1/6th scale 1890's 30ft navy steam cutter (live steam)

[Firstram]

Wear a respirator, I would be worried about exposing epoxy to that much heat. Why not use Sodium Silicate and CO2 to harden it?

 

[tghsmith]

that will be the next try if needed,, but this is a very small core, will have to sift the sand for the finest grains.. I should have set a coin next to it to show the scale..

 

[tghsmith]

did not have enough brass, coring looked like it worked well but thinking a better core pattern may be in order,, going to rework the main pattern a bit..

 

[tghsmith]

decided I needed a better core mold.. thickened and fileted the foot on the pattern, it will get some very fine sanding this weekend,, at least on the next pour I will a working weight to estimate from!!!

 

[tghsmith]

had to rework the core mold a bit and looks like I have a useable core,, will let it set and maybe try a pour on monday!!!

 

[tghsmith]

third pour attempt and this one may be useable!!! I may try to make another with a different core method.. having fun learning the process!!!

 

[tonyfoale]

Fantastic project, great work.

 

[tghsmith]

well, gave up on trying to make a useable small core for sand casting,, decided to go back to skills I learned 40 years back and switch to lost wax casting, also known as "investment" casting..

 

[tghsmith]

getting work done on the waxes for the condensate pump,, using wax that is hard enough to mill and turn!!! lots of hand finishing work ahead for the weekend.

 

[tonyfoale]

getting work done on the waxes for the condensate pump,, using wax that is hard enough to mill and turn!!! lots of hand finishing work ahead for the weekend.

Can you reuse the wax once it has been melted out? Is the vacumn chamber heated to suck the wax out? I have done quite a bit of casting in the past but never lost wax.

Here is an example of a two stroke crankcase from 64 years ago.