I'm looking for some basic information for casting small parts (such as a ship's wheel). I don't want to get involved in turning the kitchen into a foundry so I'm looking for the easiest and best way to go about this. Is metal the best thing to use, and if so, is there some form of metal that is fairly easy to use? I am a complete novice in this area so any and all suggestions will be welcome. Thanks for your help.

Richard

Hi Richard -
You could try Micro-Mark at www.micromark.com. They have a booklet for casting small metal parts available for $2.75 as well as all the required molding and casting materials.
Best of luck, Curt

Thanks for the referral, Curt. That looks like a good source for other things as well.

Richard :coffee:

Hi Fella's
I've been in a similar dilemma for my 1/93 constitution I'm working on.I had thought about metal,but in the back of a catalog my wife has from firestone gems,they have a clay that hardens to a '' metallic'' looking finish,similar to some others listed in micro-mark.Food for thought.
Doug J

Hi oodygdin,

I believe that will be of some use for you - Resin Casting (http://www.boatmodelling.com/content/view/5/7/lang,en/)

There is still part of text missing how I dealt with tricky air bubbles. I will try to update that in next few days.

Cheers
Jerzy

Hi Richard -
The web site Model Ship World has a tutorial for 'Making Molds for Castings' that may be some help. Here is the specific link: http://www.modelshipworld.com/phpBB2/mouldintro.php
Curt :cheers:

Hi Richard -
You could try Micro-Mark at www.micromark.com. They have a booklet for casting small metal parts available for $2.75 as well as all the required molding and casting materials.
Best of luck, Curt

Yes Micro Mark is an excellent source of small metal parts.

check Small Parts, Inc 13980 NW 58th court, Miami Lakes, Florida 33014-0650, not as concentrated as Micro Mark, but another source

Concerning Micro Marks casting material (rtv) especially the material that does not need to be de-aired suggest you contact www.Alumilite.com they sell both rtv and casting resin.

This is the same line that Micro Mark bottles and sells under its own label.

henry

landlubber7

Hi Fella's
I've been in a similar dilemma for my 1/93 constitution I'm working on.I had thought about metal,but in the back of a catalog my wife has from firestone gems,they have a clay that hardens to a '' metallic'' looking finish,similar to some others listed in micro-mark.Food for thought.
Doug J

:coffee: Pertaining to Firestone gems Am not aware of the U.S. clay version or who makes it.

Micro Mark carries " Milliput. " An excellent two part epoxy putty, this material cures to the hardness of porcelain and does in fact smooth with a wet finger.

Alumillite carries metalic powders, do not know if the two are compatible. Haven't tried it yet.

henry

I'm looking for some basic information for casting small parts (such as a ship's wheel). I don't want to get involved in turning the kitchen into a foundry so I'm looking for the easiest and best way to go about this. Is metal the best thing to use, and if so, is there some form of metal that is fairly easy to use? I am a complete novice in this area so any and all suggestions will be welcome. Thanks for your help.

Richard

Richard

If your going to go the route of pouring hot metal into a silicone rubber suggest you locate a manufacturer ex FREEMAN that sells an RTV silicone rubber that is built to take the heat. Freeman sells Rhodia silicone an excellent product. Known in Australia as RTV 585

Many years ago my first futile experiments of pouring hot lead into rtv rubber worked (cast the figure only) but the air-bubbles destroyed the details likewise the rubber wasn't holding up do to the heat, which in-turn gave off fumes.

1st I like your-self was a novice at the time and didn't know what I was doing.
wrong rubber
Definitely the wrong casting material (lead) hazardous
And finally wasted my money.


Suggest that you read the different techniques. Such as Micro Mark A guide to casting metal in rubber molds. They also sell a book HOW TO CAST SMALL METAL AND RUBBER PARTS by WILLIAM A CANNON for $15.40.

How to Cast Small Metal and Rubber Parts (2nd Edition) by William A. Cannon (Paperback - Feb 1, 1986)
Buy new: $10.17 Amazon

TRY lead free sodder again lowes or home depot its a lot cheaper.

