Metal Casting Zone Info Blog

Posts Tagged ‘mold’

How to make a green sand mold using a loose piece.

• QUANTITY: 1
• MATERIAL(S): Plastic
• SHAPE/STYLE:
• COLOR:
• MEASUREMENTS/SIZE:

Product Description

• Reusable mold for casting resin.
• Create your own unique resin jewelry.
• Made from durable yet flexible plastic.
• This plastic tray features assorted butterfly impressions, perfect for creating components to incorporate in your jewelry or craft projects.
• Approximate Measurements: Butterflies range in size from 1 Inch across to 4 1/4 inch across. Entire tray measures 9 3/4 Inch x 6 1/4 Inch.
• Quantity: 1 Resin Mold Tray

Resin Epoxy Mold For Jewelry Casting – Assorted Butterflies

• QUANTITY: 1
• MATERIAL(S): Plastic
• SHAPE/STYLE:
• COLOR:
• MEASUREMENTS/SIZE:

Product Description

• Reusable mold for casting resin.
• Create your own unique resin jewelry or crafts.
• Made from durable yet flexible plastic.
• This plastic tray features six large egg shaped domes, perfect for creating craft projects and ornaments.
• Approximate Measurements: Each oval is 1 5/8 inch wide (40mm), 2 1/8 Inch long (55mm). Approximately 15mm deep (around 5/8 inch).
• Quantity: 1 Resin Mold Tray

Resin Epoxy Mold For Jewelry Casting – Oval Domes

In part one he made the sand mold.  Now I melt metal and complete the casting.

Hello,

We have an exciting topic today!  It is called Casting Sand.

Sand casting is the most ancient form of metal casting and has been
around since at least Ancient Egypt. Many metal casters prefer
using sand casting over many of the other forms of processes
because it’s cheap and the sand used is readily available.

Many experienced metal casters will continue to use sand casting
even though their abilities and resources allow them to use the
other metal casting methods like Lost Wax Casting or Investment
Casting. Sand casting involves less material and less effort than
the other casting methods. Sand casting is a great way for new
casters to get into the trade.

In sand casting, the metal caster will create a mold by placing an
original in the flask which is filled with sand. The original will
be a pattern of what you want to cast. By ramming or vibrating
the sand, the caster creates a mold of the original. The casting sand
used needs to be able to retain the shape of the mold. Finding the
right mixture of sand to water is crucial. Too much water can ruin
the mold and possibly destroy it while too little water will create
a poor casting. Green sand is a type of casting sand that many
prefer since its ability to retain the shape of the mold is far
better then normal sand. Green sand usually contains bentonite clay,
sand, and water.

After the sand is packed, the pattern or original is removed carefully.
Molten metal is poured into the mold and allowed to cool. The metal
caster will then break the mold and dig out the casting.

While sand casting has its benefits the use of green sand can
greatly increase the likelihood of a successful casting. Green sand
is not really green the color refers to the damp nature of the sand.
Green sand is created by adding water and bentonite to the sand.
One of the benefits of using bentonite in green sand is that it
makes the sand more permeable which allows more gas to escape.

Metal casters can get the bentonite from a variety of sources like
home improvement stores and even from household resources. Many
have milled the type of cat litter that clumps since one of the
ingredients is bentonite. Remember to work in a well ventilated
room or to wear proper face gear when working with bentonite since
it will irritate the lungs.

There are several recipes online for green sand but the most common
method is experimentation. What you are looking for when mixing the
sand, water, and bentonite is a texture that is not wet but damp
and will retain its shape when molded.

The type of sand you use to make green sand depends on you and the
availability of the sand. Many will use sand that they found out
in the wilds of nature and some will buy bags of sand like
playground sand. As you cast with green sand you will find out
which works best with what metals.

Green sand is growing in popularity as more casters are recognizing
the properties of this method. If you have traditionally used
regular sand casting, green sand casting will prove to be easier
to work with and will produce better casts.

The best part about green sand casting is that is does not cost
a lot of green.

Here is a link to a Web Page that covers this E-Course Email:
http://www.metalcastingzone.com/casting-sand/

P.S.
There is more…If you sign up as a member of Metal Casting Zone, you
will get special access to 2 Free eBooks on the site. Both of the eBooks
are about Metal Casting Basics.  Here is the best part, becoming a member is Free!
Wait…Both of the Metal Casting Basics eBooks are free!

Sign Up Now to get all these Free Benefits!
http://www.metalcastingzone.com/index.php?option=com_comprofiler&task=registers

Hello,

Today we are going to talk about Die Casting.

