that begins today. I teach workshops on the summer and try to teach in places that are shoreside and within sailing distance of where I keep my boat. Lake Superior has several art centers and craft schools that I teach various metalworking processes from. This class happens to be my only workshop this summer and my first public post-Covid class. What types of things are you interested in casting?
Sounds like new hobby!! This is a class on Bronze Casting for Boatbuilders - The process of patternmaking and casting custom hardware: Bronze Casting For Boatbuilders (thewoodenboatschool.com)
Sure, done lots of castings. What are you wanting to do? Create your own little foundry and cast some product? Just get an understanding of the process?
There's a guy with a face book group that does some really interesting work on using a very old casting technique that you can set up on your backyard...
Luted Crucible Metal Casting
dj
Tom, from the heading I was trying to figure out if you were going fishing, looking for actors for a movie or making metal parts. I half expected it to be fishing since this is a boating forum but bronze parts is good too.
I have not cast any parts myself but I've designed lots of cast parts and been to several foundries. I'm guessing sand casting is what you are going for. There are a lot of different types: die casting, sand, investment, permanent mold, metal injection molding...
Sand casting is great if you are making only one or a few parts, can be good for slightly higher quantities as well. Also very well suited for bronze. I'm sure the courses will go over limitations in part geometry, pour speed, temperatures and all of that. Lots to think about but once you understand the process and have the tools it's fairly straight forward. I've 3D printed patterns for sand casting which was really quick and worked out very well.
I had visited the Wooden Boat School years ago and had a curiosity about learning some skills that would prove useful for our cruising lifestyle. I gave them a call to see if I could get into the class and was put on the waitlist. Meanwhile I have watched many U-tube videos of the green sand process and it peaked my interest. I also have an assortment of scrap metal bound for recycling or repurposing. The other interesting idea is using this talent for parts I need for repairs, especially when we’re far from home.From this video it would seem that special footwear is necessary
Building your own parts that are aimed at structural fixtures, I'd suggest contracting a commercial foundry - see my note above.I had visited the Wooden Boat School years ago and had a curiosity about learning some skills that would prove useful for our cruising lifestyle. I gave them a call to see if I could get into the class and was put on the waitlist. Meanwhile I have watched many U-tube videos of the green sand process and it peaked my interest. I also have an assortment of scrap metal bound for recycling or repurposing. The other interesting idea is using this talent for parts I need for repairs, especially when we’re far from home.
My wife seems to have the thought that I could make some articles for the garden similar to what we’ve seen at the botanical gardens during our travels. This may be her attempt to get me to drop anchor and keep me occupied.
Lost wax casting and investment casting are the same technology. Lost wax is a term that comes from a long time back, it was the original term for this technology. The term investment casting came along later. In both cases, you make a wax mold of the part you want to cast. You then encapsulate that wax in a mold material creating what's called a shell, then melt the wax out creating the cavity in the shape of the part you wish to form. Both the mold and the shell are destroyed in the process of performing the casting process.I talked to one shop that 3D printed wax patterns for investment casting. They could make some very detailed parts using this technique. Sand casting tends to be cheaper for small quantities but you can't get the same level of detail as you can with investment casting. Of course, if you are doing the work yourself maybe there is no cost difference. I don't know the difference in cost between green sand and investment material. I found some casting printer filament that I could use in my printer if I wanted to try it. Sand casting seems a bit simpler.
That's what I call quite an ambitious first project...Over the last decade we’ve broken various cabin articles, clothes hooks, clock bases, etc. so that along with a ship’s bell all would be good practice. Then gradually more technical works.
My wife would like this:
View attachment 196124
What I have so far is this:
View attachment 196125View attachment 196126
Just a FYI - Bells are actually a specialized sub-set within casting technology....a ship’s bell
As far as I am aware no one is doing 3D printing in cast iron which is what your head was made from. I doubt it could be economically competitive in that market.It came to me that today we have computer 3D printing. In my college years many moons ago I worked in the sand box at a foundry making cylinder heads for HD in Milwaukee and thought there has to be a better way of doing this. Still waiting, but it seems we can now print out a lot of small parts.