[TheForge] Playing with bronze

Wed May 22 13:37:01 2002

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- -----Original Message-----
From: [email protected]
[mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Phlip

* ... Does anyone have suggestions for a reusable mold media for
alloy b bronze. I have alloy b, alloy c, and some generic silicone
bronze, as well as copper, monel, and k-monel. I am interested in
small casting such as buckels, belt plates, and saddle brasses.

...
for fine detail, in a batch process, silicon slip casting is a
option.  it's not reusable per se ... but cheap per unit and allows
eaxt multiples, though the up-front tooling can be pricy

* make the master out of wax (requires basic wax carving tools & wax)

* make a mold of the master using a vulcanizing press (press &
vulcanizing media)

* using a wax injector, make as many copies as item you want to cast
(wax injector & wax)

* attach the wax's to the master sprue (wax sprue stock and sprue
base)

* dip sprued "tree" in the silicon slip until a good shell is built
up
(silicon slip & vat - large trashcan and a low rpm mixer to keep it
liquid)

* burn out the wax from the "tree" in a burn-out oven (large burn out
oven)

* bury the shell mold in sand (for support)

* melt bronze (melting furnace, tongs, crucibles & safety gear)

* pour bronze

* let cool

* break away the silicon from the cast items

* cut items from sprur - sprue goes back into the casting pile (heavy
cutters)

* take items to your finish bench and process per desire (polishers,
picks, ultrasonics, etc)

process works for small items up to large statues .... complex
process, but great results.  several good books out on the process,
look around online

'wolf

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