Metal Melter

[Kram]

Looks bloody good from here, considering it came from my sketch a few posts up! Done a great job getting the idea into fusion and printed!

 

[Onoff]

Looks bloody good from here, considering it came from my sketch a few posts up! Done a great job getting the idea into fusion and printed!

Running my fingers over the ribs etc and you might decide to give it a light sand. Saying that they might serve to hold more mould release agent on the surface and aid removal.

Maybe use just cheap silicone spray?

 

[Kram]

Im not sure about sillicone spray, bad thing to have around if I paint any stuff in the warmer months. Never used it... The original idea was a thin coat of wax, but the melting temp 65-75c will be too high. An alternative may be butter. Thin coat on the form and in the freezer. I'll be doing the clay outside and its still quite cold out. When the form is done, gently warm to 35c and it should twist out freely.

Would butter/fats/oils attack PLA? I know some plastics dont like oils.

 

[Onoff]

I'd be more worried about the butter going rancid and stinking!

How about Frylight spray? Based on sunflower oil I've seen mentioned. Might be easier to apply.

Then I'd just wash the pla parts in Fairy and rinse.

 

[Kram]

Plan to wash it off before it goes rancid

 

[Onoff]

An alternative may be butter.

Some popcorn has to be on the cards to try surely?

 

[Onoff]

Hmmm...my last 3 photos above are particularly poor quality...

 

[daedalusminos]

How are you going to remove the form, looks like it has undercuts - burning out might be an option I guess?

 

[Onoff]

How are you going to remove the form, looks like it has undercuts - burning out might be an option I guess?

Tentative plan to "grease up" the PLA former and wind it out of the clay. Burning a last resort as it'd be nice to re-use it. @Kram has proposed using butter.

I can't believe it's not been done before...

 

[daedalusminos]

Tentative plan to "grease up" the PLA former and wind it out of the clay.

Blimey, good luck with that!

 

[Onoff]

Blimey, good luck with that!

Won't be me doing it!

I wonder seriously if it's worth setting the pla former up on a pillar drill style arrangement. Pack the clay around it then slowly wind it out? Assuming the drill has reverse of course.

If it has to be burnt out it's only another 24 hours of printing!

 

[Onoff]

@Kram voiced investigating pottery techniques whereby the clay cylinder would be formed then a sharp/nibbed/wire tool is drawn around the inside to "carve" the recess for the element. I wondered at some sort of CNC controlled withdrawal to form the spiral. It would do away with the need for a former...

 

[Kram]

Good idea, this'll do.

BY SILK on Instagram: "this was fun to make . . . . #pottery #ceramics #handmade #clay #art #ceramic #ceramicart #ceramica #stoneware #homedecor #design #keramik #instapottery #potterylove #pottersofinstagram #wheelthrown #tableware #handmadepo

2,175 likes, 17 comments - __bysilk on January 13, 2022: "this was fun to make . . . . #pottery #ceramics #handmade #clay #art #ceramic #ceramicart #ceramica #stoneware #homedecor #design #keramik #instapottery #potterylove #pottersofinstagram #wheelthrown #tableware #handmadepottery...

www.instagram.com

 

[Onoff]

Good idea, this'll do.

BY SILK on Instagram: "this was fun to make . . . . #pottery #ceramics #handmade #clay #art #ceramic #ceramicart #ceramica #stoneware #homedecor #design #keramik #instapottery #potterylove #pottersofinstagram #wheelthrown #tableware #handmadepo

2,175 likes, 17 comments - __bysilk on January 13, 2022: "this was fun to make . . . . #pottery #ceramics #handmade #clay #art #ceramic #ceramicart #ceramica #stoneware #homedecor #design #keramik #instapottery #potterylove #pottersofinstagram #wheelthrown #tableware #handmadepottery...

www.instagram.com

Ooh...time goes by so slowly watching that...

 

[Onoff]

Roll on 1am tomorrow morning:

 

[m_c]

If you could manage without the element groove being lipped, with a bit of thought, you could make the internal former in sections that could be withdrawn internally.

 

[RichardM]

Just a silly idea as you've gone to all the trouble, but what about making a former to hold a piece of spiral nylon hose in place?
When the clay (?) has set unscrew the former and then take to hose out.

 

[Onoff]

If you could manage without the element groove being lipped, with a bit of thought, you could make the internal former in sections that could be withdrawn internally.

Just a silly idea as you've gone to all the trouble, but what about making a former to hold a piece of spiral nylon hose in place?
When the clay (?) has set unscrew the former and then take to hose out.

All possible.

@Kram reckons the lip necessary as when the element heats up it expands and wants to "spring" out.

 

[Kram]

Thats how the first was made. It is a pain having the element loose and it really needs to be retained. A bigger pain trying to retain it afterwards( drilling, by hand as theres no space, the poking in loose hooks of wire that then keep falling out).

It might have worked with just a deeper groove of atleast double the element diameter but everyone with a successfull build seems to have gone with a stepped groove so, Ive learnt the lesson, its done that for a reason

Tonight was a failure. The lid I had filled with insulation, is now half unfilled. It seems cooking it for 3-4 hours on a medium heat is just not enough, the steam created will condense on the cold half of the perlite before it gets a chance to escape, staying wet.

However with that done, I placed the old lids on and ramped up the power. At about 650c I filled cruicible with half of my brass swarf, which was fun. Must have some oil left as there were big flames. It was about 3/4 full. That got up to a nice orange colour and I got the camera out, started video.
Lifted the lid. Electrics went, RCD tripped!!! Bgger it. Tipped the bright orange, not yet molden swarf out and started to pack up
Cant have been far off melting but quite a way before pourable.
Roughtly 3kw/h wasted. I did get some stuff done on lathe so not too bad.

 

[Kram]