Pewter Casting Project - Needle Case Mold Making Phase

Construction of the soap stone mold has begun.  I purchase some green soap stone from the local Blicks.

See prior post at: (New Casting Project Enters Planning Phase)

I started by slicing the stone into bread sized slices using a hand saw and a wooden miter box.

Based on the design I came up with each angle cut would need to be 30 degrees.  To best insure that I was able to obtain a consistent 30 degrees I created a template.  I cute a wood plank at 30 degrees and then used that as my template.  As long as the blade of my saw rested on the wood template the cut I made would follow the 30 degree angle.

 

The following image shows the layout of the cuts I envisioned.  After laying out the pieces I found that I would only be able to get three sections out of each slice of stone.

After making the first cut I used the removed piece to hold the wood template level.

After making the first cut I had to test the shape to see if they would align and work out the way I had envisioned in my head.  So far so good I think.

You can see that the second cut was a bit rough.  I found that holding the saw at the angle while trying to focus on the angle my hand kept cramping.  I could only make the cut about 1/2 way before having to stop and rest.  I rather afraid that the cut would bind the saw and then crack the stone.  The soap stone is very brittle and making the 30 degree cut was a very slow process.

First full and usable piece cut.

A full set of cut pieces.  I may replace one or two of these, but these were the first six successfully cut pieces which I hope will fit together to make the shape you see at the right.

 

Before spending too much time on the clean up of each piece I cut then all to a consistent length. The final size of the piece is still in question so at this point I simply eyeballed the length.  Once I cut one of the six pieces I cut the rest to a length to match.

  

I tried to maximize the amount of stone I could use and so sliced only thin wafers off the ends to true up the base.

Cut to length it was ready for some clean up.  I started with a medium grit sandpaper and progressed to a "fine" grit.  I placed the sandpaper on a piece of glass to ensure a flat surface.  I then slide each stone over the sandpaper until I was satisfied with a very smooth and even surface.

As this was all hand work there were some minor changes in the angle of the cuts.  All six pieces did not align perfectly when placed together.  You cannot see the details in this image but there are some cuts which are 1 or 2 degrees off.  I plan on creating register pins on each section grouping the mold into two groups of three.  Once those two groups are joined together I can then sand the surface flat and true again to correct any imperfections in the cut angle.

Once I got the pieces basically fit together I softened the edges of each stone.  After the sanding each stone had very sharp and crisp corners.  Those types of edges are more likely to grab, chip and crack the stone when working with them.  I took a small metal file and rounded over the edge of all the edges which were not going to be in contact with the finished casting.

Time for another test fitting.  I moved the stones around until I could find the best overall fit for each group of three stones.  I then marked the stones 1,2 & 3 so that from this point forward they would all have the same relative position.

 

Oops!  I set the stone down to abruptly and chipped a corner off.  I have heard and once witnessed using "super glue" to repair such a crack.  I decided to glue it together and see what would happen.  This is one of the two stones I may replace later.  Depending on how well the test fitting goes I may try to make a replacement.

Repaired!

Quitting time.  This is the set of six stones place into their metal box lined with thick wool for safe keeping.  I haven't even gotten into any carving yet and I have quite a few hours in this project.

So far it seems to be coming along basically as I had planned.  Next step will be to cut some register pins to group three stones together.  Once I have two joined sections I can then treat them as a "two-part" mold and true of the surfaces for those halves.

New Casting Project Enters Planning Phase - Needle Case

I have entered the SCA Midrealm's Pentathlon competition (PENT) in the past.  I see it as an Arts and Science competition which attempts to inspire participants to be more than a specialist in one arena.  There are five basic divisions one can enter into with regards to the A&S competition.  Each division is broken out further into categories.  (See the website for further details regarding the criteria.)  A pentathlon entry must consist of 5,6 or 7 entries.  The final score will be the highest 5 entries which span across at least 4 divisions.  This causes the participant to expand knowledge and expertise outside a single area of specialty.  OK, that's enough background.

I have decided to enter the PENT again for the 2015 season.  I have already completed the majority of one of my entries.  The greenwork shirt will be one of my entries.  I have started a collection of wood working tools.  Those will be another entry.  I have some plans for other entries but nothing that I'm willing to go on record with as of yet.  That is to say other entries other than the one on this post.

My first complex multi-part pewter casting project.  I have recently been instructed in the ways of pewter casting.  I have long wanted to develop more expertise in this area.  I have attended a couple classes and recently helped cast some coins for one of my favorite SCA events which involves lots of fake gambling with pewter coins.  While I have limited experience in the arts of pewter casting I have been thinking on this project for about 3 years or so.  I haven't actively done much planning… until now.

