Making a sand mold without a pattern

[ironman]

Here is a video showing how I made the mold when ductile iron was melted.   

[vtsteam]

Now there's a method of casting I hadn't seen before! Excellent, and informative.

Ironman are you still using cement and sand mix for your core sand, or is it something else?

[ironman]

No I found that cement sand cores are hard to dig out in tight pockets so I use more expensive binders (Fiberglass resin) I still think that cement sand is the cheapest core sand around.

[vtsteam]

Oh, fiberglass resin.....is it the common fiberglass polyester laminating resin, and hardener, or is it a special core sand resin made for the purpose?

The cores look very sharp and strong.

[mexican jon]

Thanks for that  very interesting watch 

[mattinker]

Thank you for a very interesting informative demonstration!

Regards, Matthew

[ironman]

The shop where got it from sells all kinds of resins for molding and fiber glassing, not foundry molds. When I told him I was going to use it for foundry cores he said I was crazy, he does not know me very well.

[tom osselton]

Very nice thanks for showing! I always look forward to your video's!

[vtsteam]

The shop where got it from sells all kinds of resins for molding and fiber glassing, not foundry molds. When I told him I was going to use it for foundry cores he said I was crazy, he does not know me very well.

 

It's a poor synonym for innovative indeed!

[joshagrady]

Nice looking casting.

I assume that the advantage to using cores rather than a pattern is to avoid draft angles?  Or is it just faster?

Thanks for posting.

[vtsteam]

In this case it's the multi piece core-box that avoids the need for draft. Casting in a core doesn't necessarily avoid draft. This whole molding session taken together for the particular purpose is very cool. 

[mattinker]

Nice looking casting.

I assume that the advantage to using cores rather than a pattern is to avoid draft angles?  Or is it just faster?

Thanks for posting.

Not only does it avoid draft, but the core boxes are much easier to make than a patern!

Regards, Matthew.