Freeman has short educational videos available online. At www.freeman.com

I stress Alumilite.com simply because they came out with a product that you do not have to de-air. and comes in two parts A & B.

Alumilite will gladly send you a booklet with instructions as to how to deal with RTV silicone as well as there product line. For free!

As well as casting resins.

If you are going to pour a casting material into an rtv an excellent way of eliminating the air bubbles is to coat the interior of the rtv mold with Talcum Powder, then eliminate any excess powder.

But first you have to eliminate the air-bubbles from the RTV material when you are trying to create the mold itself.

RTV no matter who sells it is a costly material!

There is a technique for pouring rtv without capturing air-bubbles,. Trickle or (thin stream).

Here is where it can become rather costly,. You will need to purchase a pressure pot as well as an air compressor. Alumilite sells a pressure pot for about $150.00 and if you already have an air compressor strong enough to reach 60 to 80 lbs per square inch, your halfway there.

Purpose to compress/minimize the air-bubbles

or

A Vacuum Chamber, which you can easily make for around fifty dollars. As far as the Vacuum Pump,. Well Believe me when I say stay away from, Harbor Freight They sell one for about $19.00 it ain't worth it.

To do what you want it to do which is reach 29" of Hg (mercury)
within the first two minutes you will have to spend up-to $600. plus.


Oh yes a scale with a Tare feature for weighing the material according to the instructions on the container.

The reason that I stress other casting material such as Hydrocal, Merlins Magic, Durhams rock hard water putty etc is do to the fact that you don't have to limit yourself to one medium/material as long as you can accomplish what you set out to do as cheaply and economically as possible.

Check out www.hirstarts.com Casting Instructions IT WILL BE WORTH YOUR WHILE!

One technique that brushed passed me, so to speak was how the producers of the movie " CHICKEN RUN " ACCOMPLISHED SAME,. From what I watched on a PBS special, they fist made mold boxes (two halves) then they placed COLORED SCULPTY CLAY, within pressed as hard as possible and then after separating the two halves ended up with a finished product.

Sculpty can be baked but you will have to read the instructions as well as utilize the top of the line material that they make.

An excellent source book as to how to create different molds is
" The Prop Builder's Molding & Casting Handbook (Paperback)
by Thurston James.
Amazon currently sells it for $13.59

Bought mine when it first came out from Barnes and Noble for about $19.00

Thurston James. explains a reasonable method of utilizing GE 100% clear silicone that you can purchase from home depot or lowes at a rather reasonable price, (make sure the date on the tube is current, otherwise your wasting your money) you have to follow his directions to the point!.

People have spent good money getting an education in this field and have come up against the same obstacle namely the material and the necessary gadgets.
That I ran into, I have listed the best and cheapest route that you can take to accomplish same.

I stress do not get discouraged once you start rolling you definitely will not want to stop as well as experiment.

Hi oodygdin,

I believe that will be of some use for you - Resin Casting (http://www.boatmodelling.com/content/view/5/7/lang,en/)

There is still part of text missing how I dealt with tricky air bubbles. I will try to update that in next few days.

Cheers
Jerzy


Hello Jerzy:

" SYMSIL is much more liquid thus it is easier to mix it with catalyst, and when filling the form penetrates the box better. And the most important of all I did not have problems with air bubbles! This form will last me for a while for sure "

:banna: If I am reading the aforementioned paragraph correctly SYMSIL. a product of SYMBIONIS does not have to be de-aired,. Would like to try this product,. Interested in purchasing same here in the United States.

Having difficulty reading SYMBIONIS/Manufacturers label please relate the name address and phone number of SYMBIONIS or if you aware of a United States distributor of this product.

Thanks

henry

landlubber7

Hello Henry,

I replied to your email, I am not sure if you have received it. All phone numbers are actually available on the web site :)

At the moment we, (http://www.silikon-shop.eu) concentrate on European market and do not have any distribution in US, but I do not see an issue with shipping something to US as well.

Cheers
Jerzy