in preliminary discussions…customer seems keen on getting a figure
eight shape cast, so she can attach flat crystals [on the wide
section] and add a bail/pin back. i think it would be much easier to
use wire, forge/ flatten a bit along one ling of the figure[widening
it], form it into a ring, then twist it to form the 8… she also may
want it rhodium plated. about 2.5" x 1.5"
would casting be cheaper?..i’m thinking not. i don’t have a count
of how many units. thanks for reading!
richard
I suggest that you knock out a prototype in copper or brass to see
first hand how long it would take, and any pitfalls in your concept.
For one piece, it would almost surely be best to fabricate it. But
if she wants a large number, it would be better to cast. You really
need to know how many will be required. If you must, go ahead and do
estimates for both; the numbers might influence her first order
number.
M’lou
I would fabricate the figure eight either by sawing it out of sheet
or by forging. In our minds casting is quicker because of the ease
of making the wax model and then it becomes metal in a flash. But
either the surface is textured or the cleanup takes time.
Lois
Always depends on how many are wanted. Fabrication may well be
quicker and easier for a few but if you ar talking doing them in
quantity then casting will have several advantages. The biggest often
unseen advantage is repeatability. All the cast ones will be the same
and the customer may very well appreciate that if they are doing
repetitive or batch production. Even if hand working gives you
perfection in finish there are mny places to make small changes to
dimensions that could mean that the differences are apparent in the
finished article.
Richard, Thanks for your question, I have similar. A customer wants
several pendants in sterling which I would saw individually, texture
and solder hidden bail on back. We’re talking 20 -25 pieces. I do not
make wax carvings but could fabricate the piece in copper. Ballpark
cost anyone? Of course not including cost of silver.
Cyndy
I would have Dar of Sheltech make a pancake die and die cut the
number of pieces your client wants, you can even have him do the
cutting if you don’t have a hydraulic press.
Much quicker than hand sawing.
Sam Patania, Tucson
You can make a piece in metal and then use that as a model for
casting. Use at least 18 gauge sheet to start with. You want to know
the cost for what? Model making, rubber mold making, production
casting?
M’lou
You can make a piece in metal and then use that as a model for casting. Use at least 18 gauge sheet to start with.
yes, this is true…i used to do some work like this in the U.K. a
long time ago. some ball park, current pricing is requested.
You want to know the cost for what? Model making... yes >, rubber mold making yes, production casting?
well, yes to that, as well…but i think numbers is very important
in the maths for it. i still don’t have a solid number of pieces,
after the initial meeting today. i will be able to model the piece in
strata cx, so the customer will see something, instead of a drawing.
for some odd reason, they thought they could have finished product
in time for xmas…
for some odd reason, they thought they could have finished product in time for xmas...
Yeah, well, they’re crazy. If you can do it efficiently and all in-
house, you might be able to do it for Xmas, IF you are crazy too!
People have no idea, mostly.
M’lou