how can I insert channels (a pipe e.g.) into a casting without drilling afterwards?

[MadMike]

Hey gang,

I have no idea if you know what I mean from the title, but I dunno how to put it better.
The thing is, if you want something hollow, you will only some casting material in your mold and rotocast it. And if you want something solid, you fill your mold completely.

But what can you do if you want a solid casting with some kind of channel inside, so liquids can flow through your casting? The only possibility i can think of is to make a solid casting, cut it in half, make a cut a channel and glue it back together (or drilling into the casting without cutting it), but isnt there any other way?

And, like so often, do you understand what I mean? I sometimes dont really know if I can present my ideas clear enough :wacko

 

[robn1]

Re: how can I insert channels (a pipe e.g.) into a casting without drilling afterward

You can design the mold so a tube can be placed inside, plastic metal etc., to be embedded in the casting.

 

[MadMike]

Re: how can I insert channels (a pipe e.g.) into a casting without drilling afterward

ok, I'll give it a try. thx!

 

[robstyle]

Re: how can I insert channels (a pipe e.g.) into a casting without drilling afterward

easiest way to do so is as stated above. Imagine impaling the master and molding it with the impaled pipe in place. When the master is removed from the mold the pipe will be molded in the silicone. Simply wax up the pipe and place it into the mold prior to casting parts. If you know the material you are using you will know a safe time to demold and work the waxed pipe out. Also be aware of expansion, metal expands with heat. You may want to look into carbon fiber pipe/tube/rod in place of any metal.

Ive done this literally for thousands of parts in rubber and plastic.


Now, the tricky part is material. Anything you use to wax the pipe (giggity) may have an ill effect on the material used for casting. This could be leeching, soft, stick, porous, bubbled or orange peel surfaces... if using cheap resin. Regardless of the casting material it will come down to the parts thickness and quantity of material to offset the induced contaminate wax or release material. Youll need something more than spray release. Again ive done this thousands of times. The above method is how the bone cages were made for Pirates. Its tried and true.

 

[MadMike]

Re: how can I insert channels (a pipe e.g.) into a casting without drilling afterward

The thing is, I wanna make some custom bottle spouts, one of them (actually the one that's giving me a headache) should be looking like the Jaguar leaper.
As you can see, two pipes should be inserted (one for the air, one for the liquid), and none of them is straight.
I'm also planning to cast that think in metal, probably pewter. I actually thought of leaving the pipes inside of the casting rather then pulling them out. But since that thing will probably be only about 10cm or so big, I need some small enough to fit inside the mold but big enough for the liquid to flow through.

Well, it's planned to be a christmas-present, so I have some time left and hopefully I'll find a solution

 

[MadMike]

Re: how can I insert channels (a pipe e.g.) into a casting without drilling afterward

sorry, forgot the picture

 

[robn1]

Re: how can I insert channels (a pipe e.g.) into a casting without drilling afterward

Ahh I see now, I thought you just needed a void in a larger piece. For that I guess you could embed a copper tube in the casting and just leave it in place.

 

[MadMike]

Re: how can I insert channels (a pipe e.g.) into a casting without drilling afterward

got an exam coming up next tuesday, I'll start modeling/carving the leaper after that any try to figure out how to make a mold that allows me to embed the tubes the easiest way