Subject: Re: help? casting a silver piece

From: [email-masked] (Andrew Vida-Szucs)
Date: Mon, 7 Mar 1994 20:01:24 GMT

In article <[email-masked]>, [email-masked] (Jacqueline
Hamilton) writes:
|> 
|> I've sculpted a little horse piece that I'd really like to 
|> have made into a silver pin.  It's only about 1" square, relatively
|> flat with a flat back.  I considered trying to cast it myself but
|> I really don't know much about how to do it... I sent for the Rio
|> Grande catalog and they have that rubber for making molds but it
|> looks like it has to be vulcanized and I cant afford to pay $700
|> for one of their vulcanizing machines.  Am not sure what else could
|> be used for making a mold?

	Several things:

	1.  Do you want to preserve the original?  If so, then you must
	make, or have made, a rubber mold.

	2. What's the original made of?  If it is strong, then you can have 
	a mold made.  If it is weak, the piece will crumble under the 
	pressure.  Also, it must be able toi withstand the 300 or so degree
	temperature required to vulcanize the mold.

	3.  You will also have to sprue the original.  The sprue will
	prodice the cavity necessary fot injecting wax into the mold.
	You will also need a spruing cone.

	Assuming the model is suitable for making a mold, you could take it
	to a casting house and have them make it for you.  It should cost 
	about $35.  The casting itself should cost about $4 plus the cost
	of the silver which should not be much more than about .75/penny
	weight, if that.

	The third alternative, if the model is combustible, is to
	have it invested, burned out, and cast.  Of course, you lose
	the model.
|> 
|> Looking for someone to make the mold/do castings for me... or else
|> more info on making molds and casting silver.  I thought about trying
|> with pewter first...  I have worked with the silicon RTV rubber before.

	RTV should work, but I am not certain that it is hard enough
	for mold work.

	My caster is Preferred Casting, on 30th street in Manhatttan.  The
	proprietor is Ralph Parmigiani.  They are good folks and they do 
	nice work.  They will make molds and do finish work as well.
	They cast in all low temperature alloys, up to 18K gold.
	
		Preferred Casting
		259 W. 30th St.
		NY, NY

		(212) 564-8533

	For high temperature alloys (platinum, fine gold)  try Carrera, in
	Manhattan.  Sorry, no number or address.

	Libros Borthers in Long Island City are good for investment cast
	steel, Beryllium copper, etc.  No number, sorry.

	Hope this helps.

	-Andy V.
|> 
|> Any info is greatly appreciated.  Thanks!
A
A
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|> 
|> -j.
|> [email-masked]
|> 
|> 
	-Andy V.	(Mr. X	(Mabutsu (Demon Buddha)))\n\n