Miniature Tools

[HeelSpur]

You sure do some amazing work.

[Art Rafael]

Thanks, HeelSpur.  I do like the way the #4 turned out, so will attempt to build a duplicate. The Lost Wax process works just right for duplicating identical parts.  With the master pattern constructed,  rubber molds will be built to produce identical parts in wax which will then be placed in plaster (invested)  then melted out (lost), and the remaining cavity will be filled with molten metal (cast).


First - the master is suspended in a frame, and rubber strips are packed all around it then baked to vulcanize.




The master pattern encased in solid vulcanized rubber.




then carefully cut out





leaving the cavity into which wax is injected





resulting in exact copies of the master pattern.








The wax patterns never turn out perfect, and some repairs are necessary (hopefully minimal).  Additional shrinkage components are sometimes added.
Then the plaster mold making begins.  (I'm not there quite yet -- more as I get to it.)

[oldtools]

You still have molds for all your other tools?
 So with duplicates, you plan on selling them?

[Art Rafael]

Hi, Thanks for your interest.   The fabricated tools are all individually hand made one-of-a-kind items.  I have molds for most of my cast tools.  The pattern and mold making and casting procedures, which I do all in house, are so intensive that it is hardly worth doing and not cost effective except for personal accomplishment / gratification, so, in most cases, I've built very few copies - some times only one.  Even at a low hourly rate, the production cost would seem quite prohibitive and precious metal models accordingly more so.  I have comissioned a few pieces but, as a man of modest means, could never afford my own art, nor can I hardly afford now to part with them.  For example, a 14k gold #4 plane contains about $1400 worth of gold and takes up to 60 hours to build - not to mention materials consumed in their creation ( rubber, wax, plaster, oxy/act, sanding, buffing, polishing, etc. ), and the equipment ( turning, milling, drilling, threading, fileing, etc ) is costly.  It would be nice to find a broad market for my wares, but in the mean time, I am a collector and sometimes gift some pieces to special people.   Ralph

[Art Rafael]

I'm posting more details cuz I thought that some might find the process interesting and hope that I'm not boaring anyone nor wasting your time.

After the wax pattern is suspended in a flask and surrounded by plaster, the vessel is baked in incrimentally higher heat, and the wax burnes out and the mold solidifies.





The mold is arranged with a crucible on the casting machine; the metal is made molten and shot centrifigally  into the cavity in the mold as the aparatus spins  This may be the most exciting part of the whole procedure, and it is the part where the most can go wrong.  The mold can break, etc. spilling out molten metal all over the place causing quite a hazard and costing the loss of the metal.  This has happened to me when I was casting gold; it was a very bad day.  Though I was not injured, it scared the heck out of me, my pride was hurt and much of the gold was lost as it splattered all over. 





Today it all went well, and some usable pieces resulted when the mold was broken open ( each mold can be used only once ).





A wax pattern along side a cast counterpart.





It is easy to see that, after all this, there is much work to be done seperating the parts ( when several parts are cast in one mold ), fileing, finishing , etc.

[OilyRascal]

Thank you for sharing what you do.  I've enjoyed both seeing your work and learning your processes.  I'd be interested in better understanding your background given the extent to which you know these processes and have the tools (centrifuges, ovens, etc.) available to use.

[oldtools]

+1 with oily's request

[Lewill2]

Art, as always interesting stuff. I'm like the other guys commenting keep the how to's coming they are as interesting as the final products.

[Lewill2]

Just look at the "views" counter there are a whole bunch of us following this post.

[Art Rafael]

Hi All.  Thank you for your interests.  It may be time that I introduce myself properly.  I am a Teacher of 30 years with degrees in Industrial Arts - now retired, having thoroughly enjoyed my career working with children, much of it teaching in the wood and metal shops till I was placed in charge of the school retaining a keen eye on the crafts and trades we taught.  Now many, if not most public schools, have closed down their wood and metal shops and have auctioned off the equipment for pennies on the dollar.  Some of it found its way affordably home with me where I continue to practice the craft - alone now. 

As a child, I could often be found in my Grandfather's carpentry shop or in the village blacksmith shop observing and practicing the trades which became my college majors and ultimately my profession.  Tools and their use have always been my passion.  I used hand tools to build and repair many things along the way, and now  have found that building tools and using them is natural to me, and the teacher in me insists on sharing my passions.  I still love my craft and thoroughly enjoy vicariously visiting my Grandpa's shop by creating in miniature the tools that I believe he would love to see.  He always let me know how proud of me he was when I built something, and he assured me that I would grow up to be a skilled crafter.  As long as I do this, he is with me, and I feel gratified by the process and the results in building miniature tools. 

Along the way, I realized that I would need to master new arts if I was to succeed in the creation of masterful miniatures.  Having had exposure to some of the work of the old masters, Rafael, etc., I researched the old arts and, being a good learner as I was a good teacher, taught myself the ancient arts of pattern design, mold making and lost wax and sand casting and the improved methods in contemporary use.  Again, the equipment was inexpensively acquired, given my modest retirement means, and in some cases, created by repurposing discarded stuff.  My vacuum machine and vibrating table were fashioned from a salvaged refrigator compressor and the aparatus from an old lounging easy chair vibrator.




I could never afford to purchase many of the tools that I adored but resorted to building miniature versions for my collection.  No, I still don't have much money; I have more than that.  I have a growing interest in and a passionate love of tools and their function.  I have accomplished much of what I do on guts alone.  In this forun, I know that I am not alone at all and that interest in the crafts and tools is alive and well.  Thanks again to all of you.   Ralph

[oldgoaly]

Thanks for sharing your castings projects! very interesting!

[Papaw]

I still don't have much money; I have more than that.  I have a growing interest in and a passionate love of tools and their function.  I have accomplished much of what I do on guts alone.

The quote of the day!!!

[oldtools]

I agree with his statement!  He "succeeded in the creation of masterful miniatures" 
A true Master Artist... I can see why his grandpa was so proud, He grew up to be a skilled crafter...

Thank you for sharing your skills, knowledge, and crafts... education is one thing we can always use...

[Art Rafael]

Gentlemen,  Thank you.  I do appreciate your thoughts and your interest in my stuff.   Ralph


The #4 Sterling Silver plane is finished.  I took a liberty here and there for artistic reasons.  Surely Grandpa would be proud.

[scottg]

   Silver ghost
    I love it!!  :)
     yours Scott