Casting

[Colin KC]

Following Chris' thread: http://www.britishblades.com/forums/...ad.php?t=65406

What do we want to see, casting wise?

[imagedude]

Cast spears.

[Colin KC]

Cast spears.

I was working onna poll


Still, if you really want spears...

[narsil]

I would suggest one of the more simple casting methods ie bronze, pewter or lead to start with since that gives people a chance to get to grips with the technicalities of mould making without having to worry about a complex furnace set-up.

Setting up a cupola furnace is certainly possible but realistically it will take time to get right.

My suggestion would be to have a low temperature cast to look at mould making and pouring and an experimental iron cast which might not be very productive at first.

I do have some good contacts who I might be able to bring in if there is sufficient interest.

[rcs]

cast steel spears maybe

[thomas]

Bronze!
http://www.bronze-age-craft.com/swords_for_sale.htm

[Colin KC]

Nah, not lead or pewter, you can do those on your kitchen hob

[imagedude]

Gotta be steel, the rest is for poofs.

[a6cjn]

I would suggest LM 4 aluminium and I would use Petrobond sand for the mould
It's pretty straightforward and really good results can be achieved.
I've got some patterns knocking around somewhere of a small cannon and carriage
A little bit of info here for sand moulding and casting

Chris

[EK5Matt]

oooo I know, cast a great big old steel war hammer
that would be something to drool over

[O'Neille]

Casting Dispersions or 'Castio Dispersionio'

[narsil]

yes bonded sand is a great casting medium, you can do a lot with it, and it works well for a workshop.

[Ruitmexi]

How about we try a bronze figure?

Maybe something like this ancient old thing.

Cheers,

Craig

[DCL]

just canst a bar and forge it out to a knife hehe nah just trying to be funny..

but if it is made out of steel and can be sharp then I'm happy and you make a bunch of pics and vids

Daniel CL.

[jhobson]

Casting cast iron would be a challenge and interesting. Cast iron melts at a lower temp than steel (or iron). So it is the first thing to go liquid in a smelt like Chris's. You can't get pure iron or steel for casting out of it.
Casting bronze axe heads would be a whole lot more simple. It is a different approach though - you melt the stuff in a crucible. Same with pure iron or steel. We can do that with the same equipment for making wootz.