[again] Casting an acorn

I posted this message a week ago but don’t remember seeing it
posted or getting any replies.

I have a customer who has a small acorn that he would like cast
in sterling silver. I carve waxes but don’t do any of my own
casting. Is there any member who has experience with lost acorn
casting and is interested in casting this piece. Thanks.

Steven Brixner - Jewelry Designer - San Diego CA USA
mailto:@Steven_Brixner3
http://home.att.net/~brixner

Steven, You can cast acorns just fine. During burnout you need
to make sure the acorn dries out completely before you get above
212=B0F. Burnout needs to be complete though, making sure you
shake out any excess carbon from the mold before casting.

Lester…

Hi Steven,

That acorn will weigh a ton (so to speak). I would take a
duplicating compound ( we use lab putty ) and duplicate each
half of the acorn. I would then pull a wax pattern from each
half. Then I would cast them separately and then solder the 2
halves together. I have done this with a small chambered
nautilus shell.

Regards,
Skip

does this acorn have to be a specific one? you may be able to
find one already cast in silver from fire mtn. gems or rio grande
may have one cast in gold or silver.

Donna,

Steven, you can invest and cast anything that will burn out.
Somethings will smell a lot when they burn, so keep an eye on
ventilation. Just sprue it and go. Remember, though, that it
will be solid, unless you split it and hollow it and cast in two
pieces. Curtis

Steve, I use Timberline when I don’t feel like doing my own
casting. They, Danny and Rufus are in Oceanside and are good and
reasonable too.

Timberline Wax Patterns
Pacific Jewelry Designs
619 ? probably 760 438-5370
Fax                      760 438-1828

Bill in Vista

Steve, Bill in Vista, billeisenberg@juno.com casts pods, ginko
leaves, and similar. He is not too far from you and his works can
be seen at the Mingei.

Another possibility is Burl LaRue, he gave a casting class
recently at CFMS Camp Paradise. I saw Pine Cones (tiny ones) cast
and incorporated into jewelry. I don’t presently have their
e-mail address, but there is one, his wife Pat is a past
president of CFMS. They live a bit inland.

I can research it for you, if you need more.

Teresa

Hi Steven, More on acorns. I have a huge live oak tree that
towers over my deck in the back, and there are hollow acorns and
acorn tops all over the place. I used a nut that my local
squirrels had hollowed out already, and cast it, and an acorn top
separately. I then soldered both together after casting and clean
up. Remember to drill a small hole somewhere before soldering to
allow the heated expanding air to escape, or you’ll have the
first silver acorn in outer space. Best of luck,

Lisa (The gardenias are in bloom around the front door, and the
baby chicks are getting bigger and uglier. More eggs soon.)
Topanga,CA USA

Nothing could be easier!

I’ve successfully cast strawberries and chocolate cherry
bon-bons, so acorns and pine cones should be easy. I used our
CASTALDO Liquacast RTV jewelry molding rubber. It produces
strong, tough, long-lasting molds with 0.0% shrinkage from any
type of model including flowers, leaves, etc. After you have a
wax pattern casting is strictly straight-forward.

For more info, see our web page at: www.castaldorubber.com

I’d be happy to send you a free sample kit if you’ll e-mail
back your shipping address.

Regards, Michael Knight

byzantia wrote:

Hi Steven, More on acorns. I have a huge live oak tree that
towers over my deck in the back, and there are hollow acorns and
acorn tops all over the place.  I used a nut that my local
squirrels had hollowed out already, and cast it, and an acorn top
separately. I then soldered both together after casting and clean
up. Remember to drill a small hole somewhere before soldering to
allow the heated expanding air to escape, or you'll have the
first silver acorn in outer space. Best of luck,
Lisa (The gardenias are in bloom around the front door, and the
baby chicks are getting bigger and uglier. More eggs soon.)
Topanga,CA USA

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F.E. Knight, Inc., 120 Constitution Blvd., Franklin, MA 02038 |
508/520-1666 FEKnight@ziplink.net |

I’ve cast many an acorn…Put a nice fat sprue on it…weigh
it and multiply it’s weight plus the sprue by 13.50 for
pennyweights needed plus whateversize button you plan to have
remaining. Invest and burnout for 13 hours bringing temperature
up to 950 to 1000 degrees. Then off you go with the siver. Have
fun!