Casting Brass at Manchester Makerspace
Explore your creativity by casting metal at the Manchester Makerspace!
Casting is the process of creating a metal object by pouring molten metal into a mold. The mold is a cavity in the shape of the desired object, and the molten metal fills the cavity and cools, taking on the shape of the mold. The shape is limited only by the properties of you metal of choice and your imagination.
Brass is a popular metal for casting because it is relatively easy to melt and cast, and it has good strength and ductility. Brass is also resistant to corrosion, making it a good choice for outdoor applications.
Brass casting can be done using various methods, we generally use pre-made graphite molds for simple ingots, or custom-crafted sand molds for more intricate shapes. Here you can see brass being poured into a simple graphite mold:
Sand molds are suitable for intricate and detailed designs. Create a mold by compacting a fine, dry sand+clay mix around your pattern, ensuring it’s properly vented for gases to escape. Proper compaction and gating are essential for successful casting.
Once the brass is melted and the mold is prepared, you are ready to begin casting.
- Place the mold on a level surface and pour the molten brass into the mold cavity.
- Be careful not to overfill the mold, as this can cause the brass to spill out and create a mess.
- Allow the brass to cool and solidify completely before removing it from the mold.
- Clean up! Not just your casting, but your workspace. The makerspace functions only when all members remember to leave their workspace cleaner than they found it.
