Hi Eric. Love the channel. The one thing I would love to see in more detail is the afterburner on your burnout kiln. I want do do some casting but im worried about someone seeing black smoke when i burrn out a shell lol and calling the fire department.
Whoa, that's a lot of videos to come on a topic I'm dyign to hear more about ^_^ Questions I'm interested in seeing answers too are somewhat selfish, but I'll ask anyway. 1. Can regula steamers and kilns do the job of clearning out the wax and firing the shell, most every video i've seen focuses on the outdoors methods of blastign it witha flamethrower, which isnt' really viable for a lot of us in the UK 2. For the initial coats, how fine a mesh would be practical for fine detail, 200, 400? 3. I've yet to see it, but could a jewellers tree full of tiny objects be coated in a shell and cast that way, over the wasteful block method. 4. What's your favourite slurry mixes / coats to use, and how does that differ for different metals? 5. Cold shell or hot shells for pouring, and reheating a cold shell back to warm? 6. Vacuum assist, its it needed, or possible? Thanks in advance, lookign forward to every one of your videos, even in my questions don't get answered :)
As for the deep dive and so many videos, I can easily spend an entire semester/term on this subject. Just trying to brake it down in digestible chunks.
@@LunarburnStudio I'd most happily spend an entire semester, or two, learning this subject! Thank you so very much for taking the time to do this for us, it's a very rarely covered topic and one that sorely needs covering in depth in an accessible way! :)
I have always been surprised how little info is out there regarding ceramic shell especially since there is so much out there coving every other aspect of metal casting.
Unfortunately I have not experimented with any alternatives. Are their any foundries in you part of Australia as they might have some insight on source materials. Sorry I don't have a better answer.
I make my own slurry and source my ingredients from Remet.com. But if you are looking for a ready-made solution you should look for Remet's "Just-Dip" or R&R's "Suspenda-Slurry". they are basically the same.
Man you are so great , please keep it up 😎❤️ I have a question as I am new to investment casting. I always see on TH-cam that using flask investment casting they always use vacuum while pouring the molten metal. But in ceramic shells is that also needed and why?
With flask investment casting for small metals, its tough to get the metal moving at that scale, partly because of size and the density of the investment. So it is typically aided by vacuum or centrifugal force. However, with ceramic shell, which is gas permeable and with the flexibility of size you dont need those types of assists.
@@LunarburnStudio thanks for your answer. I saw in some videos of investment casting they use some materials on top of the shell mouth after pouring the molten metal to creat some sort of smoke and then cover that with a barrel. I though this might be creating vac environment, is that true and how it can be done !?
@@hamamtouqan510 Maybe so with standard investment. For ceramic shell Ill place some refractory (typically some silica wool) on the cup after i pour to keep the metal in the cup molten longer, so when the pattern start to cool and shrink it will pull from the cup.
Eric. I watch all of your videos, they are very informative and I learned a lot from them. But at this point I have one question to you as more advanced metal caster. I need to make from time to time like 50 pieces of not so much detailed pieces (dimmentions similiar to a coin of diameter of 2-3cm). Would it be better to make a custom graphite mold and cast it like that or make patters and casting tree and use ceramic shell?
The graphite mold is interesting but you are limited to casting one at a time unless you you have more then one mold. and to keep the metal molten for an extended period of time isn't good for the metal or the crucible. Another limitation is see is not being able to fully control the thickness not to mention the quality of the back of the casting. With all that said I would suggest making a rubber mold and do them on a tree with ceramic shell as you suggested. This will produce the best possible castings.
@@LunarburnStudio back side of the cast isnt an issue but the thicknes you mentioned as a matter of fact is. Thanks for the heads up I forgot about that. And as you mentioned the problem would be extended period of time of the crucible and molten metal outside the furnance and not casted. Thats also the issue. Thank you for the advice and as I thought I think I’ll stick with making the casting tree.
Excited to see that. It's a type of casting I've never seen done before.
Lost wax in general or just this type of investment?
@@LunarburnStudio Lost wax in general. I don't know much beyond sand casting at the moment.
Hi Eric. Love the channel. The one thing I would love to see in more detail is the afterburner on your burnout kiln. I want do do some casting but im worried about someone seeing black smoke when i burrn out a shell lol and calling the fire department.
Thanks for the suggestion, Ill put it on my list. Glad you are finding my channel helpful.
Your videos are so helpful! I really appreciate your detailed explanations and sharing your knowledge and techniques. 👏👏👏🙏
Happy to help, let me know if you have any questions.
