| ng molds are an essential part of the metal casting | | | | sure everything is packed in nice and tight. |
| process as it will be used to shape the final result. | | | | When the molding material is dry, you will remove |
| Nearly all metal casting methods will use some type | | | | the flask and carefully split the mold to retrieve the |
| of mold. The standard mold will consist of a cope and | | | | original, in this case the tiny elephant. Now, if you |
| drag that when together is called a flask. The mold | | | | want to make sure that there are some empty |
| itself can be constructed of several materials | | | | spaces in the cast to be finished then you will place |
| depending upon the casting method. | | | | cores into the mold. The cores are made of sand or |
| Most molds will be made from latex, fiberglass, sand, | | | | wax. |
| and even metal. Sand molds are the most popular | | | | The type of mold used depends heavily on the type |
| since Sand Casting is commonly used in small home | | | | of casting, alloy, and complexity of the pattern to be |
| foundries. In Permanent Mold Casting, the mold is | | | | cast. Metal molds have little use in small foundries |
| created from metal. Most molds can be used over | | | | unless you plan on casting a lot of tiny metal |
| and over again, but not all of them. Certainly the | | | | elephants. |
| metal molds can be used multiple times without | | | | In some cases, pre-made molds can be found in |
| loosing any quality from the finished product. | | | | hobby shops or through company casting companies. |
| However, molds created using sand or other | | | | Usually, pre-made molds are used in miniature |
| materials will not have a very long shelf life. This is | | | | castings. Many individual metal casters prefer to make |
| not generally seen as a huge problem just a minor | | | | their own molds since it is inexpensive and allows |
| annoyance since mold making is relatively cheap and | | | | them greater control over the finished casting. |
| easy. | | | | Metal casting involves several sets of skills and mold |
| No matter what material the mold is made from, the | | | | making is one of these skills. Mold making is an |
| basic construction is pretty much the same. The | | | | invaluable skill for metal casters as it is so very |
| molding box is called the flask which has a cope, the | | | | important to the casting process. Not only are molds |
| top, and drag, the bottom. You will then fill the flask | | | | used in metal casting but in other casting types as |
| with the molding material and then place the original | | | | well. Resin casting and other plastic casting requires a |
| into the mold. So, if you want to cast a tiny metal | | | | mold as well. The flask can be made of wood, metal, |
| elephant, you will place an original of the elephant | | | | and in some cases those toy building blocks, we all |
| usually made from clay, wax, wood, or even metal | | | | know the type. As long as the flask can hold the |
| into the drag of the flask. If this is done in sand you | | | | mold material until it dries it can be used. |
| will ram the flask until the sand is packed tightly | | | | Every metal caster should learn how to make a mold |
| around the original. The top of the flask, the cope is | | | | instead of relying on others. It's not only about |
| then placed on and more molding material poured in. | | | | independence but about saving money as well. Making |
| The entire flask is then rammed or vibrated making | | | | your own mold is just cheaper. |