Jewelry Tools Tips^2.0

When mixing and using investment of any kind. Careful weighing of the investment and measuring of the water are necessary to achieve repeatable defect free castings. Take extra care to make sure you know the temperature of the water you are using. Make sure the tools you use to mix and hold your investment are spotlessly clean and free of any possible contaminates. Protect yourself from investment dust by wearing a good quality respirator whenever handling investment. Keep investment stored in a cool dry place and make certain that you always keep the investment well protected from air. Keep track of work times and flask set times whenever you mix your investment

Vacuum casting is an alternative method of casting that has certain advantages over the centrifugal method. Perhaps the biggest advantage is cost. Since you will need a vacuum investing machine to remove air bubbles from investment anyway, why not cast with the vacuum machine too, and save the expense of buying a separate centrifugal casting machine? Vacuum casting or rather vacuum assisted casting is the favored method of large industrial casters and is the most common method used on large production induction casting machines. Vacuum assisted casting can produce dense, defect-free castings quickly, safely, and dependably in a compact space with some fairly basic technology. Vacuum casting works well with small casting runs too, as a single ring in a 2" x 3" flask can sit on top of a chamber caster and benefit greatly from the powerful vacuum assist. If you use a Kerr Electro-Melt, vacuum casting becomes even easier, almost as simple as pouring milk on your cereal.

With specially formulated vacuum pump oil to maintain peak performance and to minimize damage from water contamination. Vacuum pump oil is special hydroscopic oil that absorbs the water from the air as the air is being drawn thru the pump. When it becomes saturated it can no longer do its job and water builds up in the pump causing unnecessary corrosion. Make it someone's job to regularly change your vacuum pump oil, especially in a production shop. Oil that becomes milky white is a sure sign that it's time for an oil change!

 

You should first coat the inner surfaces of the ingot with soot or carbon. One way to do that is to pass a candle flame under the surfaces you wish to coat. Machine oil or fat can also be used. The surface coating acts like a parting agent and also helps form a smooth surface. The mold must then be heated with a torch or in an oven before melting the metal and pouring.