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Tools, Glorious Tools! #11 - The Vacuum Casting Machine

🕑 Added 2021-06-01 11:10:12 +0000 UTC

Comments

SilentMunk

This is an amazing piece, I love the showcasing of new and old technology coming together to create such a historically inspired piece. Seeing this actually informed to me how the shape of such lamps actually work practically. Teaching moment for sure

Ballasar

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Kevin Reardon

Wow. I forgot you post to Patreon now. I missed that voice. Here's one to chew on. Roman dodecahedron. Maybe you can figure out what it was for.

Borislav

Is that a CNC? I saw it cut a perfect circle... Looks amazing! Finally, something I might try!

PeetieGonzalez

Your patience is godlike. The results appropriately divine.

Luther

Wonderful work.

Clickspring

Cheers mate :)

Clickspring

Yes! Episode I "The Phantom Wax" & Episode II "Attack of The Kiln" still to come. No Jar Jar. Promise :)

Clickspring

Ha ha! Cheers mate :)

Clickspring

Cheers Jeff!

Clickspring

Thanks Gary :)

Clickspring

Thank you mate :)

Clickspring

Ah terrific, cheers mate :)

Joris van 't Land

great movie though, and interesting topic!

Joris van 't Land

this is, actually, the first video where it mimics a kind of Star Wars setup: it first shows you the making of the endproduct, but, as many here, I had no clue what the 3D printer, the vacuum pump, etc was meant for, but as said, I guess we were watching part 3, and later on will see part 2 and then part 1? lol

Graeme Brumfitt

I wish you would stop doing these projects Chris! They're costing me a fortune... I jest Dude I love them, keep them coming. TFS, GB :)

Jeff Swayze

Just another afternoon project for Chris! ;-) Beautiful work as always. I'm certainly looking forward to the additional detail on the casting process!

Jan Valecka

That's helpful. And why was the investment in the vacuum in the large bowl prior to making the mold? Is it just to remove bubbles from the investment? Or did I get it completely wrong?

Gary Knight

Brilliant as always. Hope you are keeping well.

veritanuda

Cool. I've always wanted one of those. Nice job.

john horton

Thanks, Chris. made my day!

Clickspring

Ha ha! We can try :)

Clickspring

Cheers Ken :)

Clickspring

Thanks John :)

Clickspring

Ha ha! Thank you mate :)

Clickspring

Cheers mate :)

Clickspring

Me too! Cheers :)

Clickspring

Thank you Nat, I will check it out :)

CthulhusDream

If I rub this episode enough times can I wish for more videos =D

Kenneth Carlile

Once again, mind blowing craftsmanship. Thanks for sharing with us!

John Gentzel

A gentleman named Aladdin called looking for a lamp. Nicely done :)

Leonard Solomon

Really great project, Chris. I was more relieved than disappointed, to find that you made the lion's head finial from a sculptural detail that you purchased. If you had sculpted the lion's head, along with everything else that you do, I probably would have just killed myself. I'm only kidding; nothing you will do at this point will surprise me.

Scott Hutson

Outstanding, Chris! This was awesome to watch. Thank you!

Lev Serebryakov

I can not wait for series about model preparation, investment pouring & de-waxing! :-)

Nat Hough

Have you considered speaking to RotarySMP? He recently (in the last few days) released a video on investment casting the Beatles, but had some trouble. It would be interesting if you two were able to work together!

Nat Hough

You may find that RotarySMP's latest video explains it a bit better - investment casting the Beatles.

Clickspring

Ah lovely! Cheers mate :)

Clickspring

Yes the holes are covered. There are rubber sleeves available for purchase from jeweller suppliers, but I generally use a common masking tape. I will show this part of the process in much detail in later videos - Cheers :)

Clickspring

Terrific to hear that Leo :)

Clickspring

Thank you Tim :)

Clickspring

Will do so in much detail in later videos, Cheers :)

Clickspring

Cheers Mike!

