Re: Metal Molder (was Re: Casting your own...)

Steven M Goode wrote:
> 
> Do you think it would be possible to
> -use other metal (solder?) in case the company stops producing the
metal

I'm certian something can be used.  Tim just suggested it might just be
beads of
white metal solder, so it's certainly replaceble.

...for the record, they have already stopped producing the metal, and
everything
else for that matter.  They're just selling off backstock now.	That's
one of
the reasons I'm going to pick up a dozen or so metal set.  That, and the
fact
that I've got a use for all those empty vials afterwards.

> -make your own molds?

I've been thinking about that.	I was going to buy a second machine and
convert
parts of it into a form to make my own molds.  The part that clamps the
mold
together has vents (probably to cool quicker) and the molds are actually
mostly
flat, with a bump where the figure goes. (thinner than normal, again
probably to
speed cooling)	Does that description make sense?  

If not, here's an example:
http://www.penrite.com/john/thing/IconMetalGoodies.jpg

Anyway, I was going to cover up the vents and just pour RTV rubber into
the
chamber (with the part embedded 1/2 in clay) and clamp the whole thing
together.  So I'll end up with the standard-looking mold (two blocks of
rubber
with a depression in each).  It will fit the champer perfectly, and the
locating
pins will be inthe right place as well.  My only real concern is that if
there
is any shrinkage at all in the rubber (I've never worked woith the stuff
before)
it won't form a tight seal when clamped into the machine itself.  

I have to place an order with MicroMark for the mold making stuff, then
I'll
give it a try.	If nothing else, it'll be a good learning experience.  

Tom

--
Thomas Pope
Human Computer Interaction Institute
Carnegie Mellon University
http://www.cs.cmu.edu/~tpope