Author Topic: Making new flasks.  (Read 10373 times)

Offline Tjark

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Making new flasks.
« on: August 17, 2013, 05:23:19 PM »
I thought it would be nice to make a tread about making new flasks.
I need a set off new flasks to cast some small cylinders for a Zenoah model engine.
So I will make a step by step how to process.
At first I have made from ply wood two plates.
Have glued an outer ring off 20mm triangle wood around the edges .
Now I have to mill some groves in the inside to hold the forming sand in place.


Offline Bearcar1

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Re: Making new flasks.
« Reply #1 on: August 17, 2013, 05:36:33 PM »
This looks to be an interesting thread. To see the procedure from the beginning. I'll be watching.


BC1
Jim

Offline Tjark

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Re: Making new flasks.
« Reply #2 on: August 17, 2013, 07:25:14 PM »
Milled the groves in one off the walls.
Now it’s a lot off filler and sandpaper work to get all the sites straight and flat.
Then its time for the shellacked finish.


Offline Tjark

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Re: Making new flasks.
« Reply #3 on: August 18, 2013, 06:48:28 PM »
To align the bottom and top half off the flask’s we need a alignment pin and hole.
There for I have made pin guide and glued this to one off the parts what will be the small site off the flask.
The sanding and filler work is been done and  now  I  am putting shellac to all the sites.
Due to the shellac the parts will release more easily from the molding sand.
I do not know how many coats it will take to get a smooth finish, sometimes are three to four coats enough but it depends on the wood sort.
Hopefully it will be dry this week, it rains so now en then over here, so I can cast  some parts off the flask’s.


Offline Tjark

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Re: Making new flasks.
« Reply #4 on: August 19, 2013, 12:24:56 PM »
Despite the bad weather I had a try to cast the first flask panel.
Had just enough time before it started to rain.
Not the ideal weather to cast very moist air outside.
Normally I do not cast in this type off weather  because off hydrogen forming in the casting.
But I think for these flask sides it’s not that big deal.

First two pictures is the mold in very well used petrobond.

The next two pictures are the melting and pour the mold.

Despite the weather success at last.

The next update will take some more time, waiting for better weather and cast  the other seven panels.
« Last Edit: August 19, 2013, 12:29:17 PM by Tjark »

Offline Tjark

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Re: Making new flasks.
« Reply #5 on: August 27, 2013, 09:02:28 PM »
Made some progress today.
Casted three side panels and milled and drilled the outside panels.
I realized today that I had made the hinges for the alignment pins to far to the middle.
Maybe I mill them off and weld some new ones more to the top, I have to think about this.
When the weather is good I will cast tomorrow the last side panel.

Offline ths

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Re: Making new flasks.
« Reply #6 on: August 27, 2013, 10:08:01 PM »
Very nice flasks, Tjark.

Cheers, Hugh.

Offline Tjark

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Re: Making new flasks.
« Reply #7 on: August 29, 2013, 04:37:38 PM »
Hugh, thanks for your commend.

I am still not ready with them.
Have casted yesterday the last side panel and today I have assembled them almost.
To do list now is drill four 5mm holes and tapping four times M6 tread into them.
The flaps for the alignment I have renamed now as handles to lift the flasks.
Plan is to make a set off new holders for the alignment pins and bold them to the side panels.
Well work is waiting tomorrow  so I will see if there is some spare time left to make some more progress.

Tjark.

Offline ths

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Re: Making new flasks.
« Reply #8 on: August 30, 2013, 01:49:54 AM »
They seem to be very deep flasks, Tjark. I'm looking forward to seeing what comes out of them. Rugby balls would fit, but you probably won't be doing them.

Cheers, Hugh.

Offline Tjark

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Re: Making new flasks.
« Reply #9 on: August 30, 2013, 05:01:02 AM »
Hugh I need the height, the flasks are not that big.
They are for casting small model  engine cylinders.
The height is very handy to have more down pressure for the aluminum.

Tjark.

Offline Tjark

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Re: Making new flasks.
« Reply #10 on: September 01, 2013, 12:55:39 PM »
Hugh I have a picture included with the height dimensions
The small pattern on the side off the flasks has a little les height then the one I will use for the next cylinder.
I will cast it in standing position.
The inside dimensions are 15 x 18 cm and one flask has a little bit more height then 14cm.
This are the smallest flasks I have made so far.

Tjark.

Offline Don1966

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Re: Making new flasks.
« Reply #11 on: September 01, 2013, 03:06:16 PM »
Beautiful casting of the flask Tjark, one day I will have to try my hand at it. Just no enough time in the days to do it. I have been following and enjoying but also trying to learn.

Don

Offline ths

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Re: Making new flasks.
« Reply #12 on: September 01, 2013, 09:51:26 PM »
Thanks, Tjark.

Offline Tjark

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Re: Making new flasks.
« Reply #13 on: September 02, 2013, 09:49:23 AM »
Don, for me it was a lot off try and error in the beginning.
I could not get  any help over here because there was nobody with some knowledge about casting.
I had downloaded a lot off books from the internet  and bought some books  from Steve Castain, http://stephenchastain.com/store/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=1 and two books from C.W. Ammen, The complete handbook of sand casting and casting Aluminum.
Specially the last book gives a lot off practical information.
How to build a good furnace you have to look at one off the books from Steve.
As base metal I use alloy car wheels, and for the casting molds I use several sand mixes.
I use sometimes  green sand, oil bonded sand and sometimes a mix from sand and sodium silicate what will harden with CO2.
If you have the base together you will use the casting process more often to make parts.
It’s a lot cheaper then making things from solid material and you can make more detail to your parts.

Tjark.

Offline metalmad

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Re: Making new flasks.
« Reply #14 on: September 02, 2013, 10:15:47 AM »
Hi Tjark
A very interesting subject as I'm planning something similar down the track a bit.
I was interested to note you use car Mags, Does the Mag in mag wheels not stand for magnesium? :noidea:
I was offered a set myself but was a little concerned about the safety aspects.
Pete
A little bit every day, sometimes the same little bit

 

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