Metal Casting Zone

Basically what I am thinking of is like how the old license plates (not real old) were made. You had a back plate then you had the numbers wich were rivited on.
for your project you would make up a back plate that would have the holes drilled in it to accept the numbers locating pins. Then you would have 3 of each number with locateing pins on them. Tab A into Slot b more or less. this would give you your pattern. this would be cast into one side of your sand mold. The other side of you snd mold would just be flat. your gates would be simply cut into the sand by hand.... make sense?

Yes, I've got it. Thank you so much!

Your welcome. Stop in and visit once in awhile, the are many good people in here who are all ways willing to help out.

I will! I'll need your help as a manufacturing engineering student

FWIW, this would be a perfect application for a match plate, in other words a pattern with gating permanantly mounted to a board. This is a matchplate I made recently:


The top is the cope side, the bottom is the drag side. This will give you an idea of what I am talking about.
MDF makes short work of something like this, it is available in many thicknesses and is easy to work with. As far as the letters, you could cut out three of each number, or you could purchase them from someplace like Budget Casting Supply, although they are a bit pricy. To stick them to the pattern, something like rubber cement would work acceptably, they just have to stay in place long enough to ram the pattern up.
Hope this helps.

thank you.

I have one more question. Do you have any idea about average unit cost of sand, binder etc.? I have to calculate the cost of every mold.

Petrabond is about 75.00 for 50lbs (oil bonded sand)
bentonite 25.00 for 50 lbs, plus 3.00 per 50lbs sand (greensand)


greensand is a mixture of bentonite water and sand and is reuseable
I have to go to work see you in the am

poetica wrote:
just thesis

do you think sand casting is OK for it? and aluminium as material?
As long as you use an alloy with less corrosion like A360

Sorry guys but I'm new to this .... what is MDF?

It's medium-density fibreboard. You can use it to make patterns.