I bought a body from Norb at Last Refuge Hot Rods. It's his new one with the roll-up windows, the cabriolet. I'm pretty sure I'm never going to get the windshield. Every week it's been promised -- since early summer. He's into me for a bunch. Where could I get some information about carving my own windshield stanchions in wax, and then have them cast in brass? Thanks. I bought the car as a gift for my son.
Something the size of windshield stanchions would be better sand cast than lost wax cast. This being the case you can make the patterns out of pretty much anything. Make them a little bigger than you need to allow for cooling shrinkage and smoothing the casting. Find a brass foundry near you and get their advice on how they would want the patterns before you start making them.
x2 for the sand. I don't have any real casting experience per-se, but I've done a lot of reading on the net. I'd make the out of a soft wood that's easy to shape, and then really smooth them out with some bondo. Then a quick shot of paint. Remember, the blank will have to split in half and have dowels to line things back up. Each half will have to have a couple degrees of draft to it. There are some great videos on youtube of sand casting. Watching them you will see how the cope and drag are packed with sand, and mold designs.
Yeah....try here; http://www.backyardmetalcasting.com/forums/ These guys do thier own, whether it's lost wax, lost foam, or sand casting. The site is run by "Anon", and he's a pro foundry guy. You might even be able to get someone on the forum to do the casting for you. You won't be able to post until you go through the registration ritual, but there's a bunch of info available to read. Roger
I am just learning casting . I have been working in aluminum and am now after a few weeks comfortable with it. Biggest problem i would have for brass is melting it. A cupola though which is very simple would do it with a shop vac for air. But if you make wooden patterns a local foundry will cast it for you as said. What he said about a couple of degress of draft is very important to them otherwise they cant get the pattern out of the sand. Lost foam is another alternative and the last time I had a larger project poured by a foundry he told me next time just make it from styrofoam glued together and we will pack it and pour it. The styro just vapourizes. He said it makes it much easier for wierd shapes. Don The biggest problem I have is I always even yet try to make the casting too close to the finished size. I MUST learn to make them oversize. Too much is easy to remove too little is "%$#@(*& ----------"well. you know!
I saw an article in a classic car magazine a short time ago about lost foam casting. I goggled lost foam casting and there were many results including videos. Here is one article: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lost-foam_casting
If I was in Utah contemplating this I would try Jeff Decker, he knows a thing or two about foundry work http://www.jeffdeckerstudio.com/
lot of useful information on lost foam at this site as well. it's under the metal working section. http://www.submarineboat.com/index.htm
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