(Part 2) Top products from r/metalworking

Not bad for a first try.
There are a number of simple casting material pewter can go into but one of the cheapest is plaster. A well made plaster mold will survive several dozen pewter casting if treated properly.

You can buy a 15 or 25 lb bag at the local big box hardware store for under $20, or smaller amounts from an art supply store, though it will cost more per lb.

PLASTER MOLD NEED TO BE BONE DRY BEFORE YOU POUR HOT METAL INTO THEM THEY CAN EXPLODE OTHERWISE. Please wear the proper safety equipment, the bare minimum of a face shield and leather gloves,ideally with an leather apron and leather boots. How long it takes to dry depends upon the size and thickness of the mold and the humidity level . A 3"x 5" x 5" mold will be dry in about 5-7 days if it is not too humid. A way to speed it up is to put your oven on its lowest setting and leave them in there for 8-10 hours. They will be significantly lighter when dry, and will have feel a bit like fired clay.

You might consider making 2 part molds there are a great deal of references out there for that info, here is a video that covers the basics. (this video for clay reproductions but the basics still apply. You would additionally need to also carve or cast in a pouring cup and channel called a gate or sprue into the plaster to allow you to pour in the pewter.)

There is scattered info on mold making on the web, but plenty of solid books on the topics. I would recommend The Prop Builder's Molding & Casting Handbook
It doest talk too much about metal casting, but it covers a lot of the info for general mold making, and is a great resource. You might also look into Practical Casting: A Studio Reference by Tim McCreight is deals with metal casting on smaller jewelry scale and covers other simple molding materials.


I have also heard MDF molds work pretty well for a few trys, though I never have done it personally. Good luck!

> a way to hold the thing

I swear, this is like 30% of making jewelry.

> the amount of control you need to not end up with extra long lines everywhere

I think this is the point that most of the replies want to get across. Cutting (engraving) gold is easy. Controlling for the desired results takes lots of practice. It might not be a practical solution for this one piece. But if you're into learning engraving anyway, The Jewelry Engravers Manual is very helpful, as well as [Engraving on Precious Metals] (https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/0719800226/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1482234019&sr=8-1&pi=SY200_QL40&keywords=engraving+on+precious+metals&dpPl=1&dpID=51Xbuo1fMxL&ref=plSrch). Also ask at /r/benchjewelers

Either of these books are what you need to get started. The complete metal Smith was like a jewelry bible for me. Good luck.

https://www.amazon.com/Complete-Metalsmith-Illustrated-Handbook/dp/0871922401/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1517803513&sr=8-5&keywords=Lost+wax+casting


https://www.amazon.com/Practical-Casting-Studio-Reference-Revised/dp/096159845X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1517803438&sr=8-1&keywords=Lost+wax+casting

There are dozens of casting processes. It depends on what you're trying to do. Is it commercial or hobbyist? Industrial or artistic? Reusable molds or unique molds? Lost foam? Centrifugal? Carbon Dioxide? Green Sand? Bronze? Aluminum? Steel?

Need a little bit more info, but if your paper is just a general overview of casting processes, you should touch on at least Green Sand, Carbon Dioxide, and Lost Foam casting processes.

edit Here are some good resources. If you're at an engineering or technical college, you should be able to dig up a copy of Degarmo's which has an excellent section on commercial casting. Also, your school ought to have the Machinery's Handbook in their online archives. If not, check the libraries. It's got to be there somewhere.

I really like Guy Lautard's "Machinist's Bedside Reader" series for machining project ideas and just fun reading.

This seems like a good place to put this . . .

This book has a lot of information, tests, and recipes:
http://www.amazon.com/Patina-Coloration-Effects-Jewelers-Metalsmiths/dp/162033139X

Check this book out. It has a ton of info on heat straightening. I love this book, a lot of decent fabrication tips in it.

For something small and detailed like this where you only want one or a couple I would definitely go the lost wax casting route. That is the sort of casting that is done for jewelry.

This book:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/0830604146 How to Cast Small Metal and Rubber Parts (2nd Edition)

Might be useful.

Now if you want to make a large number of them then you should probably go the create a die and press them route.

I literally made an account solely to tell you about this book. Good luck:

http://www.amazon.com/Math-Build-On-Book-Those/dp/0962419710

This is the textbook I used in a course during my Materials Engineering undergrad. It describes a lot of processes such as rolling, extruding, deep drawing, stamping, etc. I used the 2nd edition which is $15 used on Amazon.

http://www.amazon.com/Metal-Forming-Metallurgy-William-Hosford/dp/1107670969/

"Mobile Machine Base"

You'll have to check the weight requirements but the link below should be the type of thing you're looking for:

https://www.amazon.com/Adjustable-Mobile-Power-Tools-HTC-2000/dp/B00002262M/

Might try checking out the series by David J. Gingery. It is 7 books that mostly build off of each other. You use metalworking techniques to build your own machining tools.

Charcoal Foundry

Metal Lathe

Metal Shaper

Milling Machine

Drill Press

Deluxe Accessories

Sheet Metal Brake

Otherwise there is always Instructables

I'm not an expert by any measure but I've found Richard Finch's Welder's Handbook to be aptly named.

Do you know if there' any difference between the normal edition and the international version: ?

I'm assuming one has such a high price because it's a college book