Jeshua Lacock Presents Lost Shell Sand Casting for PLA 3D Printed Models

[awerby]

Actually - I won't tell anyone to duplicate my efforts - that isn't the purpose of the video. The description for the video reads in part: "WARNING: This is for informational purposes only. Fire, molten metal, high power and high temperatures are potentially extremely dangerous."

I'm not saying, "Yeah you can do just like me even if you don't know what you are doing or have any of the right tools" - quite the opposite.

Nobody pays any attention to those warnings; it's like all those toys that come with tags saying "this is not a toy - not for use by anyone under the age of 18" that the toy company lawyers attach in an attempt to avoid the strict laws governing children's toys, or the ubiquitous warnings on every building in California telling people that something in there might do them harm: http://www.latimes.com/health/la-he-...v02-story.html . I thought the safety info in your original video was actually quite good - telling people not to do this on concrete, advising them to make sure anything they stick in the pot was pre-heated - this is important stuff.

But I've heard from lots of people on various forums who saw a few YouTube videos about casting metal in the backyard and were totally clueless about the dangers involved - there's a lot of enthusiasm for melting scrap metal in tin cans and flower pots and pouring it in molds made from who knows what. All I'm saying is that you should append the "lost shell" video to the other one, which has the safety info, rather than distributing it separately. There are a lot of characters out there jostling for their Darwin awards...

How's that deep-Z CNC router working for you? Have you worked out the 4th and 5th axes yet?

Andrew Werby
Juxtamorph.com

[3DTOPO]

Nobody pays any attention to those warnings; it's like all those toys that come with tags saying "this is not a toy - not for use by anyone under the age of 18" that the toy company lawyers attach in an attempt to avoid the strict laws governing children's toys, or the ubiquitous warnings on every building in California telling people that something in there might do them harm: http://www.latimes.com/health/la-he-pro-con2-2009nov02-story.html . I thought the safety info in your original video was actually quite good - telling people not to do this on concrete, advising them to make sure anything they stick in the pot was pre-heated - this is important stuff. But

I've heard from lots of people on various forums who saw a few YouTube videos about casting metal in the backyard and were totally clueless about the dangers involved - there's a lot of enthusiasm for melting scrap metal in tin cans and flower pots and pouring it in molds made from who knows what. All I'm saying is that you should append the "lost shell" video to the other one, which has the safety info, rather than distributing it separately. There are a lot of characters out there jostling for their Darwin awards...

Well if people are going to ignore the warnings there, people are going to ignore them elsewhere too I suppose.


The point I have been trying to make, is, I wasn’t like look just stick something dangerous in a microwave (or something everyone has at home). Like: “gee-whiz folks - look how easy it is to be stupid! - you can be just as dumb as me if you want to” - and there are no end of those sort of videos that actually exist on Youtube.


The whole process takes special gear, and with that usually comes special know-how and respect - in my experience at least.


That said, the video does absolutely already link to the older video.

I am also considering making a basic foundry set up and safety video as well.

How's that deep-Z CNC router working for you? Have you worked out the 4th and 5th axes yet?

It has about 2.5 feet of useable Z and the machine works really well. I have a 4th axis going now. Haven’t really had the need for 5-axis but when I have the time I look forward to building one.


I am also finishing up a 4-axis metal lathe/mill combo conversion as well.

[awerby]

I am also considering making a basic foundry set up and safety video as well.

[That would be great; it's sorely needed on YouTube. Append it to any foundry-related videos you put out; it could save lives.]





It has about 2.5 feet of useable Z and the machine works really well. I have a 4th axis going now. Haven’t really had the need for 5-axis but when I have the time I look forward to building one.


I am also finishing up a 4-axis metal lathe/mill combo conversion as well.

What sorts of things are you making with that router? What materials does it cut?

[3DTOPO]

What sorts of things are you making with that router? What materials does it cut?

I mostly use it for carving out EPS foam and wood for patterns for metal casting.

It will also machine aluminum if I am not in too much of a hurry.

Let me know if you need anything big carved!

[awerby]

I mostly use it for carving out EPS foam and wood for patterns for metal casting.

It will also machine aluminum if I am not in too much of a hurry.

Let me know if you need anything big carved!

Thanks, but I've already built a router a lot like yours, from automation actuators. I can cut wood with it, but I don't think it's rigid enough for aluminum. I use mills for that.

Have you got a link to that 65KW induction melter? If I did want to make an aluminum piece that big, it would make sense to carve it in foam and cast it, rather than attack a huge piece of billet.

[3DTOPO]

Thanks, but I've already built a router a lot like yours, from automation actuators. I can cut wood with it, but I don't think it's rigid enough for aluminum. I use mills for that.
.

Quite true. Casting large items still involves its own work as well though - more hands on than running a robot unless you are the big foundries that do use plenty of automation.

Have you got a link to that 65KW induction melter? If I did want to make an aluminum piece that big, it would make sense to carve it in foam and cast it, rather than attack a huge piece of billet.

Below is a link to the company I have been dealing with through Alibaba.

I don't own a machine from them yet, so I don't have any experience with their hardware, but they have been very professional and helpful with all my questions. Their 65kw model is WZP-65 (they have other models the number is KW). The 25kw and up need 3-phase as standard.

https://yongdagp.en.alibaba.com/prod...836.186.ngNXj2

[awerby]

Quite true. Casting large items still involves its own work as well though - more hands on than running a robot unless you are the big foundries that do use plenty of automation.

[Yes, there's definitely a bit of work involved, at least until you've got the robots trained to do it.]



Below is a link to the company I have been dealing with through Alibaba.

I don't own a machine from them yet, so I don't have any experience with their hardware, but they have been very professional and helpful with all my questions. Their 65kw model is WZP-65 (they have other models the number is KW). The 25kw and up need 3-phase as standard.

https://yongdagp.en.alibaba.com/prod...836.186.ngNXj2

[Thanks for that, and please let us know how it works out for you. The information on that site is rather strange, though. Since aluminum has a Specific Gravity of 2.8 and steel has a SG of 7.8 I don't see how a furnace that holds 10 kg of steel at max can also hold 10 kg of aluminum. Maybe that "hotrolled cannabis cobalt" is having an effect...]

Andrew Werby
Juxtamorph.com