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Milled Graphite as a Mold?
Posted: Tue Nov 25, 2003 1:54 pm
by Sonje
Has anyone tried to use milled graphite as a mold? Can graphite withstand repeated use and 1500F firings?
I would like to make calibrated pieces for jewlery and am not sure which would be the best approach in doing so.
Thanks, Sonje
Posted: Tue Nov 25, 2003 2:06 pm
by Brock
The consensus seems to be that graphite can take the sudden, intermittent shock of the heat of glassblowing, but the long application of kiln work heat makes it break down. Brock
Re: Milled Graphite as a Mold?
Posted: Tue Nov 25, 2003 2:47 pm
by Brad Walker
Sonje wrote:Can graphite withstand repeated use and 1500F firings?
No. It works fine the first few times, then starts to break down and you end up with a powdery mess.
Graphite is best when you touch the glass briefly at high temps, it doesn't work well when it remains at high temp for longer periods of time.
Posted: Tue Nov 25, 2003 8:41 pm
by Sonje
Brock and Brad,
Thanks for the replies. What would be your recommendations then? Clay? Fiberboard-which brand?
Thanks again,
Sonje
Posted: Tue Nov 25, 2003 9:08 pm
by Brock
My preference is metal. I have 2 stainless steel woks, and a sushi mold made out of 1/4" plate steel. I have various other metal and clay molds but don't seem to use them much. Brock
Posted: Wed Nov 26, 2003 12:18 am
by Bert Weiss
Sonje
I would look in to mold mix 6 by Zircar. I'm not sure where you buy it but I do know that it costs less from the glass distributor that sells it than directly from Zircar. For small molds it works well. For larger molds other materials might work better.
Posted: Wed Nov 26, 2003 1:16 am
by watershed
I have seen wonderfull results from HOT CASTING into graphite, then popping the piece, then annealing. I was told by a MFG at GAS, that Graphite starts to break down around 1100degF. It looses cohesion.
If you had a pot/furnace, gather a punty, drop the glass into the graphite, cut it off, torch the tail, flip the mold, anneal the piece. You could do hundreds in a day. The MFG recommended 2-3 molds in rotation.
It provide a very bright clean surface. A wonderfull material if you can work with it's limitations.
Greg
Posted: Wed Nov 26, 2003 1:20 am
by Brock
. . . I was told by a MFG at GAS . . .
MFG?
Master of Fine Glass?
Moronic Futile Goon?
Mainly Fair Gentile?
Wha?
Posted: Wed Nov 26, 2003 2:13 am
by watershed
Master of Fusible Graphite, you smart a....
Actually Torrance machining, who makes graphite molds for us, and industry. A ManuFacturer of graphite molds. Whence the G came into manufacturer, I have no idea. I'm not an entemologist, and don't ask me about bugs either.
Love Ya
Greg