Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length.

[boatmadman]

Hi,

I would like to cast some small brass items. Does anyone have any tips to help? Such as, what to melt the brass in, what to use as a mould, is a propane/butane gas torch hot enough for small quantities? etc.

Or, am I being too ambitious? Is it doable at home?

Thanks in anticipation

Ian

[Shipmate60]

If you cant use resin, couldnt you fabricate out of brass?

Bob

[boatmadman]

I dont think resin is what I want, its for rudder fittings. fabrication is always an option, yes.

Ian

[Subculture]

What about white metal? Much lower melting point and you can cast it into silicone rubber.

Brass requires either sand casting or lost wax casting, and you will need to make a furnace of some description.

Another alternative is to make some masters cast them in green wax and send them to Simon at the Prop Shop. He will be able to cast them in a variety of materials.

Remember to make your masters 2-3% larger to allow for shrinkage.

Andy

[cbr900]

I really don't think at home you would be able to come up with enough heat to cast brass, and the making of sand casting moulds is an art in its own right, I wish you luck as you will need it...




Roy

[White Ensign]

Ian- I have had a similat try a viw years ago. Casting in brass means, that you need to have a steel-pot which needs to be heated up at about 850 degrees Celsius (the approx. melting-point of brass). But the brass itself shouldn`t have any contact with the flame as it will burn down. Though you will need a real big burner to keep the heat.
Then the casting itself needs to be made out of marbled gypsum or sand. Bigger items you may cast in such a form, but for small items the casting needs to be made in a housing on a rotating disc.
All in all you will find that the necessary equipment will cost a fortuneand could not be made in your workshop at home.

Hope this was out of any help,
Jörg

[boatmadman]

Thanks for the info guys, I sort of suspected it was beyond small scale cheap home work.

Ian

[boatmadman]

Hi,

You suggest white metal 'sub', I guess that would be strong enough for a lower rudder bearing and arms? Where would i source some?

Thanks

Ian

[Subculture]

Have a look here-

http://www.tiranti.co.uk/data/ASP/showsubcategory.asp?SubCategoryID=63&SubCategory=White+Metal+%2F+Tin+Alloys

They sell everything you will need including the silicone rubber if you want to cast into a flexible mould.

To be honest, unless you are producing lots of items, I would fabricate the items from brass stock. You can easily join bit's and pieces together using silver or soft solder, and once the item is painted and primed, you won't tell the difference.

Mouldmaking is only worthwhile if you are making many items of the same things, or if there is no alternative.

Andy