Clickspring

Perfect summary mate, thank you :)

Daniel J Bostrom

There are rubber sleeves available that wrap around the perforated section of the flask, or you could also use a wide masking tape as well. The sleeve or tape should extend well above the top of the flask to provide room for the investment (plaster) to expand while vacuuming after pouring which will help remove any bubbles stuck to or trapped in the model.

CaptainSalad

Excellent video! A busman's holiday for me as I work as a metalworker at a bronze foundry.

Will Josephson

How do you get the investment material to stay in the flask? Is there a flexible cover to cover the holes in the sides?

LeoMakes

Amazing work (as always). Watcing this made me add one more set of tools to my "dream workshop" list!

Tim Mullen

Beautiful work as usual! Bringing more history alive. Can't wait to see more of the process as you detail it.

Stubbs

I wish you wouldn't have skipped the moulding part. Like others, I would have very much enjoyed seeing that part

Mike Michelizzi

Beautifully done! Thanks for adding to the list of things I want to try when I have time!

Liebel Schlesinger

Thanks! That makes a lot of sense

Jonathan Numer

The vacuum helps pull the metal into the voids to avoid pits and helps the metal reach everywhere in complicated castings. The investment, which is a type of plaster is designed to be porous, allowing the air to be pulled through it but not the metal. A vacuum can cause suction within the whole mold and it helps pull the metal and there won't be air bubbles causing voids in the casting

Jonathan Numer

I've done it in a home shop but not such a large piece, mostly jewelry

Liebel Schlesinger

Please make another video on the subject and exactly what the vacuum chamber does

Jonathan Numer

Investment is a type of specialized plaster like substance that is used by pouring around the 3D Print or wax model. It hardens then you burnout the model by heating it. So the 3D print was in the white plaster and was burned out leaving the negative shape. He then poured the metal in.

Jonathan Numer

The vacuum helps pull the metal into the voids to avoid pits and helps the metal reach everywhere in complicated castings.

Pete Savage

Must only be polished by hand. Chris will not be held responsible for any accidents involving genies wrapped around buffing wheels.

Silver Hand Studios

The model has a sprue and gates applied (they allow for the flow of the metal during casting, and you can see Chris cut them off after casting). You then mount the model in the empty flask, pour the investment plaster around the resin model, and allow it to cure for a few hours. It then spends hours at different temperatures in a kiln to burn out the resin and harden the investment plaster (you've now left a cavity in the flask where the model was). The burnout cycle also keeps the flask hot so the metal doesn't instantly freeze when you cast. Once the casting has cooled a bit (dependant on the metal you're casting), you put it into a bucket of water to break apart the investment and retrieve your casting. This lost wax casting process is thousands of years old, and hasn't changed dramatically over time. But as the name suggests, you lose the wax model (or resin model in this case), and making multiple castings requires multiple models to cast from.

Ken Potts

Beautiful video as usual, but I'm completely lost. Why the vacuum and how was the mold made? I've done lost foam casting and I've worked with people who do investment casting but it seems like you skipped over two-thirds of the process here. Would you please have mercy on us and back up a few steps?

Jeff Armstrong

:) It IS an odd odour. Make sure you use Greek olive oil. It really does smell different to Italian or Spanish.

Claus Anders

How did the 3D model become the mold for the brass? I'm confused, or did I miss something?

Gabe

Hmmm. I found this one a little hard to follow. What is the "investment" referring to? Where did that first 3D print actually end up being used?

Patch Arcana

At no point did I think this was so approachable from the perspective of the home/hobby shop! Gives me horrifying ideas.

Clickspring

Cheers John :)

Clickspring

I was surprised at how nicely olive oil burns, although Mrs Clickspring not so impressed with the smell :)

Clickspring

Thank you mate :)

John S Dilsaver

I've been looking forward to this, thanks!

Jeff Armstrong

Fluked it as the first comment (or so I thought). I've got a Greek lamp I got in Athens a couple of years ago but I still have not found a good wick for it. It is smaller than your lamp so the cotton rope you appear to have used is not suitable for me.