Saturday, August 29, 2020

First cast with a core

 This is the first time I did sand casting with a core. The core is made from Play Sand and sodium silicate. I put the core in a sealed box with baking soda and vinegar. The carbon dioxide produced hardens the sodium silicate. 3 pins at the top of the core stop it from floating up when I put in the metal.




The pattern was made using a 3D printer. It still amazes me but I can go from ideas in my head a 3D printed model to an aluminium cast in my own back garden.

A few lessons that I've learnt. I need to put ridges in my new casting boxes to stop the sand slipping up and down that nearly ruined the whole cast. I also need to paint the pattern and send it down to avoid ridges showing up in my casting


Wednesday, August 12, 2020

Bits for the boat

 I printed the patterns for these in pla on an ender 3 pro. Cast them in oil bonded sand, drilled, countersunk, and tapped. The stainless rods are held in place with thread locked grub screws. They will hold the trailer board for my boat, clipping into the gudgeons for the rudder.