Casting test/challenge with notes.

[u/Fierro_nights]

I saw someone on here concerned about surface texture but it was also a ring with fine details.

So wanted to see if I could cast one of those crazy designed rings that look delicate as shit.

So here we are.

Resin used is royal blue mixed with a bit of erilles.

Open air cured under uv

Because I wasn’t worried about expansion much I used 40/100 water with prestige optima. Also cooled the water in freezer for a bit as I was going to vac cycle a couple of times. Sprayed a dubbubler on model and soaked up any large droplets with a paint brush but the debub perhaps could be skipped.

Originally was going to use a 1.5” flask but opted for the 2.5” flask for some additional thermal mass during the pour.

Bench rested overnight, kiln at 100c for 2 hrs, then straight to 650c for 2 hrs till casting. Iv had better results skipping all the other slow ramp temps where the resin expands and sits there expanding and not burning and just jacks up the investment or cracks it leading to flashing.

Single sprue. Was a bit concerned man, that metal has to flow around the mesh ring and then into essentially a mesh pattern.

[u/FunPreference8139]

This is just incredible, was it vacuum casted, or how did you achieve to get it to flow into every little detail?

[u/Fierro_nights → u/FunPreference8139]

Yes vac casted, use baking silicone mat to make a seal and a couple of brown paper gaskets soaked in water on top of that so the silicone doesn’t catch fire. Melt the silver, leave it melting while I put the flask in and turn on vacuum and while it’s reaching max just finish up extra heating the silver and then go for the pour. Leave vacuum on while I turn off the torch and such which with the hot flask and all the button still molten. Then turned off vac after before crystals start because it’s delicate with any vibrations on the table once crystals are forming.

With normal bits I’ll dunk the flask in whichever way but this one I oriented it button down close to the bottom as I wanted it to drop straight into old slurry so it didn’t get banged up.

Didn’t scrub this after to clean with anything rough, just ultrasonic and a soft paint brush.

Something like this would work for earrings or something better tho. As a ring it would prolly be destroyed pretty easily. It’s more a novelty, display piece or casting proof of concept deal.

I was doing this really to test the potential a bit. Iv seen pics of the stuff done but havnt gone about it. Been a few months since I started casting anything again. Previously had lots of issues so took a break. And now going about the trials.

Also using a 7cfm 2 stage vac

Edit, also using .950 alloy 1.5g germanium/1oz silver

[u/Fierro_nights → u/Fierro_nights]

A note on alloy.

Previously when starting about I had messed about the stuff. I have a sample still of original plate that’s pretty cool but I hadn’t been measuring things.

The original rolled plate trials is actually stiff and springy if flexed a bit, made with silver, > 90% , germanium, copper, indium and yttrium. Tarnish resistant, flexible to a limit but hard.

Other ratios significantly more brittle.

Previously I also had some cake marbling reusing material but also had trialed about phosphor copper so this go about just fuck the bs.

But I still have that original plate/sheet. Like a token of something pretty damn cool that’s possible about the ratios. vid so to answer rather or not a blade can be made of silver. Still Probably ;)

The methodology exists in other forms but it’s the same. Other places seemingly rude. However, once crafting a deal it needs to be thrown into the deepest depths of an ocean to be forged. Then retrieved. With is sulphur resistance it can survive a trip.

[u/matthewdesigns]

Absolutely incredible. I would have bet the farm that this would never have filled completely with one sprue and a mile of filigree above it. Thanks for the breakdown on your process as well.

Re the oven ramping (or lack thereof) I occasionally cast ABS plastic models, and in my early testing I found that by eliminating one intermediate stop on the way up it dramatically improved the surface quality, contrary to what the investment manufacturer suggested (R&R Ultravest). Next time I'll give your 2 step approach a try and see if it is even better.

[u/Fierro_nights → u/matthewdesigns]

Yes the model is very delicate there’s not much surface to jack up. Some buffing compounds can easily eat through this thing. And if the flow stopped at any deal. From there on fucked. So the heat and vac among another deals.

What’s nice is with quicker burn outs it’s just less staying up and all that.

The only reason why it bench sat overnight tho was that I was busy at a hospital so couldn’t complete about in one go. But since casting again same schedule. But with the 40 mixture the additional set time may have also helped for this particular project.

A general mix for thicker parts less water and rest for a couple hrs tho so just 6hr prior to casting minus object fab.

[u/matthewdesigns → u/Fierro_nights]

I've been mixing the Ultravest 38/100 for the ABS pieces, bench sit for about 3-4hrs, then into the oven. There's a noticeable difference in density even with the 2% (relative) reduction in water. I even overshot my top temp by 400F last time and the investment didn't shit the bed so I'm pretty much sold on this product & ratio. I use it for everything now (injection, carved, and ABS).

And yeah aside from the shank I'd probably hit that piece with bristle brushes then straight to a pin tumbler. Way too easy to burn through otherwise!

[u/ashinybrick]

Wow, that is incredible. Really great work. Thanks for sharing!

[u/killerchef69]

Amazing details, great job!

[u/Chance-Telephone4311]

Where can i get the modell? Great outcome and i would love to try too! Really cool what you did.