| Archive for The Unofficial Mamod and Other Steam Forum The Original Unofficial Toy Steam Forum Established 2006 The biggest, most popular steam forum around! Accept NO imitations! We have a growing community of regular posting members who chat about all aspects of toy and model steam. |
| Dampfzauberer |
Let's cast metal figures for our engines!Just a thought:Can anyone make a casting form for tin figures? If so, i could provide a nice Figure, so we could make some copies... Here's what i want to use for pattern: http://cgi.ebay.de/ws/eBayISAPI.d...sPageName=STRK:MEWA:IT&ih=006 |
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| IndianaRog |
Mirko, there is a product called "Sculpy" in the US...it is a molding compound that sets up around an object and can thus be used as a mold. My wife is a doll collector and has used this material to "cast" hands/arms for dolls that have missing parts. Only thing is she's working with room temperature materials. Hot lead or tin would probably melt it 
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| johnreid |
I assume a plaster cast would work in that case.
Making castings in sand is much more difficult than many realize, especially for small items. Does anyone have a good description of the Lost Wax process? |
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| Dampfzauberer |
I thought more of a 2-part plaster form, wich can be taken apart.
Don't want a form for destroying... The tricky thing should be the small form of the figure.... Has anybody experience with doing something similar? |
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| Wallace |
Sounds like a great idea Mirko.
Have you tried any shops that sell those little war figurines for role playing games? When I was a kid I bought some moulding for US civil war soldiers. It was made of very hard rubber compound. Just 2 halves that used an elastic band to hold them together, and you could pour molten lead into. Maybe such shops have this rubber compound? |
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| tmuir |
Those are vulcanised rubber moulds and the need about 40 tones of pressure at 150 degrees C to make. 
This place will make one for you for 88 euro
http://www.princeaugust.ie/ They also sell heaps of other oulds but nothing good to go with toy steam engines. 
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| Mister Occlusion |
I used to make simple molds from RTV silicone and run a 2-part resin compound called Alumilite into them. It was a way to get some extra value out of those horribly expensive Verlinden bits and pieces that went into dioramas and such.
Worked well for open-end and 2 part molds, though the most complex 2-parters I had were for casting up a few cannon barrels for a 1/35 King Tiger and a pair of full size Sharps rifle hammers for a fellow who was going to get some outfit in the Ukraine to make replicas of...So they weren't exactly complex figures |
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| Manxman |
Well, I'm not sure how to go about making the figures but I love that little fella. Are you bidding on him Mirko? If not, would you have a go for me? Give me a pm if it's possible. 
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| TE1A_man |
I completed a 9 week course in sand casting in my precision manufacturing class, i can make sand molds and pour them. I guess you could make a single sand mold with 5 or 6 of those, but they might be a little to small for the equipment we have. |
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| xlchainsaw |
basically modelling clay is used to take the impression,then before it is dry it is cut into two halves which is set into plaster. the two halves are joined together and wax is poured into the mould. once a wax part ect is made it is then set into plaster. after the plaster is dry the wax is then melted out of the plaster leaving a hollow inside the plaster block. of course pouring holes are drilled ect. this block (mould) is then filled with metal. the part/figure is released by breaking open the plaster block. a basic guide of course when ive achieved personal success hopefully in a week or two i will be able to post .from experience
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