Category:Casting Shop
| Casting Shop | |
|---|---|
| Casting Shop | |
| Lead | TBD |
| Tool Testers |
Unknown |
| Hours | Same as membership hours |
Description:
The Artisans Asylum Casting Shop offers resources and training for two main processes: Sand Casting and Investment Casting.
The Sand Casting program at the Artisans Asylum enables the the recreation of objects in metal with level of detail suitable for small sculpture, jewelry, and select engineering applications.
-- This method is suitable for beginners as well as experienced shop users who are interested in producing a cast piece within the time period of a few hours.
The Investment Casting program at the Artisans Asylum involves a two to three day process that enables the reproduction of complex shapes in a way that preserves a high level of fine detail.
-- This method is suitable for intermediate to advanced shop users interested in achieving high quality and precision in their cast objects.
The Casting Shop encourages experimentation and knowledge-sharing for the production of jewelry and artwork achievable using equipment appropriate to our shop. Our facilities are oriented toward hand crafted pieces the size of jewelry and slightly larger — we do not have the resources to support larger foundry work.
Casting Techniques:
| |
|---|---|
| Bronze at 2000 F |
Investment Casting at the Artisans Asylum, sometimes referred to as Lost Wax Casting, starts with the creation of a jewelry-sized object, or “pattern,” often made with wax.
— The pattern is encased in investment, a silica and gypsum based substance that resembles plaster.
—Once the investment has set, the wax is then “burnt out” using an overnight kiln cycle that further hardens the investment and produces a cavity into which the molten metal can be poured.
— At a pre-arranged time the next day, the flask that contains the investment is pulled out of the kiln and the metal is poured using a vacuum assist.
— Once metal has solidified, the hot flask is “quenched,” or submerged in a bucket of water that quickly liquifies the investment, allowing the finished casting to be easily retrieved.
Sand Casting at the Artisans Asylum involves the use of Petrobond, an oil-based casting sand that significantly reduce the vapor-producing concerns of water-based sands.
— Sand casting allows the reproduction of the original pattern in a matter of hours, without the destruction of the pattern.
Tools:
Vacuum caster: This machine pulls air through the pores of a lost-wax mold to draw the molten metal into fine detail during casting. RED tool: Tool-testing required. Located under the hood against the south wall. Link to: Vacuum Caster Tool Resource Page
Sentry Kiln: For heat-treating and burn-out of lost-wax molds. RED tool: Tool-testing required. Programmable controller, temp limit: 1350 F. Link to: Sentry Kiln Tool Resource Page
Electromelt furnace: For melting metals to cast. RED tool: Tool testing required. Removable graphite crucibles for different metals, including gold, silver, argentium (Ag-Ge), bronze, brass. Temperature limit: 2000 F. Link to: Electromelt Tool Resource Page
List of Documented Tools
| Tool Info | Class | Tool Tester(s) |
|---|---|---|
| Vacuum Caster Tool Resource Page | RED | Alethea Jones |
| Sentry Kiln Tool Resource Page | RED | Alethea Jones |
| Electromelt Tool Resource Page | RED | Alethea Jones |
Safety:
| |
|---|---|
| Buddy Up! |
There are significant hazards in this lab. Molten metal can cause very severe, crippling burns. Eye protection, closed-toe shoes, dust masks, hot gloves, aprons, must be worn at various times when tools are in use. Dust contains crystalline silica! Dust masks required. Precautions are similar to those for welding. Link to: Casting Shop Safety
WORK WITH A BUDDY!
Two people are required for melting and casting metal in the shop. One tends the metal while the other manipulates the molds and operates the vacuum caster. All other shop operations can be performed solo. Handling molten metal poses a risk of very serious injury, and a buddy may be needed to call 9-1-1 if necessary.
Notes
This page and all of the subordinate pages were created using a minimal set of Wiki features. If you want to get started with adding content and you think this page looks acceptable, the features I used are described in a brief text file located here:
Pages in category "Casting Shop"
The following 2 pages are in this category, out of 2 total.
