[Jewelry making - Article 00004] - Re: [Orchid] [Looking for] Copper Caster

[James Binnion]

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    Bill 	One reason is that copper is not very fluid when molten. Second
    if you do not keep oxygen away from it when melting you will make
    lots of insoluble copper oxides that make it even less fluid.
    Thirdly all pure metals are difficult to cast due to the fact that
    they transition from liquid to solid instantaneously with no
    intermediate slushy state. As the metal cools in the mold it shrinks
    and if there is no slushy stage you tend to get significant
    shrinkage porosity. This is because the casting can't draw metal
    from the sprues and runners to fill the shrinkage. One way around
    this is to use sprues that are larger than the casting so that the
    casting will solidify before the sprue. 

    	That being said you can cast it but it will require attention to
    all the details and most likely much trial and error to get your
    process right. 

Jim
http://www.mokume-gane.com
jbin AT mokume-gane.com
James Binnion Metal Arts
360-756-6550

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