30-01-2024, 08:30 AM
Just a quick update for anyone vaguely interested.
I made the mould using plaster of Paris in the end, but heeded the warnings about dampness and dried it indoors for a couple of weeks in a warm place. I cast the piece over the weekend, using a crucible, a MAPP blow torch and insulation blocks to enclose the heat.
I had partial success. The mould worked well and the finished piece where it came into contact with the mould was nicely shaped. The trouble was that I could not melt enough metal to pour the piece in a single go. Consequently, I did it in several small pours, none of which stuck to the previous one. It all looked good until I took it out of the mould to clean up the edges and it felt apart.
Next job: purchase a larger crucible and fabricate a small furnace.
Tune in for the next thrilling episode: same time, same place....... sometime.
Jamie.
I made the mould using plaster of Paris in the end, but heeded the warnings about dampness and dried it indoors for a couple of weeks in a warm place. I cast the piece over the weekend, using a crucible, a MAPP blow torch and insulation blocks to enclose the heat.
I had partial success. The mould worked well and the finished piece where it came into contact with the mould was nicely shaped. The trouble was that I could not melt enough metal to pour the piece in a single go. Consequently, I did it in several small pours, none of which stuck to the previous one. It all looked good until I took it out of the mould to clean up the edges and it felt apart.
Next job: purchase a larger crucible and fabricate a small furnace.
Tune in for the next thrilling episode: same time, same place....... sometime.
Jamie.