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Investment Casting – Heat 1

admin — Thu, 08 Apr 2010 23:32:21 +0000

Heat 1 of 3- Investment Casting of Steel in the research foundry at Missouri University of Science & Technology. I’m the person controlling the furnace and turning the wheel on the ladle.

I had a problem with the steel not wanting to go into the shell mold part way through. After we stood around bored for a couple seconds, we finally gave up.

Duration : 0:7:15

[youtube DkV-vJ10s9o]

Investment Casting – Heat 2

admin — Sun, 28 Feb 2010 14:27:39 +0000

Heat 2 of 3- Investment Casting of Steel in the research foundry at Missouri University of Science & Technology. I’m the person controlling the furnace and turning the wheel on the ladle.

In addition to making castings, we were also taking thermal readings from inside the first shell mold. You can see the white insulation running out of the container, which was used to protect the wires.

This one happens to include a segment at the end with Simon talking to me about proper ladle orientation while moving.

Duration : 0:4:14

[youtube BnhiExAO5s8]

Sand Casting – PART THREE with Philip White and Jenny Dunseath

admin — Fri, 19 Feb 2010 09:13:44 +0000

PART THREE – Sand Casting Process with Philip White and Jenny Dunseath in the foundry at Camberwell college of Art London. Video by Chris Follows part of the Process Arts Project – http://itrdu1.arts.ac.uk/wpmu/process – University of the arts London

Text Information supplied by Jenny Dunseath:

11. Take Cope off and set it aside. You should be able to see an imprint of your Pattern. Depending on its location use your hole-cutter and cut a Sprue hole by placing your hand on the back of the Cope and push hole cutter through the other side, twisting slightly.
12. Widen the Sprue hole on the top of the Cope, to enable the metal to flow. Ensure all edges are smoothed and there is no loose sand.
13. Tap on the Pattern to loosen, use a screw to take Pattern out.

14. With a set of Bellows blow out all loose sand, make sure everything is smooth.
15. Place your flask back together and pour your metal!
16. After pouring wait for the material to solidify. The amount of time this takes will depend on the size and density of the piece of metal you are creating. Large, dense pieces of metal will take more time to solidify than smaller pieces.

Duration : 0:6:28

[youtube LYOpODesaCM]

Investment Casting – Heat 3

admin — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 05:20:38 +0000

Heat 3 of 3- Investment Casting of Steel in the research foundry at Missouri University of Science & Technology. I’m the person controlling the furnace and turning the wheel on the ladle.

The crane operator gets a bit disoriented, but we managed.

The ending has one of Simon’s stories, but the person recording cut it off. Be thankful for that.

Duration : 0:3:32

[youtube 3jwxJs_ssb4]

Sand Casting – PART ONE with Philip White and Jenny Dunseath

admin — Sat, 02 Jan 2010 09:56:09 +0000

PART ONE – Sand Casting Process with Philip White and Jenny Dunseath in the foundry at Camberwell college of Art London. Video by Chris Follows part of the Process Arts Project – http://itrdu1.arts.ac.uk/wpmu/process – University of the arts London:

In this video:

1. Prepare a Pattern. This must be made of a smooth solid substance to withstand ramming, for example sealed wood or plaster.
2. To prepare the Mold: divide the flask (wooden box, made of 2 parts- (top) Cope and (bottom) Drag). Turn over the Drag Face down on a board.
3. Place the pattern in the upturned Drag. Ensure there is enough space around the pattern for Gating (room for runner and Sprue- pouring hole for the metal)
4. Dust with Parting Agent to prevent it sticking. (Parting agent is a hydrophobic material which repels moisture e.g. crushed limestone.
5. Use a fine riddle (large sieve) to just cover the pattern.
6. Use a Paddle to ram the sand, lightly at first to protect the pattern, and then harder to compress the sand.
7. Fill with sand, and ram it until full. Level off and smooth with a trowel.
8. Turn over the compressed Drag and the pattern will be immersed in sand.
9. Put the Cope on the Drag and bolt together
10. Repeat steps 4-7. Take care not to ram the sand too hard as to affect the Drag below.
11. Take Cope off and set it aside. You should be able to see an imprint of your Pattern. Depending on its location use your hole-cutter and cut a Sprue hole by placing your hand on the back of the Cope and push hole cutter through the other side, twisting slightly.

Duration : 0:8:35

[youtube 2aKPdMosBHQ]