[SEL] Foundries

[Jim Hardman]

Russell;

I have had cast plates reproduced, but not from a conventional founder. 
There, results were unsatisfactory.

I was told to search out an "Art Foundry"... and they did a great job.  The 
proprietor told me that they used a fine grade of sand and that they were 
accustomed to detail.  In fact, the stamped numbers etc. in the original 
plate reproduced so clearly that I didn't need to re-stamp.  This particular 
"art foundry" typically cast stuff in brass and bronze, and to them, my job 
was "no big deal".

With over-eager inspectors enforcing more restrictive government 
regulations, many of our small foundries are gone.  The politicians talk 
about "creating new jobs" but it seems they are focused on "green"... and, 
of course, perpetuating their own lifestyle.

Jim in Vermont


> Well done Russell,

>         No, you're right, not my forte, I know the Blackstone plates -
> beautiful but alas, cast not etched.
>
>         I've often thought that someone with a bit of ingenuity should be
> able to reproduce a cast plate quite easily if they had an original to use
> as a "master".
>
>         Casting is not a strong point of mine but surely, if you could
> borrow one it would be easy to take it to a sandcaster to make a mould?
> I've seen our local "non ferrous" casting guys making really complicated
> designs literally in minutes. I do realise that shrinkage comes into the
> equation but on something like a plate this is not important.
>
>         The guy who showed it to me made me hold some sand in my clenched
> fist and then inserted a nozzle into the sand and pumped in a gas (I've
> just forgotten what the gas was but it was a commonly available gas - not
> anything fancy) and within about a minute had a perfectly formed mould of
> the inside of my hand - fingerprints included. Obviously the "sand" had
> also had some kind of previous treatment but it could not have been
> anything too fancy as they had the stuff lying in a pile on the floor and
> were just picking it up with shovels to put into moulds.
>
>         Try your Aussie mates and borrow a plate to make a casting from.
> If you need to add serial numbers and suchlike then take it to an engraver
> later or stamp them in.
>
>         One thing I've found about engine people in South Africa is that
> most of them do not mind taking a piece off their engine and "lending" it
> to you to copy - I assume that this is the same elsewhere. I've seen
> "rocker arms" and other parts replicated in this way before.
>
> All for now,
>
> Keep the revs up (or down)
> Jerry Evans
> Near Johannesburg in Sunny South Africa.
> Etched Brass Engine Plates made to order:
> <www.oldengine.org/members/evans/plates/index.htm>
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