Custom Graphite Moulds

S

silverzman

Active Member
Silver Stacker
After watching the YPS video about them making the 2oz skulls it got me thinking where can i get a custom made mould?

Also does anyone know how i could get started in terms of making my own hand pours?
 
And as expensive as.
You are better off making your own sand moulds .
Back in the day when i was a foundry boy we used to use what we called "greensand" to make any and every design you could think of.
It was cheap and does not take long to master.
I was considered a master moulder so it must be easy as:)
 
Make friends with someone who has or uses a CNC machine? That or the sand moulds seem the best option as far as custom pours go.
Unless you're going to be seriously getting into bullion manufacture as more than a hobby/interest and can justify the outlay against your expected returns.
 
sterling-nz said:
And as expensive as.
You are better off making your own sand moulds .
Back in the day when i was a foundry boy we used to use what we called "greensand" to make any and every design you could think of.
It was cheap and does not take long to master.
I was considered a master moulder so it must be easy as:)
Click to expand...


I did my trade as a moulder but it must have been before the PC days as we called it black sand.
 
Thank you everyone for your input.

Antalon said:
If you're just after pouring bars, wood is the best I have found. I buy floorboard sheet of wood from bunnings and just measure, cut, glue all 4 parts into a square and pour into that.

Custom molds will cost you under 100 AUD if you grab em from this bloke.. http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Custom-A...aphite-Mold-/151570207059?hash=item234a49d153

Custom stamps from this guy will last you a lifetime.. http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/140919506620
Click to expand...

How many pours can you do before the wood is gone?

I was thinking either getting a custom stamp or a custom mould that has what the stamp would have but it looks like the stamp will produce finer details. Only issue is that it needs a press too? What kind of press?
 
If you shop around you can either get a 6ton hydrolic press from super cheap auto or a 3 ton arbor press online. I would go the 6 ton though
 
Just called a refiner and it is $759 for 1kg of granules.

What would be the difference using 999 1oz coins melting that vs using the granules?
 
silverzman said:
Thank you everyone for your input.

Antalon said:
If you're just after pouring bars, wood is the best I have found. I buy floorboard sheet of wood from bunnings and just measure, cut, glue all 4 parts into a square and pour into that.

Custom molds will cost you under 100 AUD if you grab em from this bloke.. http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Custom-A...aphite-Mold-/151570207059?hash=item234a49d153

Custom stamps from this guy will last you a lifetime.. http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/140919506620
Click to expand...

How many pours can you do before the wood is gone?

I was thinking either getting a custom stamp or a custom mould that has what the stamp would have but it looks like the stamp will produce finer details. Only issue is that it needs a press too? What kind of press?
Click to expand...

Just 1 pour with each wood box you make.. Mine are just for nephews and friends so I don't really pour in bulk and wood is cheaper than molds

If you're after a nice press get yourself one of these: http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Fly-Pres...-with-Stand-/141733397167?hash=item20fff802af

or make one of these :) [imgz=http://forums.silverstackers.com/uploads/16355_dsc00764sized.jpg]
16355_dsc00764sized.jpg
[/imgz]
 
silverzman said:
Just called a refiner and it is $759 for 1kg of granules.

What would be the difference using 999 1oz coins melting that vs using the granules?
Click to expand...

You will lose the weight on the 1oz coin when you remelt it..
 
silverzman said:
Just called a refiner and it is $759 for 1kg of granules.

What would be the difference using 999 1oz coins melting that vs using the granules?
Click to expand...

Do you have to pay GST on granules?

Goods and Services Tax: What is 'precious metal' for the purposes of GST?

Bears an accepted mark or characteristic

24. For example, granules do not bear any mark as to their fineness and quality and are therefore not in an investment form.
Click to expand...

So less premium presumably but 10% GST.
 
Back to my sand idea with a bit of an idea (stolen idea not mine).
I see on mighty youtube a guy (name to come) and he make moulds using polystyrene.
So lets say you have a negative of an image you want to produce , lets say skull.
All you need to do is get some of that expanding foam from a local hardware store and make a polystyrene skull.
When you have the skull made from polystyrene then you simply half fill a bucket with sand and place your foam on this .
Place a tube of suitable diameter on the skull and continue to fill the bucket with sand and pack it all down and make it damp.
After that remove your tube as this is where you will pour the silver and then simply pour the molten metal in your hole and the poly will just evaporate leaving your skull made of silver.
While i have not done this myself the results i saw were PERFECT and you can keep making foam moulds ALL DAY LONG as long as you have the negative.
 
sterling-nz said:
Back to my sand idea with a bit of an idea (stolen idea not mine).
I see on mighty youtube a guy (name to come) and he make moulds using polystyrene.
So lets say you have a negative of an image you want to produce , lets say skull.
All you need to do is get some of that expanding foam from a local hardware store and make a polystyrene skull.
When you have the skull made from polystyrene then you simply half fill a bucket with sand and place your foam on this .
Place a tube of suitable diameter on the skull and continue to fill the bucket with sand and pack it all down and make it damp.
After that remove your tube as this is where you will pour the silver and then simply pour the molten metal in your hole and the poly will just evaporate leaving your skull made of silver.
While i have not done this myself the results i saw were PERFECT and you can keep making foam moulds ALL DAY LONG as long as you have the negative.
Click to expand...


Have seen the lost foam technique to pretty cool I'm just worried that she you do it with silver you might get impurities from the evaporated ploy gas
But haven't tried it yet.
 
sterling-nz said:
Back to my sand idea with a bit of an idea (stolen idea not mine).
I see on mighty youtube a guy (name to come) and he make moulds using polystyrene.
So lets say you have a negative of an image you want to produce , lets say skull.
All you need to do is get some of that expanding foam from a local hardware store and make a polystyrene skull.
When you have the skull made from polystyrene then you simply half fill a bucket with sand and place your foam on this .
Place a tube of suitable diameter on the skull and continue to fill the bucket with sand and pack it all down and make it damp.
After that remove your tube as this is where you will pour the silver and then simply pour the molten metal in your hole and the poly will just evaporate leaving your skull made of silver.
While i have not done this myself the results i saw were PERFECT and you can keep making foam moulds ALL DAY LONG as long as you have the negative.
Click to expand...

You can do the same with wax. It is called the 'lost wax' method of sand casting. I have done some of that using antimony melted in an aluminium pot. There can be a danger of bubbles forming and ruining a complex design (Skulls are not too complex). To avoid bubbles you can make little channels or tubes with the way to give the gas somewhere to go. Later you remove the tubes as 'casting flash' with a sharp tool.

Final results are very good though. Not near the level of detail you get from minting but certainly good enough to make heads for walking sticks etc. Think of brass items as a lot of brass is sand cast.

Cheers.
 
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