Foundry Pattern Making

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Asteamhead
Posts: 582
Joined: Tue Jul 31, 2012 1:59 pm
Location: Germany, Duesseldorf

Re: Foundry Pattern Making

Post by Asteamhead »

Just one of the posted attachments was shown (Harold ?). Sorry!
Asteamhead
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A Tmken cap (trailer) red.jpg
Mike Walsh
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Joined: Sun May 06, 2007 10:14 pm
Location: St. Louis, MO

Re: Foundry Pattern Making

Post by Mike Walsh »

Best of luck. I have found a few pattern books, but nothing that will come close to a step by step instruction on making patterns. I work as an engineer in a sand casting foundry and I have yet to make my own pattern, but I learned from a patternmaker, the basics of pattern theory, prior to working here. So when I got here, I already had the basics in my head and I intend to try my hand at making a pattern in the very near future. The concept is very simple. The hardest part is the gating and risering of said pattern.

Definitely suggest you reach out to your intended foundry to understand their equipment prior to making your pattern/matchplate so that you don't need to rework it when you walk in with your brand new pattern. They may also be willing to advise you on the gating and risering, but don't quote me on that.

That being said, I have a copy of "Patternmaker's Manual" by American Foundry Society. Probably more comprehensive than most of what you'll found out there.
Abby
Posts: 20
Joined: Mon Jan 01, 2007 7:15 pm
Location: COVENTRY UK

Re: Foundry Pattern Making

Post by Abby »

Hello Mike , not quite sure if your pm was meant for me ? I have operated my own foundry for 30 years or more , started with sand castings and moved on to lost wax so as to produce for various sculptors in the UK.
After retirement I decided to carry on with loco parts which I cast and machine in my home workshop.
Dan.
hobbysteam
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Joined: Fri Mar 15, 2013 7:09 pm

Re: Foundry Pattern Making

Post by hobbysteam »

Regarding the 4-6-2 USRA Light Pacific. I am looking for a cylinder drawing which was quite universal to this class of locomotives. If someone has such a drawing, could we maybe talk? Otherwise I need help with some Road Numbers of such locos? I need that as the archive people want as much info as they can get before they want to go digging in their mountain of drawings!
Thanks
hobbysteam
Posts: 16
Joined: Fri Mar 15, 2013 7:09 pm

Re: Foundry Pattern Making

Post by hobbysteam »

Hello Mike
Thanks for the tip re, "The Pattern Makers Manual" ! I will look into getting one of those.
Have a good day!
Asteamhead
Posts: 582
Joined: Tue Jul 31, 2012 1:59 pm
Location: Germany, Duesseldorf

Re: Foundry Pattern Making

Post by Asteamhead »

Hello all!
Thinking about so called Kokillen-Guß? Starting with this discussion above I felt inspired to try a simple method without the need of a pattern. Why not casting the seats for my A of solid lead? Adds some desired friction weight :) Please look at the photos taken just recently. Why not try that with brass or even bronze?
The 'Kokille' (don't know the exact expression in Englisch, sorry). Some more detailing is easily to be added.
Asteamhead
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A cab seat, casted in 'Kokille' made of stainless steel red_0913.jpg
Asteamhead
Posts: 582
Joined: Tue Jul 31, 2012 1:59 pm
Location: Germany, Duesseldorf

Re: Foundry Pattern Making

Post by Asteamhead »

Casting
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A cab seat, casted with brass inserts for fixing red_0935.jpg
Asteamhead
Posts: 582
Joined: Tue Jul 31, 2012 1:59 pm
Location: Germany, Duesseldorf

Re: Foundry Pattern Making

Post by Asteamhead »

Casting
Attachments
A cab seat, casted of lead red_0911.jpg
ebtfan
Posts: 135
Joined: Mon Jul 02, 2007 12:10 am
Location: Lancaster, PA

Re: Foundry Pattern Making

Post by ebtfan »

Hi.
I noticed in your original post that you were looking for information on making a pattern for locomotive cylinders with cored ports. I will first say I am not a pattern maker or expert of any kind. I just have strong desire to build a steam locomotive. Pictured is a pattern I made along with the required loose piece and associated core boxes. I received help from a friend when I made the patterns and had a good print to work from. I made the patterns with traditional tooling including several sanders(disc, belt, and drum) as well as a band saw and lathe. I do not know the scale you are building but this pattern is for my 1.5" PRR K-4. Drawings for this cylinder are available from the Pennsylvania Archives in Harrisburg, PA. It required a lot of hours to make the pattern but there is a lot of satisfaction in seeing the final cast part. There is a lot of information needed to produce the pattern and core boxes but I would begin with drawing the cylinder(take in to consideration shrinkage) showing the overall outline, core prints, passages, etc. Then work off of that drawing to produce the pattern and core boxes.

Dan
Attachments
Cylinder%20Main%20Body.jpg
Cylinder%20Main%20Body.jpg (23.31 KiB) Viewed 5763 times
Core%20boxes.jpg
Core%20boxes.jpg (22.82 KiB) Viewed 5763 times
Cylinder%20Loose%20Piece.jpg
Cylinder%20Loose%20Piece.jpg (19.85 KiB) Viewed 5763 times
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Greg_Lewis
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Joined: Wed Jan 15, 2003 2:44 pm
Location: Fresno, CA

Re: Foundry Pattern Making

Post by Greg_Lewis »

ebtfan wrote: Sun Feb 25, 2018 8:45 pm
... I will first say I am not a pattern maker or expert of any kind.
...
From looking at what you've done, I'd say you are!
Greg Lewis, Prop.
Eyeball Engineering — Home of the dull toolbit.
Our motto: "That looks about right."
Celebrating 35 years of turning perfectly good metal into bits of useless scrap.
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Trainman4602
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Location: New Jersey

Re: Foundry Pattern Making

Post by Trainman4602 »

I received help from a friend
The friends name is Dave Sclavi. No offence Dan.

Dan is my close friend and is doing a marvelous job. This was the very first pattern Dan ever made. In my opinion it is the second hardest live steam pattern to construct, the first pattern in difficulty being any two wheel or four wheeled truck frame.
ALLWAYS OPERATING MY TRAIN IN A SAFE MANNER USING AUTOMATIC AIR BRAKES
jlakes85
Posts: 228
Joined: Thu Feb 23, 2012 6:07 am

Re: Foundry Pattern Making

Post by jlakes85 »

Hi Dave,

Which BCC urethane repro system do you use? I was watching the cylinder and driver pattern videos and couldn't narrow it down exactly..there's more than a few gray ones. Thanks again

-jlakes85
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