Installing Molten Metal Inlays in Wood Part 1

Well my second attempt at a bit more refined molten metal pouring ended in dismal failure.
Note to self, (Put a stick on the leg of the table so when the molten hot stuff flows all over it flows away and not into lap). Label this important!

I tried some fine ribbon. First I tried just pouring directly into the cuts, the stuff just poured right back out. I tried heating it warmer thinking it would pour more evenly but not such luck. It prefers to just blob.
So I took a page from my mentors handbook and built a little cardboard dam. It's ok to say dam in this instance as it's like something to hold water back, not the dam like when you get hot molten metal in your lap. That's bad and you get the ivory soap bar for that.
Any how he dam didn't work neither. Just poured too quickly, burned the wood a bit, no biggy but didn't stick. Made several attempts with both kinds of dam, the cardboard and the verbal type.


To top it all off, I said bug it (well that ain't what I said but along that line) came in for my nightly hour of MASH therapy and it's raining hard and the satellite ain't working. Not my night.
Next plan is to take out the center wood and make a wider ribbon. Might have to increase the height of the dam and melt more of the stuff to make sure I got enough.
A little more burning and it might end up with Antler.
 
Ahhhhh. The elixir of life and ample sustenance. Breakfast of champions. Life just doesn't get much gooder.
 
Bawanna, if you burnt wood, the metal is too hot. A dam needs to be installed and the metal poured in abundance (to a point) and the metal be allowed to solidify before moving. I see absolutely no reason the ribbons did not take. Are the anchor holes at an angle or straight in?
 
Well tonight I was successful. The holes were at an angle but I think they were just too small.
I took out the center to make a wider ribbon, same width as the rivets. This time I got some modeling clay and build a proper dam. I drilled bigger holes (at an angle to create a mechanical lock) I hope.
I've finally got one side filed down smooth, second side almost but I'm whooped for tonight.
I took some pictures of the dam (whole lot of swearing in this post).
I'll post some up tomorrow. I think we'll be ok now.

Generally I won't be or hope I won't be doing this big an area.

With the damn and the way the stuff pours it ended up kind of like the blob on the front of # 400 you showed. Takes a lot to file all that extra back off. A lot of filing.
It turns out but the stuff is hard. I'll be ok really, maybe some day.

The good news is no molten metal in my lap tonight. That's a success all by itself.
 
Here's some shots of my clay dam (yeah more swearing).

And here's the blob you end up with that all needs to be filed down. I think the trick will be determining how much metal to melt. Can't run short as Bookie has mentioned more than once but it's difficult to stop the pour once you start. It's like the metal all wants to stay together. If I had a third hand I'd probably try to just quickly scrape some away but again it would probably pull it all out.

Stuff is hard and takes a long time to file away. I tried a sanding drum, even broke out my 4 1/2'' grinder, the most effective was the old file.



And of course Daisy the Wonderdog.
 
Very Khul! Im going to have to try that soon as I can find somethin to speerment with. Keep at it Mr.B. Great post!
Just a thought but I bet you could use Kapton tape to minimize the extra bulbous stuff. Its that high heat tape they use on martian rovers and such. I dont think you have to go to Mars to get it anymore.
 
Bawanna, I have poured inlays as small as 3/32" wide. You can do this. Make certain your knives & chisels are S-H-A-R-P. Otherwise you can end up with little inlayed whiskers along the sides, particularly with open grained woods. I only file the excess when I'm very close to bottoming out on the wood. To remove max quantities of excess metal, I use a 12 inch Sandvik, Simonds, or Nicholson rasps. The holes you drill should always be at an angle for best results and 3/32" to 1/8" are the most popular sizes used by many craftsmen. You ever show up here at Toad Hall, wear dirty togs. You gonna get dirty and play with fire.
 
Thank you, Bookie and Bawanna. I love these tutorials. And it's true that you learn more from your mistakes (or better yet, from someone else's mistakes) than when you get it right.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top