Precision Cut Moulds

[MaelstromJewellery]

HI there,

New member here. We run a jewellery business, I generally deal in pewter work, which is currently done in silicone moulds or soapstone.

I'm lookin to get some moulds cut from steel, or any other metal that can withstand heat for a period.

However, I'm not overly familiar with metalwork. Which would be the best method for cutting moulds 2-8MM deep into a 15MM plate?

I'd be hiring a company to do it for me, but I actually don't know where to start; extrusion and hydroforming both sounded like reasonable options but I doubt they would be happy with a small run size.

What do you think would be the best method for small runs of 1-2?

John

[big-all]

helllooo and welcome MaelstromJewellery

my thoughts
you wont get fine detail in metal moulds without lots off time and tools
metal expanding and contracting at different rates might be a problem
possibility off sticking to the mould even with a release agent

[ultimatehandyman]

A friend of mine made some moulds from steel for moulding lead fishing weights.

He simply machined the moulds from a piece of steel on a milling machine.

Perhaps one option would be to get two thinner plates of steel @ 8mm thick but identical in size, then get one of the plates laser cut with the size of moulds that you want, then either clamp it to the other sheet or drill and tap into the other sheet and secure it using countersunk bolts, you could then pour the moulds and separate the two plates when the molten metal has cooled?

[MaelstromJewellery]

A friend of mine made some moulds from steel for moulding lead fishing weights.

He simply machined the moulds from a piece of steel on a milling machine.

Perhaps one option would be to get two thinner plates of steel @ 8mm thick but identical in size, then get one of the plates laser cut with the size of moulds that you want, then either clamp it to the other sheet or drill and tap into the other sheet and secure it using countersunk bolts, you could then pour the moulds and separate the two plates when the molten metal has cooled?

Thats more or less my plan, I intend to do something along these lines:




Part A will be a square sheet with a tube in the centre, part B is the plate I intend to get engraved, milled, etc.

In part B there will be a central dish, seen in the centre, which the pewter will fall into, then it'll run down the channels into different shaped moulds.

They'll be fixed together with wingnuts and a bolt.

I actually already do something like this with soapstone, just I was wondering the best way to get something made in steel or metal.

basically this sort of thing, just a lot more permanent.