Whatsit?

[DJH]

They are mostly bronze or gunmetal..

Doug

 

[LadyArowana]

Are they for carving cheese?

 

[DJH]

Not this time. Be patient, there could be cheesy things soon. Who knows? :lol:

 

[agbagb]

Moulding something malleable, possibly whilst its turning. Clay for chimney pots? Wax for casting?

 

[DJH]

Not quite there yet but very close... moulds come into the equation though

Doug

 

[agbagb]

For tidying up sand casting moulds?

If not have you got an old "straw clutcher", I could do with one.

 

[DJH]

Yes, that's right. They are sand moulders tools used for repairing or polishing sand moulds. They are mostly made in the foundry to patterns made by the moulders to suit the particular profiles needed. The ones with a right angle on them are lifters and are used when sand falls into the mould and the pattern is too delicate to either turn over or blow out using bellows. I understand they are collectible nowadays

Well done Agbagh. No prizes I'm afraid.....

 

[JoceAndChris]

But why is it necessary to mould sand? Do you mean they were used to make the buckets that were bought by beach goers to make sandcastles? :?

 

[DJH]

Sorry. I didn't explain that very well did I? Sand moulds are made in the foundry process when a pattern (usually wood) is placed in a box and greensand ( although invariably it's coloured red!) is rammed over it. Another box is then placed on the inverted first box and more sand is rammed into that one. The boxes are taken apart, the pattern removed and it's at this stage that any repairs needed in the impression are carried out using some of the tools in the picture. Simples?

There is a bit more to it than that but I have to cast some small finials for a friend so perhaps I'll take some piccies?

Doug

 

[DJH]

Anyone know what these are............? Can you name each item?







Doug

 

[LadyArowana]

Think I can spot some cutters for shearing sheep, and some sickles ( shouldn't they be displayed with a variety of hammers? ), not sure about any of the other things though. Rope making maybe?

 

[Flyfisher]

Crucible tongs (next to the black sheep shears in the middle photo) for carrying a small crucible of molten metal?

The pincers and sidecutters next to that could be for all sorts of things, but I'm thinking of blacksmithing toold for shoeing horses?

I agree with Milady about the brace-type-thing-with-a-hook being a rope-making tool.

The top tool in the photo with all the sickles is familiar because I have one somewhere and used to use it for splitting wood into kindling, though I'm not really sure of it's original use.

 

[JoceAndChris]

So the lovely bees you make Doug, or initials, are done with sand moulds? How interesting! I always imagined metal was shaped when it was hot, I didn't really think of it being poured into a mould. How about a fancy light fitting, one with acanthus leaves or reeded poles, would that be made by means of moulds?


This explains why the previous owner here, who was a metal worker, did nothing fancy.


In the tools above, in the middle picture, I see something that looks exactly like my topiary shears! The others are all mystifying.

 

[DJH]

Here's some more tools which would be used at the same time.....





I reckon I've given the game away with that last picture. No one thought of cheese yet then. :lol:

 

[LadyArowana]

How interesting about the sand moulding. I had assumed ( completely incorrectly ) that your things were made using some sort of lost wax process. We played a bit with casting when I went to jewellery classes, much much samller scale than your things, the flasks we used were about the same size as a standard can of beans. The technicians weren't great and we had to do a lot of cleanup work, but some friends of mine now send their wax models to Taiwan and the results are really excellent.

Anyway.... to return to our regularly scheduled programming, are those last tools something to do with cheese making? :lol:

 

[DJH]

I've used the 'lost wax' method but it's more suited to intricate castings and with high temperature melt metals such as bronze and gunmetal. Sand is just as good for these metals but there are limits with moulding intricate patterns with extensive undercuts which would involve piece moulding. This is when small pieces of sand mixed with some clay or other bonding agent are used to cope with the undercuts. A long and laborious process but still doable.

There are low temperature RTV (room temperature vulcanizing) silicone rubbers on the market which I've experimented with, that can be used. They are very expensive and come in two types (which don't like each other) but in the end I identified one which was perfect for both lead and pewter and cold cast resin but not concrete.

Here's one I did earlier, one of a pair which caused quite a stir on the ferry coming over.....







I destroyed the moulds once the client was happy

 

[LadyArowana]

A most handsome lion, weren't you tempted to make a pair for yourself?

 

[JoceAndChris]

Oh, those lions. I love them!

 

[plasticpigeon]

Wow, real craftsmanship!

 

[Moo]

Who sculpted the originals?
If it was you, I hereby nominate you as a PPUK Treasure of the first degree.