Thread: Anyone interested in patternmaking for hobby caster

Hi Dennis

Whereabouts in Brisbane are you and why does your avatar show you as living in Cairns?

Depending on what you want and where you are I may be able to help you.

Bob

PS The link would be good too.

Originally Posted by Bob Willson

Hi Dennis

Whereabouts in Brisbane are you and why does your avatar show you as living in Cairns?

Depending on what you want and where you are I may be able to help you.

Bob

PS The link would be good too.

Hi Bob,

Living at Balmoral and working in Eagle Farm. I just moved down from Cairns in the past month or so - will have to change my location!

I haven't cast anything before, so figured i would cut my teeth by making some bits and pieces for the foundry process such as flask sides and a hand rammer. This way I can learn a little before making something that might be useful to anybody else.

Link to the furnace build - Wiifms furnace

Also the burner we made - wiifm's LPG burner build (pics))

Cheers,

Dennis

Dennis,
Can't view those pictures without signing up to that forum.

Originally Posted by snowyskiesau

Dennis,
Can't view those pictures without signing up to that forum.

Hi Geoff,

Here are some pics:

The first couple are of the burner(s). It uses a MIG welder tip to get the LPG to moving down the pipe at speed creating a venturi effect.



A couple of the completed furnace. It is designed around an A20 Crucible.

[IMG]http://plasmafab.com.au/wp-content/u...40-182x300.jpg[/IMG]
[IMG]http://plasmafab.com.au/wp-content/u...42-225x300.jpg[/IMG]
[IMG]http://plasmafab.com.au/wp-content/u...43-225x300.jpg[/IMG]
[IMG]http://plasmafab.com.au/wp-content/u...45-202x300.jpg[/IMG]

Made up a few trays for turning scrap into ingots.
[IMG]http://plasmafab.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/IMG_0146-300x225.jpg[/IMG]
[IMG]http://plasmafab.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/IMG_0149-300x225.jpg[/IMG]

Cheers,

Dennis

Originally Posted by wiifm

Hi everyone,

Have lurked here for quite a while and would love to build a CNC router, but finances and time do not permit.

I have just finished building a furnace for casting aluminium/brass and am at the stage where it is time to cast! I have a few project ideas to get started and would be interested in helping if you have a casting project in mind. This would help my learning curve.

I have 3d cad software, but not cam.

Is anyone interested in helping to create patterns for casting? I am based in Brisbane.

BTW - I can post a link to the furnace build, however it is on another forum.

Cheers,

Dennis

hey dennis,

i am actually a trade qualified patternmaker, i have got quite a few patterns in which i made whilst at tafe which would probably be of good size for you to practise cast etc..

how big is your furnace? do you know how to use the 3d cad program?

cheers
zoran

Originally Posted by zoran20

hey dennis,

i am actually a trade qualified patternmaker, i have got quite a few patterns in which i made whilst at tafe which would probably be of good size for you to practise cast etc..

how big is your furnace? do you know how to use the 3d cad program?

cheers
zoran

Hi Zoran,

The furnace is designed around an A20 crucible.

I am relatively comfortable using the cad program I have. Have been using it for designing horse floats, trailers and other bits and pieces that we fabricate. Still figuring out a good workflow for creating patterns, taking into account shrinkage, draft, likely toolpaths etc.

I would like to hear more about your patterns from tafe as I am definitely keen for practice.

Cheers,

Dennis

Originally Posted by wiifm

I have just finished building a furnace for casting aluminium/brass Dennis

Hi dennis

Does this mean that you could cast smallish figurines? I have always wanted to sculpt a female figure and cast it in bronze. Is casting bronze the same as casting brass?

Originally Posted by Bob Willson

Hi dennis

Does this mean that you could cast smallish figurines? I have always wanted to sculpt a female figure and cast it in bronze. Is casting bronze the same as casting brass?

Hi Bob, That sort of thing would be the goal. The short answer is yes.

The long answer is that brass is an alloy of copper and zinc versus brass being an alloy of copper and tin. They are both molded and poured in the same way.

For figurines, you would definitely use bronze. Among other things it has a higher solidification range, meaning less shrinkage defects and can be welded to repair defects.

An additional benefit is no zinc fumes if you overheat the melt.

Dennis