More progress... Is it realistic? NOPE. That's the plan. I noticed, under the right light, all this stuff on the tree casts some serious shadows. Keeping to my sketch, I'm extending the roots up the trunk. I rolled out some clay and only attached it here spiraling towards the top. Lots still left to do. I'm thinking the 4 branches at the top are going to have to be done separately and welded on. They ends of the branches will hold the shade on. Inside the shade will get chunks of bronze cast into it, then drilled and tapped.
Dave, from what I have read, there is boro glass and stuff they call soft glass. It's the soft glass that I need for this one I think. Gotta ask the little old ladies that make beads.
soft glass or soda glass? I have heard of boro-silicate and soda glass. Soda glass is plate glass and the like. Boro is pyrex and it's brotheren.
Ive melted marbles before, they did much better than the beer bottles...... I think you can add borax to the glass as a flux to soften it up???
I heard soft glass, but I could be wrong. I understand the annealing process is more forgiving compared to boro. And this clown needs all the forgiveness he can muster.
Regarding the hole for the wires: Lamp fittings are all based on ¼" threaded pipe, and a lamp like this made by other processes (e.g. pottery) would have a length of pipe running up the middle of the trunk. So my ignorant question is this: can you simply position a length of pipe in the mold and pour around it? That, if it works the way my inexperienced, uneducated mind's eye sees it, would give you your wire channel and threads for standard fittings in one fell swoop.
You probably could if the internal pipe was steel, but controlling the weight of the bronze is what people look for in quality pieces. Amateurish bronze is usually clunky and heavy. I'm guilty as charged on this one. This should look insanely heavy, but not need a crane to move it off the table. Good idea however, but I've never tried it.
From Google..... “Hard-glass” is an acronym for borosilicate glass, like Pyrex or Kimax. “Soft-glass” is an acronym for soda-lime glass, or a higher expansion type glass, (88-92 COE). Lab glass is generally made from “hard-glass”, (borosilicate). Bottles are generally made from “soft-glass,” or soda-lime glass. Now, where to buy some soda glass in different colors. Ideas anyone? Maybe?? https://www.mountainglass.com/soft-glass-beadmaking/soft-glass-104-coe/rod
Found a better option... https://frantzartglass.com/glass-rods-104/glass-rods-104-effetre-reg.asp Cheap when ya buy it by the pound.
Borax glass is easy to make, yes. It's also weak and water soluble. (Both good for cleaning it off after soldering with borax flux, not so good for durable art.)
Anyone got a tutorial for running a non clay dividing line for mold making? I looked at Mantrids owl and horse and he built up clay dividers. I've got to make a mold of this damn tree and I'm thinking sliced up soda cans pressed into the clay will allow me to do a left and right side mold with ease. That aluminum is nice and thin and bends easy. They actually sell the stuff... Who knew? https://www.sculpturehouse.com/p-247-mold-dividing-shim.aspx
Hey David... I came across this.. Do something useful with it will ya please?? http://www.iitg.ac.in/engfac/ganu/public_html/Metal casting processes_1.pdf It's a 136pages of good stuff.
It's tempting to think that would make borosilicate glass. The sodium borate might decompose to sodium oxide and boron oxide. (2Na3BO3 → 3Na2O + B2O3. Actually, borax isn't as simple as that, but it's probably close enough for jazz.) The former is in the soda lime anyway and the latter is what makes it borosilicate, right? Well, I just went over to Wikipedia to look up typical compositions. There's no soda to speak of in borosilicate. Some borosilicates may have the lime, but I have no idea what you'd get with boro-soda-lime glass and the commensurately low silica content. Mind you, I'm no glass maven, just a bit of a chemistry buff who likes looking things up. Still, I would bet against getting anything good from adding more than a trace of borax to soda lime glass.
I got a birthday coming up soon.... Here is an idea for someone. https://www.brickintheyard.com/products/vdshim
Found one.... https://davidneat.wordpress.com/met...r-a-life-size-head-and-casting-in-fibreglass/ Here is a good one for you silicone junkies. I never throw away old silicone, but this makes complete sense. Grind it up and add it to layers 3 and up. https://davidneat.wordpress.com/mat...bber/recycling-and-fillingextending-silicone/
Any ideas about this mold material??? I don't know anyone that has a hundred pounds of silica in their garage....
