(Part 3) 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!

I started after reading the The Home Machinist's Handbook. It's enough information to get started and gives you some background.

I've been woodworking for years, so it made a lot of sense. Though I still have a lot to learn, this book gave me the confidence to start. Give it a read - you're very lucky to have access to a nice shop!

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.

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.

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

If you're looking to building a cupola and need some advice just message me. Stephen Chastain's Book is a good resource for the math involved.

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/

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

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

"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/

I'm a band repair tech and work with brass every day. It's a very soft metal and won't take much to achieve the hammered look. The issue is like the other guy said, it will be difficult and meticulous to achieve a uniform look, but it can be done.

Get yourself a light weight dent hammer and practice on a cheap piece of hardware store hobby brass tube.

Here is my go to book for optimal tap and die drill sizes as well as a whole host of other technical information, formulas, and conversion tables.

Pocket Ref

Here is the Desk Ref version with larger pages.

Desk Ref