What about Die casting?
Die casting is used by industrial foundries and manufacturers to create
practically anything and everything, such as die cast cars. Many small
foundries, like the one in your garage, backyard, of workshop may
find that die casting is really just not economical. But who said that
having fun and trying new things was ever economical? The process
of Die Casting involves a simple concept. The molten metal is
injected with high pressure into the mold or mold cavities.
The mold used in die casting can have several small civilities of
either the same pattern or different pattern.

The name Die Casting comes from the molds which are called dies. These
molds are reusable and are often made from steel but other alloys can be
used as long as they can withstand high pressure. The reason dies must be
created from metal and not from sand or other material is due to the high amount
of pressure used to get the molten metal into the mold. If sand molds were
used in a Die casting procedure then the mold would crumble. There are plenty
of advantages of using dies in a casting procedure which makes this method
desirable for anyone wishing to create a high volume of similar castings.

Die casting is perfect for anyone that needs to make a lot of the same thing
without any quality or pattern deviation. This is especially helpful in
certain industries where quantity and quality count. Many hobbyists may have
no use for die casting on a practical basis but will often try at least one
Die casting for the sake of trying.

There are two types of machines used in the Die Cast procedure. These machines
are essentially the same and are called the Hot-chamber and the Cold-chamber.

The Hot-chamber machine melts the alloy and feeds it into a section of the
machine referred to as the gooseneck. A piston then forces the alloy into
the mold. A separate furnace is not needed but the draw back of this is that
metals with higher melting points can not be used.

The Cold-chamber is used for metals that can not be used by the Hot-chamber
such as aluminum and copper. A separate furnace is needed to melt the alloy
which is then poured into the injection cylinder and then shot into the mold.

The advantages of using Die casting vary but the most noticeable advantages
are the repeated quality, smooth casting surface, and the quick production of
casts. While the initial cost of Die Casting exceeds several of the other
casting procedures, those that need a high number of casts in the shortest
amount of time possibly will benefit greatly from the investment.

Die casting is commonly used to create commercial goods as it yields a
high volume. The molds, or dies, used vary in life cycle depending upon the
material used to create the die. The die can have one cavity or several
cavities depending upon the need.

Here is a link to a Web Page that covers this first email:
http://www.metalcastingzone.com/die-casting/

P.S.
There is more…If you sign up as a member of Metal Casting Zone, you
will get special access to 2 Free eBooks on the site. Both of the eBooks
are about Metal Casting Basics.  Here is the best part, becoming a member is Free!
Wait…Both of the Metal Casting Basics eBooks are free!

Sign Up Now to get all these Free Benefits!
http://www.metalcastingzone.com/index.php?option=com_comprofiler&task=registers

I carved a bas relif wall plaque (about dinner-plate size, perhaps 1/2 inch thick, with some fine and deep details) and made a fairly heavyweight latex-and-gauze mold of it. Now I’m trying to figure out what medium to use in casting the final product to be hung on a wall. I’m still not sure if I want a stonelike or antiqued silver finish, but first I need to cast it. Does anyone know what would be hard and durable at the dimensions mentioned, as well as relatively-lightweight enough to hang on a wall, with a surface that can be given a faux-material finish? And something that can be cast at home, without specialized furnaces or anything…

It seems to be pig iron, about the size of a brick. It’s a third again as long as a normal brick. It has three square indentions in the top, about an inch deep each, and roughly 3″x3.5″ across. It has two bumpy areas at the ends, just an upraised spot. There are no markings, no grooves, and no way to pour anything in it from the sides, so I’m assuming this is supposed to be poured in from the top, like a very small, square ingot of some sort. It is bloody heavy, something like 30 lbs for this little thing. I haven’t been able to find anything like this anywhere, ‘net included. It belongs to my boss at work; he has two of them, the other with slightly deeper holes in it.

If anyone has ANY SERIOUS clue as to what it is, I will be your friend for life!
Actualy, it might be related to the railroad. The man my boss got it from got it from his father, who collected railroad stuff. Sorry, can’t post a pic, though. First, it’s not in my possession, and second, I don’t have a camera. I’ll try a drawing on the computer; maybe that’ll help.
Okay, how do you post a drawing/pic? I can’t figure this out! Can I post such?

The waterfall action of the metal entering each cavity is a nightmare and needs to be eliminated. You are certain to find that the first “dribbles” of metal entering the cavity will end up as an “inclusion” in the casting. In all situations it is important to prevent the metal from free-falling.

This is a demonstration on how to cut a castaldo rubber bracelet mold for the lost wax jewelry casting mass production process.