Yipes, I got a call for 500 copies of a hand carved shamrock. Before I tell them it's impossible, maybe somebody could turn me on to a wholesaler who can make a molding from my original. There used to be a company years ago called "Copy Cast", that maybe is out of business? I need somebody who can pop out a large batch. Material is optional, I'm thinking resin of some sort, or plastic. Metal might be too expensive. Size approx 3" square. Anybody know a source? Thanks.
Posted by Mark Yearwood (Member # 2723) on :
Check with Robert Beverly at DreamweaverGraphicsHouse.com....he posts here often and does casting. In fact, he plans to show people how at his event this year in Arlington,TX. Give him a call..he'll help you out.
Posted by Lee McKee (Member # 3533) on :
Hey Joe, I might be able to help you out. If you give me a little more info on the shape (Depth and size) If you can take a pic of your pattern and e-mail it to me that would be great. I can cast in Hydrocal, Poly-resins, Aluminum, And Bronze. Bronze being the most costly. For an Aluminum casting of 3 inches in your quantity your talking around 2.50. Hydrocal would be your cheapest bet However, It wont last 100 years like metal will. Resin is a good mid-range at about 1.50 each. I'm a sculptor who makes signs to pay the bills. I'm sure that you can somewhat relate. Let me know if I can help!
Posted by Robert Beverly (Member # 1907) on :
Joe
I would be happy to help ya...specially since I ripped off that cool guitar lick from the signpainters cd...
I think you might enjoy makin your own cast parts too!...I can make your molds for ya or tell ya how to do it yourself...as a matter of fact, my panel is along this line and I will be doing a step by step on it after I get the sucker in the mail.........
and yes Joe....come visit us at our up and comin jam in June and we will learn ya real good!....... Posted by Robert Beverly (Member # 1907) on :
and a question for Lee!
are your metal parts sandcasted or do you use lost wax or what?...
One of the absolute coolest things is injected aluminum!...boy...that one can be profitable after ya choke on them die costs!
Posted by Amy Brown (Member # 1963) on :
I think they make molds and reproduce with HDU somehow.
Or use your fellow letterhead, Mr. Beverly!!
Posted by Lee McKee (Member # 3533) on :
Hey Robert, Yes I would be casting those in sand. It depends on the pattern as to exactly what method I would use. If it is too detailed I would have to use a wax copy for each and melt them out. However, if I could get some draft going maybe I could make a two or three piece bonded sand mould and only have to use one pattern. If I really got lucky and the piece has a good parting line and plenty of draft I could use Green Sand that never fully hardens. That way you could make about ten or twenty at a time and reuse the mould making material over and over. This is of course for Metal. If you were to do them in hydrocal or resin the process would be much easier. I normally use silicon caulk that you can buy at most hardware stores for my rubber moulds. At 500 castings though you might want to make three or four to speed things up some. I wish there was more call for casted metals in this day and age. Now if you need something like that you have to get it from over seas. I have a friend who make cast silver jewelry boxes. He gets them made in Indochina and all they charge him is the weight of the silver. I would like to see an American Company compete with that. And yes I agree! The injection process is very cool. Hot metal and pistons rule!
Posted by Joe Rees (Member # 211) on :
Hey, good responses, thanks all. I am getting into casting a little recently, in fact that's what prompted the lead. But 500 pieces seems like a job for an automated production facility. I'm just not set up for it, nor do I have the patience to nut out that many. Anyway, here's a graphic of what I have in mind, except mine would have more of a hand carved effect on the surface, with visible chisel marks. This should show up about actual size (2.4"). The total thickness is about 3/8" max at the thickest point, much thinner at the edges. Lee or Robert, if you're serious about quoting the job, I am interested. I should ballpark it by tomorrow. What the client has seen so far is gilded (which I could do as an option). If final finish is gold leaf, the casting material is less relevant, so I would entertain bids in resin. But Bronze would be a really cool alternative I think, expecially if it could be buffed up to a shine and maybe cleared. If you want to contact me privately, it's joe@capecraft.com. Cool.
Posted by Joe Rees (Member # 211) on :
So Robert, you ripped off my guitar lick? I think you're going to have to get permission from the guy I ripped it off from before you can use that in public. hehe
Posted by Lee McKee (Member # 3533) on :
Joe, Will this piece need to be super strong? What will the customer be using it for? I'm thinking that you may want to use a process called cold casting. In cold casting We would use a clear resin loaded with bronze powder. It's real bronze and can even hold a patina like bronze. However in the end it is just resin. The bronze would be the cadillac version. It would last forever and look/feel great. The correct weight just is'nt there when you use resin. Resin does However have its place. After seeing your pattern I think that we could easily make a two part mould and get a great result from it. The one thing that bothers me though is the very narrow stem to the clover. It may cause some difficulty casting. In a perfect world you would not want to go any thinner that .25 inch. Although, If the bottom is flat then we can work with a little relief heigth. I would love to do them for you. Let me know which way you would want to go: Bronze or Resin and I would be happy to quote them for you. Maybe then I could afford to become a letterville resident! Ha! Ha! Ha!
Posted by Joe Rees (Member # 211) on :
Lee, I'm emailing you to your address in your profile. If you don't get it, please contact joe@capecraft.com
Posted by Robert Beverly (Member # 1907) on :
Joe
as Lee mentioned, I think ya need to run the "twig" so that it runs along the side of the leaf.
but...are we to assume it is going to be flat on the back side?....and the material used will be determined upon it's application and your finished product....ie...will they be painted...patinaed...natural...etc!
OH...and I sent you a business card size cd after ASKING YOUR PERMISSION...to use your guitar licks......you never got it?....ha...you can go to my website...click on the special preveiw for company intro and there you will find it!... Posted by Lee McKee (Member # 3533) on :
So Robert, How far away is Arlington Texas? Can just any yokel sign-artist show up? The guy I apprenticed under goes to meets all the time Although I've never been to one myself. Have brush (brushes) will travel Posted by Steve Purcell (Member # 1140) on :
Hey Joe, I talked to Dick the other nite. Why don't you or he give me a call at the shop tomorrow. Steve
Posted by Joe Rees (Member # 211) on :
quote:Originally posted by Robert Beverly: are we to assume it is going to be flat on the back side?....and the material used will be determined upon it's application and your finished product....ie...will they be painted...patinaed...natural...etc!
Robert, the shamrocks are indeed flat on the backs. Finish will most likely be the 'cold' cast' bronze or optionally, gold leaf. Lee is getting me some prices, thanks.
quote:OH...and I sent you a business card size cd after ASKING YOUR PERMISSION...to use your guitar licks......you never got it?....ha...you can go to my website...click on the special preveiw for company intro and there you will find it!...
DUDE - I love that intro! I remember you asking me, but I had never seen it. And no, I never got the CD with it, so this was a big surprise to me which gave me a big smile. So glad it's working for you. Thanks for the plug at the end, and as far as I know that actually is all original. I didn't steal it from nobody.
Posted by Robert Beverly (Member # 1907) on :
Joe
Glad ya liked the cd intro...it worked perfectly into my intro!...thanks again!
Also...it sounds like Lee knows his castin schtuff...so good luck...
Lee.....do you have a tumbler for those cold cast pieces?....that makes it a lot easier!
and yes...Lee...your invited..we will have our event the first weekend in June!
and as a footnote to all those others that might be lurkin on this post!.....casting little dood dads and applying them to your work is where the money is!.....guaranteed...it gives ya a big jump over the competition!...I call it the deal maker!...and then to go and make 500 of them puppies...it is a lot easier than you think!
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