Sand Casting Workshop and Aluminium Pour

Following on from casting directly onto wood using a metal alloy, I tried the same method with some scrap aluminium I had available to me. This would cut the cost down as the amount of metal alloy needed would be over £100. Due to the high melting point of 430 degrees, it charred the wood and so it isn’t a viable option as this would weaken the wood and wouldn’t be able to support the weight of the metal.

This week I  took a sand casting workshop to learn the process of casting aluminium. I built up a box around my dovetail wood and covered it with graphite powder to prevent sand from sticking to it. Then I built up layers of compacted sand mixed with silicate over it and sprayed it with carbon dioxide to harden it.

 

 

The mould is in two parts so that the object can be removed and air holes are drilled for the aluminium to push the air out of. A pouring hole is attached to the top and then it’s buried in sand to catch any spillages. The mould then has to be broken up to remove the cast object.

 

 

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