Miniature Tools

[Art Rafael]

Thanks, couchspring.  Sometimes I do catch fire and really go for the end zone,
and sometimes I loose interest if I can visualize the completion. 
That's when it takes forever. 
We do love our tractors.  I have a green one too.  Ralph

[Branson]

Well Gentlemen and Ladies, the parts came together, and the Miniature Compound Lever Jack works nicely.  It may need a little more tweeking and maybe buffing and polishing.   Ralph

Gasp!  What a beauty!!

[Art Rafael]

Thanks, Branson.

And now I'm off in a new direction.  A special friend has requested a pair of miniature framing hammers to commemorate a long term partnership.
Fabricating any piece can be a challenge, but producing two identical pieces is always more so.


I've got a good start.





My first thought was to build a wood pattern and create a "split half" plaster mold, but that would not necessarily yield two castings. 
Sometimes the mold falls apart after the first casting.  And the wood model just didn't turn out good enough.





So I decided to build a wax pattern and go the lost wax casting route.





The wax pattern turned out much nicer.





Now I can either invest this pattern in plaster and cast it to make a master pattern from which a rubber mold can be made to produce identical wax patterns for final casting,
or I can try to make a latex mold directly from this wax pattern and risk loosing it leaving no option but to start over. 
Latex mold making is new to me, so I'm hesitant.  But rubber mold making is so darn difficult,
and that route would require two molten metal castings - one to produce the master pattern and one to yield the final pieces.

I'll think about it for a while and post updates.   Ralph

[Chillylulu]

Can't you cast it in silicone and use the silicone to cast your wax?

Chilly

[Art Rafael]

Yes.  That is one of the options that I am considering, but I don't know how hot injected wax affects the silicone mold.  If a silicone mold can deliver more than one model injected hot I'll proceed with that and skip that lengthy step of casting a master pattern then building a rubber mold to yield final casting patterns.  Think it will work?   Ralph

[Chillylulu]

Ralph,

I dont know if all silicone is the same, but I have seen jewelers inject the light blue stuff with no problems.

I would think you could make dozens from one mold.

Chilly

[turnnut]

good luck Ralph, I know that you will find the answer after a little talk with yourself. Frank

[jpaz]

Your work is superb, Ralph - of the very highest quality. Thank you for creating these masterpieces - and for posting so many pictures of them here.

James

[john k]

I just saw the video, you did a fine job explaining the function of that style jack.   I never tried lifting a tractor, because we always had that big one.  But, wagons, equipment tongues, hitches, it worked hard.  Now I am missing it more.  Thank you  Art.

[Art Rafael]

Thanks, All.  I just ordered some special silicone to build a mold - on hold now waiting for slow mail
and still a little hesitant when I try new procedures.
I'm gratified that you all appreciate my work and glad to post as things go along. 
Your interest is encouraging and the help given me is much appreciated.   Ralph

[Art Rafael]

Had house guests all week and didn't get to do much work on my project but worked a little on the handles for the new hammers. 








Next I'll work on the silicone mold and produce wax patterns for casting.  Maybe I can make good progress this weekend.   Ralph

[turnnut]

thats a nice start on the hammers,
after having the guest, do you feel more relaxed while working on the project ?

a fresh start ?   Frank

[Art Rafael]

Hi, Frank.  It is nice to have family visit, and since I live at the base of Pikes Peak near The Garden of the Gods, etc., my house is a likely place for guests. 
But I like my alone time and got right back to it and made some progress yesterday.

Chilly had suggested that I try a "new" to me mold making procedure - Silicone. 
I am most familiar with rubber molds having built scores of rubber molds - the hard way,
cutting strips, packing around a metal model in a solid frame and vulcanizing it under pressure in an oven. 
This procedure requires that a metal master pattern first be made / cast from an original carved wax model, etc. etc. etc..
I have posted an account of that procedure further up this string.

 This "new" procedure spares several laborious steps
and did yield good results with half the work in much less time
since I could encapsulate an original wax model in silicone
then just cut it open with no heat vulcanizing. 
Hot wax was injected directly into the mold to produce exact soft wax copies for casting.   Ralph











Next plaster molds will be created for casting the final pieces.
Two hammers were requested, but I always like to build an extra piece for a commission in case something goes wrong.
And if all works out OK, the extra piece is for my collection.

[Art Rafael]

It was a productive weekend.  The casts came out beautifully - shown here with annealing fire scale before pickling:





and separated:





These will clean up nicely, and the handles will be fitted.   Ralph

[rusty]

They sort of look like chocolate, you are making me hungry ;P

Very nice :)

RTV Rubberized silicone is awesome stuff ...