Jammer's Foundry, Forge and CNC Work

[Rasper]

Back in 2008 I was active on two metal shaping forums. When the Great Recession hit, and the blue-collar guys all got laid off, I figured they would have a lot more time to get out in their shops and finish some projects. WRONG! Metal shaping came to a screeching halt. It never has really recovered.

There is an old saying: "If you want to get a job done quickly, give it to a busy man."

Richard

[Jammer]

Well, I have a new commission work. Not by choice but my niece passed away on Easter Sunday. Not sure why but we Martins tend to have bad hearts. She was 51.

I'm going to make a small plaque for her grave marker. Not really a commission work since I won't take any payment for it. I made up a pattern on the computer and have put it on the F-engrave program to make a g-code for the CNC. It's too big for the 3D printer and I have gotten pretty good at cutting plaques on the CNC. I'm going to try some hard wax and I think I can ram it up in petro bond. We'll see how it goes.

The O in Mom is the block O for Ohio State. She was a big fan. I would have done it differently but it's what they wanted. I may do up another option and see if they like it better.

[cae2100]

Sorry to hear about your niece man.

I'd be interested in seeing the hard wax and what it looks like, is it the green stuff or is it blue (machinable wax)?

[Jammer]

It's the blue machine wax. it cuts great and is pretty hard stuff.

[Rasper]

Keep us posted as the project progresses. I know it's hard to have a young family member die, a person you knew when she was a baby. Us old people? They expect us to die.

Richard

[Jammer]

Here's what I got today. It's the blue wax. Next is the Bronze. Have to pick a day with no rain.

I was 15 when she was born. She was a preemie but grew into a beautiful young lady. Army Vet and a Tatoo artist. Always had a big smile.

[cae2100]

From the day after tomorrow on, it looks pretty nice for the weather tbh, but a bit cold for a few days. I plan on getting out and pouring that patternmaker's plane in brass, and a few parts for the old steam engine since I figured that I would try building up the parts for it slowly to actually finish it one of these years, lol.

I was looking at stuff and have all of these A6 crucibles here, but realized that I dont have any tongs/pouring shanks that actually fit them, so that'll have to be done right away, lol. I may just clean out the aluminum from that one fireclay crucible and use that since I have the lifting tongs/pouring shank for that already done up, and only have one of those left anyhow, then I can turn them into the A6 crucible tongs and shank.

[latzanimal]

My Condolences Jammer...

[Jammer]

Thanks for your thoughts everyone. She'll be missed.

Anyone have an idea about how to make my evrdur more fluid. The couple times I've cast with it, I have had some trouble with it filling in. I think Rasper had said something about adding some more Si or Mn or both. I have all kinds of alloys I can add, Mn, Si, Sn. I also have some Phosphor Copper shot if that would help.

I wanted to do it in bronze but could use 85-5-5-5 brass or make up some other alloy, too many choices. I just want it to come out good.

This is the handheld spectro reading for the bronze bolts I have. Since regular Everdur has 4% Si and 1% Mn it looks like it needs both, but will that help it be more fluid?

[cae2100]

I havnt really had any problem with getting that bronze to flow tbh. I know you have to really heat it hot to get it to melt and flow, and this recent casting I did in it, I added a little phosphor-copper shot and it flowed right into everywhere without even trying. The only thing is, the latest casting, it filled up the casting and suddenly the extra metal tried to escape out between the parting line, so I would not add too much of it, lol.

The side walls are between 1/8" and 3/16", same with the plane iron backing, that is pretty thin also, so it flowed up into the mold and filled that up without too much trouble.