Jeffrey: sorry I haven’t replied to your offer of casting
advice, I get a heck of alot of emails everyday and can barely
keep up with Orchid. I had been having typical casting problems
that so many people have when they start out, though its been
about a year or more now. I don’t cast that often but really love
the process. The main problem is I haven’t found any books that
get very detailed about spruing etc. I only recently discovered
vents. And in a very old book aimed mostly at rock club type
people. I had to cast a size 13 ring (in silver, thats all I can
afford at this point in time) and was pretty scared about it. I
had tried little vents before like adding wire studs here and
there and it didn’t help at all. This time I tried a vent to the
outside of the flask and got my best cast ever. Still some
pitting but very minor. I’m thinking if I had added another vent
it might have come out even better. On smaller pieces I’m
wondering if using blind vents that don’t go outside the flask
will really help or is it best to have a quick exit for the gases
completely outside? I’m using a programmable controller and using
good burnout temps and casting at 800 F so I’m pretty sure my
problems are trapped gas. My last casts were with all new metal
so thats not the problem either. I suppose I could try vacuum
casting at some point since my investment vacuum can do that but
sure want to master centrifugal first before I screw around with
a new ball game. Are there any real good books you know of that
treat this stuff in more detail that you know of? Dave
Art Jewelry for Conscious People
http://www.opendoor.com/stephensdesign/crystalguy.html