Looking forward to learn! Thanks!!
You bet!
Love the video!
Whoa, that's a lot of videos to come on a topic I'm dyign to hear more about ^_^
Questions I'm interested in seeing answers too are somewhat selfish, but I'll ask anyway.
1. Can regula steamers and kilns do the job of clearning out the wax and firing the shell, most every video i've seen focuses on the outdoors methods of blastign it witha flamethrower, which isnt' really viable for a lot of us in the UK
2. For the initial coats, how fine a mesh would be practical for fine detail, 200, 400?
3. I've yet to see it, but could a jewellers tree full of tiny objects be coated in a shell and cast that way, over the wasteful block method.
4. What's your favourite slurry mixes / coats to use, and how does that differ for different metals?
5. Cold shell or hot shells for pouring, and reheating a cold shell back to warm?
6. Vacuum assist, its it needed, or possible?
Thanks in advance, lookign forward to every one of your videos, even in my questions don't get answered :)
Thats quite a list, but all will answered in the coming videos. For #2 are you asking mesh size for the slurry of the stucco?
As for the deep dive and so many videos, I can easily spend an entire semester/term on this subject. Just trying to brake it down in digestible chunks.
@@LunarburnStudio Hmm, I'd say for #2 mesh size for both the slurry mix, and for the initial coats of stucco, may as well learn teh best for both! :)
@@LunarburnStudio I'd most happily spend an entire semester, or two, learning this subject! Thank you so very much for taking the time to do this for us, it's a very rarely covered topic and one that sorely needs covering in depth in an accessible way! :)
I have always been surprised how little info is out there regarding ceramic shell especially since there is so much out there coving every other aspect of metal casting.
Cant wait.
What substitute can be used instead of colloidal silica ? As I can't find this anywhere in Australia. - Can a slurry be made from gypsum?
Unfortunately I have not experimented with any alternatives. Are their any foundries in you part of Australia as they might have some insight on source materials. Sorry I don't have a better answer.
Silica flour is sold at ceramic shops in Australia like Walker Ceramics
What is the best ceramic shell casting or vacuum casting
They are both good ways to cast but depends on what your are trying to cast. Vacuum casting can limit the size of you casting.
Please link to buy this shell
I make my own slurry and source my ingredients from Remet.com. But if you are looking for a ready-made solution you should look for Remet's "Just-Dip" or R&R's "Suspenda-Slurry". they are basically the same.
Sir iam from nepal n interested to get this ceramic slurry.
Are you able to find and purchase the colloidal and fused silica flour?
Man you are so great , please keep it up 😎❤️
I have a question as I am new to investment casting.
I always see on TH-cam that using flask investment casting they always use vacuum while pouring the molten metal.
But in ceramic shells is that also needed and why?
With flask investment casting for small metals, its tough to get the metal moving at that scale, partly because of size and the density of the investment. So it is typically aided by vacuum or centrifugal force. However, with ceramic shell, which is gas permeable and with the flexibility of size you dont need those types of assists.
@@LunarburnStudio thanks for your answer.
I saw in some videos of investment casting they use some materials on top of the shell mouth after pouring the molten metal to creat some sort of smoke and then cover that with a barrel. I though this might be creating vac environment, is that true and how it can be done !?
@@hamamtouqan510 Maybe so with standard investment. For ceramic shell Ill place some refractory (typically some silica wool) on the cup after i pour to keep the metal in the cup molten longer, so when the pattern start to cool and shrink it will pull from the cup.
Eric. I watch all of your videos, they are very informative and I learned a lot from them.
But at this point I have one question to you as more advanced metal caster. I need to make from time to time like 50 pieces of not so much detailed pieces (dimmentions similiar to a coin of diameter of 2-3cm). Would it be better to make a custom graphite mold and cast it like that or make patters and casting tree and use ceramic shell?
The graphite mold is interesting but you are limited to casting one at a time unless you you have more then one mold. and to keep the metal molten for an extended period of time isn't good for the metal or the crucible. Another limitation is see is not being able to fully control the thickness not to mention the quality of the back of the casting. With all that said I would suggest making a rubber mold and do them on a tree with ceramic shell as you suggested. This will produce the best possible castings.
@@LunarburnStudio back side of the cast isnt an issue but the thicknes you mentioned as a matter of fact is. Thanks for the heads up I forgot about that. And as you mentioned the problem would be extended period of time of the crucible and molten metal outside the furnance and not casted. Thats also the issue.
Thank you for the advice and as I thought I think I’ll stick with making the casting tree.