Vulcanizer and wax injector car boot find

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tmuir

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I was just saying the other day I never find anything interesting at car boot sales and today stumbled across these two items.

casting_equipment.jpg


I've tested them both and they work fine. Now I just need the kiln, vacuum equipment for the plaster and a centrifugal caster and I'm set. :big:

It will probably be a while before I use them but at $200 Australian I couldn't resist them.
I still can't get over I found something of use for model engineering at a car boot sale.

I was even happier when I found out how much the wax injector costs new.
http://www.jewelerstoystore.com/ProductDetails.asp?ProductCode=C3-2

Big tool gloat. ;D
 
Nice find.
I use a similar setup only I vacuum cast because I can do larger parts than a spin caster can handle. You will as you said need a vacuum pump for the investment so that and some sections of stainless tube or soup cans and a kiln and you are all set.

My avatar photo is a metal cylinder mold I designed that is filled with a similar wax injector.

Dan
 
I'm not familiar with vacuum casting.
Do you know of any links that explain or show it.

I got away with the purchase by telling my wife I will also be able to use this to make her more silver jewellery.
 
I had to search for jewelry vacuum casting to find the process I mentioned here is a link with photos of the whole process from wax model to cast item.

I do not use the step of placing the torch on fire brick to keep the metal hot while the flask is shifted from the kiln to the vacuum table. I use my wife as a helper she works the kiln and the vacuum table and I concentrate on the metal.

http://bcyrjewelry.blogspot.com/2008/03/lost-wax-casting-process.html

Dan
 
Thanks for the link.
Am I right in that the flask is placed on the table and the vacuum turned on it is 'sucking' through the plaster to draw the metal in.

I can see I will need to look more into this thanks.
 
Yes the same vacuum table is used as with the bell jar only a red silicon gasket is used to seal the bottom of the flask to the table.

Some folks leave a little room at the top when filling the flask so only metal is in contact with the gasket. I always over fill the flasks then cut off the excess investment then draw file the end of the flask that sits on the gasket before the flask goes in the kiln.

There is nothing worse than not getting good vacuum with a crucible of hot metal. With out the vacuum to assist the process the results will be very disappointing.

There are two types of flasks the simple one shown is just a tube. The production version has a rim at the top and large holes in the sides and a flat stock cross on the bottom. The rim seals on a vacuum chamber and vacuum is pulled in all directions at once. This is handy for a full tree of wax parts.

The jewelry supply firms near you should carry all the needed equipment.

Dan
 
Cool stuff I'm kinda bummed I didn't get the full lost wax setup when I got my burnout oven/kiln, but we all only have so much $ and space... :-\
 
Here is a photo of my setup.

IMG_2214-2.jpg


The vacuum table is set for casting, two flasks are next to the hand crucible. The vacuum pump is the black bit in the back. The orange box is a programable temperature controller much simpler than hand firing the kiln which is the blue box.

Dan
 

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