Found Dreaming

This is a belt buckle pattern I made to cast a present for a buddy getting married soon. His favorite singer is named Butch Walker. Personally I never heard of the guy, but hey, its not my wedding

So anyway...the logo:


cut out of some heavy cardstock. I tried to draft the lettering as I cut:


skipped a few steps, but basically, I laminated 3 or 4 sheets of the cardstock together with some spray adhesive, and cut out an oval base. Then I made a ring of cardstock for the border. A few coats of enamel spray paint seals it up:


On the backside, A couple standoffs that will get drilled for the belt loop, and the hook will be ground out of the triangular bump on the opposite end.


Still havent cast it out yet...that will happen once I get my burner back up and running...or if I end up building one of Harry's compressorless siphon setups (hopefully sooner rather than later )

-Drew

Looking good! What metal are planning on casting it in?

Well, aluminum first just to get going, but if I can get my burner to cooperate, I want to cast it from some scrap plumbing brass I have been stocking up on, or perhaps take another shot at alloying an aluminum bronze.

For the hook I think I would go with an 1/8" rod, at least in brass you should have no trouble bending it over. Just thinking that looks like it is going to be a bear to finish, if the finish works takes more than a few seconds I get bored with it quick

Well, worst case scenario, I can always embed the pre-bent rod into the sand of the rammed mold so that a barbed end is extended into the void, to be captured by the cast metal and permanently fixed in place . The finished buckle will have a hook that will never come out!

I think it could work out.

I's say the biggest problem will be in the small space like between the u and W.

One thing you might try is pack the sand first and then tap the pattern in to it.

Also on the hook, I'd make it a bit more like a peg, maybe even just a riser vent, or "chimney" vent as Lio calls 'em.

Then just cut it short and you might could bend it a touch. That is what I did on a couple Al buckles.