Easy way to cast cute buttons

[peter i]

I use my silver for casting jewellery, and when alloying it, it’s nice to cast it in lumps approximately the right size for a later cast.
(I know it’s perverted to actually use the metal for something… but, well, I’m just like that)

My method is simple:

A piece of 5 mm steel plate and the inner ring from a ball bearing.

Both parts are oiled with WD-40, the ring is placed on the steel plate, and the metal poured into it. It hardens quickly, the ring is lifted of, and you have a really pleasing "coiny" lump of metal.

From the left is a piece of relatively fine silver, a sterling lump (which had a lid placed on the ring right after casting, thus reducing the copper oxide on the surface) and a normally oxidized sterling.
And at last the ring, of course :wink:

 

[Arcani]

great info, thanks.
do u preheat(before w-d)?

do u happen to know if eny natural stone will work as crucible(waiting on one 2 come in mail and can't wait lol :lol: )

 

[peter i]

I dont preheat, just spray and cast (preheat should make it smoother, though)

Clay with a lot of sand. It worked for the vikings, but I've never had any succes.

 

[skyline27]

peter i,

Nice buttons! Good form.

Are you concerned with contamination with the steel or does the oil prevent it?

 

[peter i]

As long as the steel is cool (less than a few hundred degrees C) and clean, there will be no contamination.

If the steel is red hot and in prolonged contact with the molten metal, it will be contaminated (and who wants dirty steel?).
Steel or cast iron ingot moulds are a time proven and successful method (and metallic crucibles on the other hand, a time proven failure for anything but low melting metals).

 

[skyline27]

How did you prevent a pipe from forming on the gold button? How heavy is that one buy the way?

 

[peter i]

How did you prevent a pipe from forming on the gold button? How heavy is that one buy the way?

It isn’t gold, just sterling silver.

From the left is a piece of relatively fine silver, a sterling lump (which had a lid placed on the ring right after casting, thus reducing the copper oxide on the surface) and a normally oxidized sterling.

The golden colour comes from partially reducing the copper oxide on the surface of the lump in the oil vapours.
When you cast sterling in water, you get the same very nice color, but unfortunately it is a very thin layer that wear off to fast to have any decorative value.

I normally cast them between 30 and 50 grams, which is appropriate for my later casting.