Need spincasting (or other) recommendation

[Oldsman68]

To: Anyone who might be able to assist in providing reproduction parts for antique automobile restorations.

I recently placed a request for information regarding a need for restoration parts to replace the interior handles, etc. on my '27 Oldsmobile. I started with questions about using the lost wax process to reproduce them, but a member of this forum contacted me about having them done using a spincasting process.


We were working on getting some samples done when he developed a health problem and will not be able to do any of the work. So, here I am again, hat in hand, looking for help with this project.

I need a contact who can advise me on the probability of the spincasting process working for what I am trying to reproduce and a contact person who I might get to make some sample parts.

I believe from my previous contact person that spincasting could be a reasonable way to accomplish what I need to have done. Now we just need to prove the concept and process.

I can provide pictures and some "samples" of what I need.

Contact me throught this forum or at Oldsman68@hotmail.com.

Thank you for any help you might be able to provide.

Oldsman68

Gene

[Stepper Monkey]

I probably can't help with the actual casting, as my current equipment is setup for much smaller, higher tolerance parts, but I can give some advice.

The idea of spincasting may work well indeed, at least as far as solid investment system processes go. Vacuum or similar wouldn't cut it with pieces that large and with such a cross-sectional density.
I would however, not go there as a first option. I would look into a zirconium oxide shell casting system as the best suited for this type of work by far. Any art/sculpture foundry will use this method for bronze and stainless casting.
See if there are any foundries in your area, or if all else fails there are a number concentrated in a place called Loveland, Colorado which seems to be sort of the capital for art casting in the U.S.

They don't advertise for smaller jobs, they usually don't want them, but they are very capable of doing small pieces very cheaply - as long as they know you are willing to wait.
Otherwise, the -minimum- pour size they do is something like 600+ pounds usually. Unless you want to pay the charge for a scheduled pour, little things like car parts tend to sit on the shelf until they can add them into another batch of pours. Could be a day, could be a month, but they are worth the wait.

[Oldsman68]

I contacted a company in Dallas that does spincasting. I took the parts to him and he agreed to do the work in the time frame that I needed.
We were in contact over the next few months and he said everything was OK.

Three weeks before the parts were needed he quit communicating with me. When I finally got an answer from someone at his place of business I was told that the parts were taken to a machine shop to have some of them done and that he would try to do what could not be machined.

He also left an email saying that he hoped this did not put me in a bind. Well it did, and the man at the Machine Shop said he could not make the parts and didn't know why they had been brought to him.

I went to pick up the parts at the machine shop and some of the host parts were missing. Now the man who had agreed to make the parts will not answer my calls and I can't get the missing host parts returned.

The name of the man and his company are not important. It just didn't happen!!

So here I am again, Hat in hand, trying to find someone to make some spincasted parts for me. Low volumes with quite a bit of detail involved.

Time is not important now since I missed the July 13 deadline.

I am open to any suggestions as I really do need the parts.

[maquiza]

Maybe you can put the pictures here, so everyone can see them, and maybe someone can help.

[Oldsman68]

I put some pictures of the pparts that i need on the metal castiong thread of this forum. Look under metal castings on page two or three.
I found someone in North Carolina who said that he could do spincasting for me, but now has an opportunity to work in Argentina for the next few months so here I am again looking for another spin caster.
Check out my other thread inputs for some sample pictures.

Thanks,
Gene

[metalworkz]

Hi Gene,
Have you looked into any alternatives to the spincasting method to reproduce these castings? I am assuming you need just the handles etc for one Olds, or are you trying to reproduce quantities of these parts? I only have experience with aluminum and pot metal casting for my machines and hobbies but if the intricate designs on the base of the handles were overlooked or done another way it seems to me these could be done with sand casting in petrobond sand with reasonable results. I also thought perhaps the handles could be fabricated from several pieces and welded together, which might enable CNC machining of the intricate areas.
Regards,
Wes

[Harryman]

I owned a business that did spincasting and lost wax casting for years.

We spuncast plenty of parts for antique cars, tractors and kiddie cars in pewter which were then nickel plated, sometimes chrome too.

The main limitation for spincasting is the size of the mold and since the molds are made of rubber, you get shrinkage and also some distortion. Not good for press fit parts, but fine for decorative. We didn't cast in zinc alloys, but there are plenty who do, it would be better in a high strength application.

Lost wax is an option too, a sculptural foundry would be the cheapest, they'd cast them in bronze, then you could get them plated.

Sand casting is always an option, but it doesn't leave a great finish on the part. It's generally cheap though.