Fun wit Hot metal

[Patrick Hand]

In the Documentation thread, michaelsbagley posted this cool trick about using lead free solder for casting stuff....

Now here's the funny thing... Modern lead-free pewter is made of the following...

~85 to 90% tin

~2% copper

with the remaining balance being made from Antimony or Bismuth.

If you look at the make up of hardware store plumbing solder you will find it is made from

~70 to 90% tin

~2% copper

with the balance made up from Antimony or Bismuth (or occassionally other substitutes, but not often)

You can go the the Documentation thread to read his full post.......

I figure instead of keeping the discussion about casting stuff hidden in that thread, I'd start a new one.....

I wanted to make a mold and cast some pewter buttons. I have some soapstone, so I used that.

OK this try didn't quite work.... the solder worked, it's just that I now have a better idea about how I have to make the soapstone mold...

I started a charcoal fire in the bar-b-que, and used an old stainless tablespoon to melt the solder in.... that part worked....

I know that the mold has to get warmed-up first, so I wasn't concerned about the first cast.

I discovered that the shank of the button has to be carved a little larger, and that a one part mold isn't the bast way to make buttons.

Where the solder was in contact with the mold, it comes out nice and crisp... but the buttons came out too thick....

So it's back to th' Ol' Drawing board and re-carve the mold....

Hey.... it's a learning experience..... I now know what I did wrong, and can fix it.......

Then I can see what happens if I use Sculpie when I cast a sealing wax ....seal.......

[Morgan Dreadlocke]

I've found a one pound steel coffee can works well for solders. A little silver added will harden up the mix A standard propane/butane torch will produce enough heat wi'out meltin' yer can.

[Gentleman of Fortune]

Most of the 17th/18th century buttons I have came from a two part mold. There is usually a seam on the back side of the button...

I wish Pat would post pictures, it seems like a neat project!

GoF

[renfairpirate]

I use plaster to make my molds they hold up very well

[Bilgemunky]

What kind of plaster? I made some medallions a few years back using plaster paris, and the results were unpredictable. It took a lot of molds and tries to get one or two good quality medallions. The molds themselves were prone to breaking all too easily. And they seemed to hold moisture no matter how long I left them in the oven.

[Duchess]

I wish Pat would post pictures, it seems like a neat project!

Actually what Pat needs is someone to follow him around all the time and document all of his cool projects...

[Salty]

Hehehe good idea lass........

Patrick ha'e ye ever tried ceramic moulds????..............tried casting copper and silver in some i made. Just a wee thought and me twa bits worth.

Salty

[renfairpirate]

I'm making some new molds later next week if i have time I'll post pics.

The plaster i use is from Hobby Lobby or walmart , After I make the mold i dry it in the oven at 200 f for 2 or 3 hours.

[Patrick Hand]

The batterys for the camera are kinda old, and don't hold a charge.....

So I couldn't take a picture this morning..... I should be able to take one tomarrow.... after the batterys re-charge......

I used soapstone, because I know it can stand the heat....

And I think I have figured out exactly how I want to make a two-part soapstone mold.....

[Patrick Hand]

WOH... COOL..... A two part mold is the way to go..........

I'll have to post pictures tomarrow when the batterys are re-charged, but I made a two part mold outta soapstone..... it took about two hours, and I have some fine tuning to do..... But it works !.....

The sprue is a little large, I thought the soldier was solidifing befor it got into the mold..... and I've discovered that you really do have to cast a few to heat-up the mold to get them to cast right...... well... I kinda knew that..... from casting bullets.....

And I have to do a little more carving to get it exactly right.... I slightly messed-up and made the back part a hair larger.... but it's just like carving off a heavy mold line, so I can live with that........

Fine tune to mold tomarrow when I have good light, then cast up enough for my new light weight jacket...... cool.......

Dang.... this is so much fun, I might make another mold for small flat faced buttons.......... (for on slops and such....)

[Patrick Hand]

Here are the pictures as promised.....

..........

This is the one piece mold... Like I said, it dosen't work very well, the solder fills the mold, but it is too rough on the front, It works if I file or grind it, but thats too much work.....

.........

This is the two-part mold, and it works much better. The button at the top was befor the mold got hot enough, so it's not as smooth as the next one.

I made a slight mistake on the back, and it's 1/16" inch larger than the front, so it acts like a large casting line, but I can quickly file that off.

Also, the back is slightly deeper at the edges, so when the button is cast it is slightly concave.

This morning, I trimmed the dome part so the line on the inside of the ring wont be as thick.

[Mary Diamond]

WELL DONE! and Very Impressive, Patrick! I love seeing what you are up to ~

[Black Mab]

I wish Pat would post pictures, it seems like a neat project!

Actually what Pat needs is someone to follow him around all the time and document all of his cool projects...

I would volunteer in a heartbeat! I love reading of Patrick's projects and experiments.

How did you LEARN all this stuff?! So in awe . . .

[Patrick Hand]

How did you LEARN all this stuff?!

Librarys and Used Bookstores are my friends......

Craft books are great, it's just the projects in them are sorta lame, so I use the information, modify and experiment with it......

If you want a belt or knife sheath for your Pyrate stuff, a book on leather work will give you the information to make it yourself....

Same with sewing, or metal work/jewlery.... Almost anything you could want to know.....

Books on other periods are also a great source of information....

Sketchbook 76 is after the GAoP, but it has a pattern for making a shirt, and if you change the fly on the breaches (and make them longer and looser) you have slops....

The Book of Buckskinning series has a lot of information on good stuff also....

You just have to read other books, to learn what information is period, and what is to late, but the How-to information is all very usefull......

[Silkie McDonough]

I want to know how you manage to get yourself focused and motivated! THat is waht I could use!

[Black Syren]

Im thinking Patrick should sell his buttons...Id buy them...

[Patrick Hand]

FYI.... Sculpie dosen't work .....

I figured it would only have to last long enough for one cast..... but the hot metal hits it, and burns it right up.....turned it into a nice rubbery, burned-up mess....... The three layers of paper held, but the inside two were compleatly scorched to ash...... I wraped the paper with metal furnace tape, and I think thats the only thing that keep the experiment from getting colorfull.....

Guess I'll have to make the mold outta soapstone, and heavyer paper next time.......