Metal Casting Zone

these arrived today from germany!


surplus weights are very rare and are keenly sought after. basically like a fishing sinker .they are all different weights (gross) some have a slot through the centre. anyway .... can anyone suggest a quick easy way to make ten of each in lead.????these have to go back to germany asap as the model steam engines they belong to are valued at about $15,000 ! without the weights not much at all. its the same as "i give you a car but the keys are long gone" im thinking of casting a mold like the fishing sinker ones.any other ideas????

Wistle weight??? wistle weight? wistle weight

what the heck is a whistle weight?

I guess it depends on how long your allowed to hold on to them.
Make a mold out of RTV silicone, or rubber. Or, make some out of wood on a lathe so you have the pattern. Then you can take your time making a mold.
I've made some very simple sinker molds out of Magnesium plate, I would like to try to cast some out of Al.

I wonder if you can smoosh them between a couple pieces of clay and cast them in lead?

thanks guys. whistles weights go onto a arm which holds in the steam pressure. (saftey valve) on some models a whistle is fitted as well so when you lift the weight the steam whistle blows! hense its name!

aonemarine wrote:
I wonder if you can smoosh them between a couple pieces of clay and cast them in lead? a great idea and i had thought about it and it does work for fishing sinkers.

Jammer wrote:
I guess it depends on how long your allowed to hold on to them.
Make a mold out of RTV silicone, or rubber. Or, make some out of wood on a lathe so you have the pattern. Then you can take your time making a mold.
I've made some very simple sinker molds out of Magnesium plate, I would like to try to cast some out of Al. i dont have any silicone im thinking of going to the effort of casting them in plaster . setting this as a core in a block of aluminium then slitting it in half!! i would use anoesmarine idea but use kiddies modelling clay to set the plaster in.who do you think?????

Might be worth while to smoosh in clay and pour in wax to make a pattern then do a plaster split mold, if they are lead i dont think the plaster mold will crack like it does with al

XL would you heppen to have a detail drawing of the safety valve? Id be especially interested in the seat area, if it a tapered seat what degree, and is there any seal material or just lapped in.....Im going to need one shortly and I heard spring loaed checks have a habit of sticking after sitting.

aonemarine wrote:
XL would you heppen to have a detail drawing of the safety valve? Id be especially interested in the seat area, if it a tapered seat what degree, and is there any seal material or just lapped in.....Im going to need one shortly and I heard spring loaed checks have a habit of sticking after sitting.i havent any drawings but i can organise a pic in a few days. for these weights ... they just sit on a arm. this arm holds the stem of the saftey valve closed. its just a brass seat. boiler pressure is adjusted by the weight. they are considered dangerous now but there are many antique engines which have lost their weights and cant be steamed!