Vibrating investment table

Does any one still use the vibrating investment tables and if you do
what are your results? Im really a novice at casting and really like
the price tag of a vibrating one compared to a vacuum system.

Thanks

Guy, you really should use a vacuum table. tom

Vacuum is more efficient at removing the bubbles. Once upon a time I
built me a hand operated vacuum table using a bicycle pump with the
valve directionreversed. You can build such a ‘contraption’ yourself
virtually for nothing especially as you live in the States where
bike pumps and tyre/tire valves etc. may not be expensive.

Warm regards.
Kofi in Ghana.

I tried the vibrating table with mixedresults. Got a lot of bubbles,
so prefer the Vacuum. My vacuumis still out of commission, and I am
looking forward to when it is usable. I have found it superior to
just using a vibrating machine.

Alma

Hi Guy, if you’re going to be doing one or two castings a month, in
other words doing casting more as a hobby as opposed to
professionally, you’ll do OK with the vibrating table. On the other
hand, your castings will inevitably have little beads on them from
air bubbles that didn’t get removed while investing, and some
not-so-small ones too. This can be minimized somewhat by paying
attention to the orientation of the wax so that air won’t be trapped
in over-hangs or inside of hollowed pieces, brushing on or dipping
the wax in debubblizer (available from anywhere that sells casting
equipment) and then applying investment with a brush on the wax prior
to investing, but it’s messy and doesn’t always work all that much
better.

Finishing time is what will most likely be the deciding factor. Your
whole wax will cast, but it’ll have a less than desirable surface
most of the time. If finishing time is going to be a factor for you,
do as Tom suggests and get a real vacuum table. If you’re
mechanically inclined and like to build things, you can build one
from an old air conditioning compressor and a vibrating table for
pretty cheap. There are instructions in the Orchid archives.

Best of luck!
Dave Phelps

Hi the vacuum I use for silicon is made from a fridge compressor and
a tube of iron pipe welded to an iron base. The lid is perspex with a
cork ring glued to it.

Works great for the last 30 years.

I add thinner to the silicon mix slowly then vacuum.

Richard