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#1
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Cuttlebone Casting
Okay, so first I went to my local Pet Smart, where I found a six-inch
cuttlebone in the bird aisle. I paid two dollars for it. After that, I went to Michael's, where I bought a razor blade knife, and some double-sided tape. Finally, I went to the Home Depot, where I got a stone tile, and some sandpaper. The stone is twelve-inches by twelve- inches by just shy of one-half of an inch, and It is made out of natural marble. I paid five dollars for it. I used the double-sided tape to fasten the sandpaper to the stone, and then I rubbed the cuttlebone on the sandpaper. After this, I used the knife to carve the image of an arrowhead into the bone. Well, that's about it so far. I still haven't made the pour yet, but I thought I would go ahead and post this anyway. Has anyone here ever done any cuttlebone casting before? Mike Mandaville Austin, Texas |
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#2
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Cuttlebone Casting
On Thu, 16 Apr 2009 01:06:45 -0700, in rec.crafts.jewelry Muso
wrote: Okay, so first I went to my local Pet Smart, where I found a six-inch cuttlebone in the bird aisle. I paid two dollars for it. After that, I went to Michael's, where I bought a razor blade knife, and some double-sided tape. Finally, I went to the Home Depot, where I got a stone tile, and some sandpaper. The stone is twelve-inches by twelve- inches by just shy of one-half of an inch, and It is made out of natural marble. I paid five dollars for it. I used the double-sided tape to fasten the sandpaper to the stone, and then I rubbed the cuttlebone on the sandpaper. After this, I used the knife to carve the image of an arrowhead into the bone. Well, that's about it so far. I still haven't made the pour yet, but I thought I would go ahead and post this anyway. Has anyone here ever done any cuttlebone casting before? Mike Mandaville Austin, Texas Sure. But a little differently than you're describing. I normally used either a flat charcoal block to face the second side of the mold, or another smoothed cuttlebone. These materials don't chill molten metal so much, so the mold has a better chance of filling evenly. Whether that's an issue depends in part on what metal you're casting. My experience is with sterling silver into cuttlebone molds. Lower melting metals might not be as picky, and might work better. Don't know, as I've not done it. Also, I didn't carve the desired image into the cuttlebone. Instead, I carved it as a postive, in a piece of wood or wax or whatever. Then placed it between the two cuttlebones and pushed them together. The stuff is soft, and the model presses into it, leaving a reasonably accurate impression. I always felt this also gave a smoother mold surface, since it crushes the cuttlebone, compressing the mold surface. a sprue and vents still need to be cut with a knife. If using only one cuttle and the charcoal, you just press your model into the one side of the cuttlebone, and the other side, next to the carcoal block, (a standard jewelers soldering block), casts flat. Either way, the two sides of the mold are bound together with iron binding wire. The mold is generally good for only one pour, at least with silver, since the cuttle burns quite a bit, and the mold surface is seriously degraded. In the process, as well, the casting takes on a quite distinctive texture from the cuttlefish, which resembles a sort of coarse wood grain pattern as the cuttlefish burns unevenly according to the "grain" in it's structure. That texture is one of the hallmarks of the method, and many people who use it do so just because they like that added texture the method imparts. If a smoother cast surface is desired, sand casting or lost wax casting is far superior. I don't know to what extent a low melting metal like the zinc you were discussing earlier, would behave the same. I'd expect much the same, but a less pronounced texture, and possibly being able to get more than just one pour from a mold, though I don't know that, just a guess. Hope that helps. Peter |
#3
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Cuttlebone Casting
Muso wrote:
Okay, so first I went to my local Pet Smart, where I found a six-inch cuttlebone in the bird aisle. I paid two dollars for it. After that, I went to Michael's, where I bought a razor blade knife, and some double-sided tape. Finally, I went to the Home Depot, where I got a stone tile, and some sandpaper. The stone is twelve-inches by twelve- inches by just shy of one-half of an inch, and It is made out of natural marble. I paid five dollars for it. I used the double-sided tape to fasten the sandpaper to the stone, and then I rubbed the cuttlebone on the sandpaper. After this, I used the knife to carve the image of an arrowhead into the bone. Well, that's about it so far. I still haven't made the pour yet, but I thought I would go ahead and post this anyway. Has anyone here ever done any cuttlebone casting before? Mike Mandaville Austin, Texas If I read you right, your going to use this piece of cuttle bone as an open mould. good way to start. you didnt say what metal you plan to melt. i suggest you again start at the bottom of the casting trade and use some lead. Then I suggest you repeat the design using 2 pieces of cuttle bone , ie making a closed mould with a pouring gate and air vents for the blind mould areas. you could make the mould withthe arrowpointing downwards or the other way up. what ever takes your fancy. Each step you take will be a learning step for you. have a go and come back with your results. weel will look at anything you make wether good or bad. good luck in your first steps. Ted |
#4
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Cuttlebone Casting
Muso wrote:
Okay, so first I went to my local Pet Smart, where I found a six-inch cuttlebone in the bird aisle. I paid two dollars for it. After that, I went to Michael's, where I bought a razor blade knife, and some double-sided tape. Finally, I went to the Home Depot, where I got a stone tile, and some sandpaper. The stone is twelve-inches by twelve- inches by just shy of one-half of an inch, and It is made out of natural marble. I paid five dollars for it. I used the double-sided tape to fasten the sandpaper to the stone, and then I rubbed the cuttlebone on the sandpaper. After this, I used the knife to carve the image of an arrowhead into the bone. Well, that's about it so far. I still haven't made the pour yet, but I thought I would go ahead and post this anyway. Has anyone here ever done any cuttlebone casting before? Mike Mandaville Austin, Texas My wife and several other folks we know have done it. (I assisted) They did direct carving on one side. I think the pieces came out well. 'Tufa' (?) stone casting might be intermediate between cuttlefish bone and sand/investment casting. i think those molds can be used a few times. There may be some videos on-line of the process too. Have you melted sterling before? I suppose you have a crucible and flux etc.? You might prep a coffee can or plant pot with some vermiculite or sand to help hold the mold securely upright too. Any way, being a natural substance, expect some stink from the mold. Might be advisable to avoid inhaling either the dust when sanding the pieces flat as well as the smoke when pouring. Carl |
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