vermiculite board for casting molds

[mikefromitaly]

Hello people.

i would like to know if anyone of you have anu experience with Vermiculite Board.

I want to "carve" it to do some casting molds. Do you think is a good material ?
What is best separator to use? Kiln wash wet or dry ..or BN ?
I shouldn't have to use wet powder separator...

Anyway glass doesnt stick at board?

thank in advance
any help will be appreciate

thank you

ciao
mike from italy

[Bert Weiss]

Glass is very sticky to vermiculite boards. I have never tried to carve it and cast with it.

[Stephen Richard]

Mile,
I have recently discovered calcium silicate boards. 25mm thick. No fibres. Carves easily. Needs kiln wash. Lighter and cheaper than Vermiculite.

[mikefromitaly]

Hello thanks for reply both Bert and Stephen

Any source about calcium silicate boards ? never heard spoken before..
no need to be hardnered ?

Anyway i think to carve need a strong and hard board to be used more times...no? (hight density?)

thanks for support and collaboration

mike from italy

[Bert Weiss]

Hello thanks for reply both Bert and Stephen

Any source about calcium silicate boards ? never heard spoken before..
no need to be hardnered ?

Anyway i think to carve need a strong and hard board to be used more times...no? (hight density?)

thanks for support and collaboration

mike from italy

Calcium silicate boards are commonly available from any company that sells high temperature materials. They come in a wide range of qualities and are rated by temperature. Just like alumino silicate boards, they have different densities and different insulating qualities. In general they can not take as much heat as the alumino silicate boards, but they are often rated within the fusing temp range. They tend to warp, so large sheets don't make good shelves.

[mikefromitaly]

Calcium silicate boards need to be pre-fired ? or harndnered with hardnering liquid?
While Vermiculite boards seems not need hardnered : but need pre-fired ?

thanks

mike

[Brad Walker]

I have cast in vermiculite boards. I have also carved them with a CNC machine and used as texture plates. Kiln wash or boron nitride is necessary. It's not the perfect casting material. One issue I have found is that some boards leave a hazy appearance on the glass. This can come and go, depending on the brand or board and even the batch of the same brand of material.

I am interested in trying calcium silicate boards. Does anyone have a US source? My US refractory supplier does not carry them.

[Bert Weiss]

I have cast in vermiculite boards. I have also carved them with a CNC machine and used as texture plates. Kiln wash or boron nitride is necessary. It's not the perfect casting material. One issue I have found is that some boards leave a hazy appearance on the glass. This can come and go, depending on the brand or board and even the batch of the same brand of material.

I am interested in trying calcium silicate boards. Does anyone have a US source? My US refractory supplier does not carry them.

Brad talk to Jim Wiles in Charlotte. Let me know if you need his contact info.

[mikefromitaly]

Thank you brad
Casting in vermiculite board ( or in that can be best) carved with Cnc i that i have in my mind
of course need to find the best material and try best (wet) separator.
Of corse need to be enough strong material.
I also want to test calcium silicate an Alumina Silicate board. Any help How t o get a sample?

Thank you

Mike

[Brad Walker]

Brad talk to Jim Wiles in Charlotte. Let me know if you need his contact info.

I've got a call in to him, thanks.

[Glenn]

http://www.skamol.com/Products.4.aspx


They have a Charlotte, NC branch.

[Brad Walker]

http://www.skamol.com/Products.4.aspx

They have a Charlotte, NC branch.

Unless you're buying full skids, Skamol no longer sells direct to the public. You have to go through a third party, most likely Jim Wiles, also in Charlotte. Jim's company is Neuex.

[Bert Weiss]

http://www.skamol.com/Products.4.aspx

They have a Charlotte, NC branch.

Unless you're buying full skids, Skamol no longer sells direct to the public. You have to go through a third party, most likely Jim Wiles, also in Charlotte. Jim's company is Neuex.

Jim also sells other manufacturers of vermiculite boards, as well as calcium silicate boards.

I would like to make kiln floors out of a combo of calcium silicate boards for the back up and vermiculite board for the hotface. I have to make a decision about what size to cut the V-boards, in to, so they don't warp when heated from one side. This costs less than insulating fire brick and is also less dense, overall.

[mikefromitaly]

thank you
Does Jim send international orders? has he any website address?

and what can you tell me about Alumina Silicate boards?

thank you

mike

[Glenn]

Mike,
Skamol is a Danish company. You should contact them for a local distributor.

[mikefromitaly]

Hi thanks for reply

sent an email