The project is a late period pewter needle case.  I previously had collected some images from inspirational pieces but have since lost my hard drive and have as of yet not recovered any of those images.

The basic style of the needle case is represented in the following image.

While I have been conceptualizing this design I wanted to keep a few design considerations in the forefront of my thought.  I want the finished piece to be aesthetically pleasing, functional and yet complex enough that anyone familiar with casting would easily see the complexity of the mold required..  I plan on making decorative designs on each of the six faces of the case.  I would like those designs to be recessed enough so that it is clear that any 2 part mold would not work.  I have worked through the overall design shape and layout of the stones required which I will outline here.

Here is a view of the shape and recessed areas of the case as well as a cross section view.

To achieve this design I plan on attempting a eight part mold for both the top and bottom.  I maximize the use of the soap stone I plan on trying a cutting layout for the six side pieces as depicted in the following image.

Once cut I can rearrange them into a rough barrel shape.

I can then smooth out the edges and drill holes for the register pins.  I plan on spacing out the register pins as shown in the cross section following.  While I haven't tried it yet I have heard that you can simply drill through two pieces and then pour molten metal into it.  The resulting metal once hardened will become your register pin.  This sounds like a plan but until I practice that approach this type of register pin is subject to change.  I may simply drill and insert brass pins instead.

The primary thing to keep in mind is that the pieces must match up consistently once assembled while still being easy to disassemble once the mold has been poured.

Once that portion of the mold is roughed out I can proceed with the top and bottom caps.  At this point I don't plan on doing any carving to the stone yet.  I want to get the overall pour layout finished first and then begin my carving.  I would hate to waste time carving a piece that does not pour well.  I plan on making a cap stone for the each end.  One end will have the sprue and the other end will have a wooden dowel inserted to create the hollowed out section of the case.  The cap stone will be cut to fit the six pieces and serve both as a cap and also as a retainer to hold the six pieces in place.

The cap on what will be the bottom of the case will have a sprue drilled into it. I will have to start small and then drill larger depending on how fast the metal can flow to all the cracks and crevices.  The cap on what will be the top of the case will contain a wood dowel. 

At this point the real fun can begin.  Once I can get a decent pour at this point I believe I can start taking away material from the stone to add to the design.  Up to this point the mold will be cut "small".  Keep in mind that as I remove material from the inside of the stone it will increase the metal which can flow to the case.  It will therefore thicken the resulting piece.  I want to start as thin as possible and get a good pour.  Once that is achieve I can carve the detail work which will thicken the resulting piece by adding embellishment that stands out from the surface.

Before I get along too far on carving my next step is to add the loops which will allow the case to be hung.  I have discussed a few options with a friend.  Some options discussed were:  1) A flap which could then be rolled up to form the tube after the cast cooled. 2) Drill out the hole after the pour.  3) Cast separately and then solder to the case when complete.  I have come to the conclusion that I would still like to do this in one pour with minimal post production work.  I would like to cut a recess which would allow me to put a small wooden dowel as a spacer.  Once poured the dowel could be cut and removed leaving the hanger opening.

The approach for the needle case lid will largely be the same except that the insert spacer for the hollowed out section cannot be simply a dowel.  The wooden spacer will have to conform to the same of the lower section of the case.  Since the lit must fit to the bottom it only makes sense that I begin with the bottom portion of the case first.

I think that is enough planning for now.  The next step is to buy some good solid stone and begin cutting it up.  

Pennsic 42 - On a pilgrimage I go

What:

There is a living history experiment in the making.

This coming July I plan to attend the biggest SCA event of the year.   I will be attending the Pennsic War in Pennsylvania.  There are thousands of other anachronists who attend the annual event as well.  The varieties of personas that will be displayed are almost as vast as the number of people who attend.  I've been in the SCA for over 10 years and this year I decided to try something new to add a little bit more depth and flavor to the experience. 

I am working on a very small kit of things to bring and I plan on attending the War as a Franciscan friar from the 13^th century.  I plan on only bringing items which are proper period items constructed in a period manner.  Technically speaking, friars did not have any property of their own.  Whey then set out on a pilgrimage they would travel in small groups and one member of the group would have community property (belonging to the church) which they could all use.  That collection of items might include things such as quills, ink, parchment and personal hygiene products.  Since I am the only friar that I know I have constructed the following back story which I shall use on my trip.

