[TheForge] casting

[Washington, Aubrey O.]

Great information, Mickey!  Thanks for passing it on, Dan.
 
Aubrey

________________________________

From: theforge-bounces at mailman.qth.net on behalf of Dan Brewer
Sent: Tue 8/1/2006 2:14 AM
To: 'Sponsored by ABANA'
Subject: RE: [TheForge] casting




Sent for Mike Porter


Aubrey,



(1) Send him to Castinghobby, as Hobbicast can get pretty snotty at times.



(2) You would be a lot better off to forget the brass and have him use
silicon bronze. Brass often has lead in it; even the zinc content is likely
to boil off during casting procedures, creating health issues and porosity
in the castings. "Pay the man the two dollars" up front and avoid dealing
with a mess. Silicon bronze is safe, cheap, and can be used over and over
while he is climbing the learning curve.



(3)For the work he wants to do, lost wax casting is going to work out best.
Try getting him "The Handbook of Lost Wax or Investment Casting" by James E.
Sopcak and "Practical Casting: A Studio Reference" by Tim McCreight. I am
NOT a McCreight fan, but he did a pretty good job on this book; it would be
the one I'd recommend first to anyone just getting started at casting small
parts like belt buckles and medallions  (gagging on my words, but they are
true). The reason is he shows a lot of home built tooling.

      OK, I've still got a case of the red-a*s over McCeight's book "The
Complete Metalsmith." Compared to "Metalwork and Enamelling" (British
spelling) written by Herbert Maryon almost a century ago, it's a bad joke!



(4)Casting part size has everything to do with expense. Because he wants to
cast small stuff his expenses will be minor. Therefore, do insist on proper
crucibles; they are dirt cheap in the small sizes.



(5)Being into blacksmithing, you can make proper fitting tongs for the
crucibles.



(6)Have him build the Jeweler's Furnace model with the lowered lid, so that
he can move the crucibles straight in and out of the furnace without setting
them down and changing tongs.



Mikey







-----Original Message-----

From: theforge-bounces at mailman.qth.net
[mailto:theforge-bounces at mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of Washington, Aubrey O.

Sent: Monday, July 31, 2006 12:48 PM

To: Sponsored by ABANA

Subject: Casting Newbie [Was: RE: [TheForge] Casting a power hammer?]







Frosty and Mickey,







Okay, now you've gone an done it!  My 19 year old son wants to do some
casting.  He is familiar with coal forge blacksmithing, so he knows about
being careful around hot stuff.  Right now what he thinks he wants to cast
is knife (and sword) hardware, belt buckles, and medallions, etc.







I have several ingots of brass that came from a defunct belt buckle factory,
so I know it is suitable for casting.  And, I have Mickey's book on burners.
Aside from that, I don't know jack about casting.







My questions to you fine folk are, how shall I advise him to get started?
Which of the two Yahoo groups Mickey mentions (Castinghobby or Hobbicast)
would be best for a newbie to join?  Does one seem to tolerate basic
questions better than the other?  What is a good starter book for him to
read?







I feel a new sickness coming on.... 







Aubrey 



Rock Creek Forge













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