Who:

My Name is Brother Matthew.  I was once known as Ercc Glaison or simply Ercc (pronounced Eric).  I lived a long and sinful life of various inappropriate indulgencies in various regions.  At one point I found myself donning the grey wool of a friar with the less than wholesome intention of misleading people and by doing so relieve them of any moneys that they saw fit to allow me to relieve them of.  I robbed, conned and stole whenever I could.  Shortly after donning the robes of the order I felt a change in my life.  I felt less than whole even after my acquisitions were successful.  I reached a point in my life when I desired to understand more of why I was put on this earth.  There had to be more to it.  As I had already donned the robes of the order I began seeking out knowledge of my true brothers.  While doing so I found a new life.  I shed all my worldly possessions and fled from my sinful ways.  I sought redemption and when I found it I sought to repay the many debts that I accumulated.  My life has changed since I donned the grey wool of the Friars Minor.  I hope that it shall continue to change on my pilgrimage back to my homeland of Hibernia.

Why:

Number one question I get when I inform people of my decision to make this trip is:  "Why?"  That is a long and complicated question although it has been posed to me as a simple single word question.  I decided to capture a response to that question here so that I can simply refer inquirers to this information.

Here are some of my reasons:

·         Listening: While I am an anachronist, I am also a struggling Christian.  I am not a Catholic, although I play one on the weekends.  I have always loved the saying that goes something like this:  The man who refuses to listen when you scream will often struggle to hear when you whisper.   I feel that my life has always been too cluttered.  Years ago life may have been simpler.  I don't know for sure.  All I know is that now I often feel that I am too busy to simply sit and listen for the whispers of God.  I have long desired to set aside such a time to allow myself to listen.  For that reason I will shed EVERYTHING modern and focus on what I would have focused on in the 13^th century, as a friar.  I will serve silently and listen.

·         Service:  My life has too long been made up of tasks which revolve around servicing my own needs and desires.  I hope that by devoting a week of service to others it may spark a desire to continue down such a path when I return home.  Life is too short to live it for oneself and I'm hoping that this week will help me change my focus in life.

·         Inspiration:  By my actions and my complete immersion into the "role" I hope that, in passing even, I inspire one person.  If my actions, service and sacrifice serve as an inspiration for one other person to take a bigger step towards authenticity, service or faith I will be contented.

·         Shoes:  I love to go barefoot.  I always have.  The reason I often give most people is that simply "I hate shoes".  That is correct, but there is more.  This may sound corny so I won't admit it in person, but is closer to the truth that simply "I hate shoes".  When a child sleeps on his father's chest he might notice that he can hear his father's heart or feel his father's breathing.  I think that the earth is a gift from God and when you make physical contact with it, you can hear it breathing.  Sometimes when I walk through the woods (barefoot) I stop and simply touch a tree.  If you focus your thoughts you can feel the life in the tree.  In some strange way I have always loved the closeness I feel to the earth when I am barefoot.  I feel constrained and filtered when I have to wear shoes like a music lover might feel if forced to wear ear plugs his whole life.  Yes, walking on rocks and hard earth hurts.  Yes my feet get toughened up, but it still hurts.  I don't exactly know why Brother Francis chose to go without shoes most of his devoted life.  I sometimes wonder if he felt closer to God by doing so.  I do.

Personal Inventory:
- Grey wool robe & hood, rope belt and cross

- Pilgrim's bag (scrips)

- Small 2.5 ounce hand blown drinking glass in leather cup holder


- Wooden bowl & Wooden Spoon

- Small scissors

- Linen thread on wooden spool

- Needle case containing (bone needle, thorn needles and brass needle)

- Leather penner and goose quills

- Pen knife

- Rosary made from olive pits

- linen wash rag & linen towel

- Bible


- Leather canteen

- Straight razor

- Eye glasses & case

- Dozen brass pins (to use gifts for A&S displays)

- Linen coif (to prevent too much sun burn on my bald melon!)

- Bone Comb

- Ear scoop

- Linen shirt and brais (just in case I have to bathe in public or wash my robes)

- Sandals (just in case)

- Small cube of bees wax in leather pouch

- Waxed tablets with brass stylus

- Leather box to carry waxed tablets

- Wool blanket and small amount of hemp rope to tie up blanket

- Hand drawn map

- Wooden sign "Will work for food" Flip side "vow of Silence"

- Small amount of parchment and small writing plank

- Leather pouch for parchment


- Stoneware jar of Ink

- Stoneware jar of olive oil (for my sure to be burnt bald head)

- Lye soap

- Letter of introduction

- Walking stick

There is only about a week left before I hit the road.  I really need to push to get the last couple things done.