first acid etching test...

 

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RESIST

 

Prepped for the acid test tomorrow... 

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no excuse...

Romans 1:16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile. 17 For in the gospel the righteousness of God is revealed—a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: “The righteous will live by faith.” 18 The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of people, who suppress the truth by their wickedness, 19 since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. 20 For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse. 

Pandemic Saturday

Millions Are Saying No to the Vaccines. What Are They Thinking?

new experiment...

Going to try my hand at acid etching on some castings.  Giving the low budget transfer process a shot first.  Laser print the reversed image on glossy magazine stock.  Heat transfer to metal.  Soak in ferric chloride.  First hurdle was figuring out free software called Inkscape to create the image and successfully printing it.  Acid and rubber gloves coming next Tuesday.  86,90,64,0,B 

kids will be kids...

 

Already looking to get into trouble...

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the final frontier...

 

SpaceX finally nails a Starship landing...

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something for the tourists...

 

First test cast of a "sugar skull" in aluminum bronze.  Working on casting this with customizable text on the back.  73,81,58,0,B

fire and metal...

My largest cast to date...which is why my pour was pretty sloppy. I wasn't used to handling this much molten metal and didn't have the crucible close enough to my pouring targets. The Harbor Freight knife has a stainless steel blade and hollow aluminum handle and weighs 1 pound. The casting came in at just under 2 pounds. Vertical casting into clay or stone molds was the primary way that weapons and tools were made during the bronze age. I made this mold in petrobond - an oil-bonded and pre-mixed moldable clay/sand mixture that I ordered from PMC Supplies via Amazon. My alloy is 91% copper and 9% aluminum. I recently acquired 100 pounds of copper ($40) and 15 pounds of aluminum (FREE). That should be enough to keep me busy for awhile...

Daily Bread

 morning reading

Pandemic Saturday

 Should you get vaccinated?

A heavy pour...

 

A bit sloppy with the molten metal, but I think it worked.  

Going to clean it up and polish it tomorrow.  Video Monday.

56,63,57, .27",C  

fingers crossed...

 

68,78,56,0,B

another casting experiment coming up...

 

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Corner marker #1

 

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just what I needed...

89,94,61,0,B

 

biblical foundry talk...

Ezekiel 22:17 Then the word of the Lord came to me: 18 “Son of man, the people of Israel have become dross to me; all of them are the copper, tin, iron and lead left inside a furnace. They are but the dross of silver. 19 Therefore this is what the Sovereign Lord says: ‘Because you have all become dross, I will gather you into Jerusalem. 20 As silver, copper, iron, lead and tin are gathered into a furnace to be melted with a fiery blast, so will I gather you in my anger and my wrath and put you inside the city and melt you. 21 I will gather you and I will blow on you with my fiery wrath, and you will be melted inside her. 22 As silver is melted in a furnace, so you will be melted inside her, and you will know that I the Lord have poured out my wrath on you.’”  

Pandemic Saturday - diversion...

mold making parts with the 3d printer...

 

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test and a half...

Did a parting test on the property marker today to see if the pattern would release OK from the mold (it did).  Wasn't planning on pouring into it but decided to go ahead as long as it was sitting there even though I knew it wouldn't work very well.  Open pours rarely completely fill a mold with fine detail unless it's a heated graphite mold.  This pour will need to be into a closed mold with enough head pressure to fill all the nooks and crannies.  At least now I know for sure how much molten metal I will need to fill this pattern (12 ounces). Nice thing about casting metal is that failed pours can be remelted for another try.  74,78.45,0,C

Two masters...

Two master patterns to cast from this weekend.  The pattern making takes a lot longer than the actual casting.  After 3D printing, they get about 10 coats of primer over several days to soften the edges of the pattern so they will release from the casting sand and leave good impressions.  It's always important to leave a good impression... 61,68,41,0,W

for larger casting projects...

 

Petrobond isn't quite as fine as delft clay - 

but it's a heck of a lot cheaper.

$65.95 only buys 4.4 lbs of delft clay.  

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new test coming up...

 

3D printed a property corner marker to cast in aluminum bronze.  66,75,47, .06",C

I keep seeing this prayer...

 

Pandemic Saturday

 

daily cases worldwide

3,000,000 dead

Another view of the Starlink swarm...

Starlink satellite movements in a 6 hour timelapse. Each satellite completes a full orbit of the earth in approximately 90 minutes. Interesting note: The flat map of the world known as the "mercator projection" was created by 16th century geographer and cartographer Gerardus Mercator in 1569. A prolific map, globe, and scientific instrument maker - he is most renowned for creating a world map based on a new projection which represented sailing courses of constant bearing (rhumb lines) as straight lines—an innovation that is still employed in nautical charts today.

plaque for a friend

Broke out the 3D printer to make a master to try to cast in bronze.  

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rootin tootin

My 2 year old tomato plant is thriving - has 9 tomatoes on it now.  Took a cutting to root from this healthy rooted cutting today to keep the dream alive... 82,88,54,0,B

the new pups...

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First batch...

...cast and ready for cutting, grinding, sanding, and polishing.  

90,94,56,0,B 

watch your mouth...

Ecclesiastes 5  Guard your steps when you go to the house of God. Go near to listen rather than to offer the sacrifice of fools, who do not know that they do wrong. Do not be quick with your mouth, do not be hasty in your heart to utter anything before God.  God is in heaven and you are on earth, so let your words be few.  A dream comes when there are many cares and many words mark the speech of a fool.  

Pandemic Saturday

 

This is no time to be complacent (or stupid).  We have a long way to go.  Get vaccinated and continue social distancing and mask wearing.  And for God's sake - don't go on vacation!

pig love

Golden Skull

 

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Casting some bling...

Years ago Chupa tore off a spur and my friend Dwight Brooks made it into some bling.  Cast it in bronze this afternoon.  87,90,66,0,B

Javelini...

 

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Another drone through the fog video...

Easter Sunday

 What does it mean to you?

(Hint: It has nothing to do with bunnies and eggs.)

Panemic Saturday

 

Did my part to be part of the end of the pandemic.

Covid deniers and anti vaxxers need not comment.  

77,80,57,0,B

Third time's a charm...

Finally got a perfect cast of an AA desire chip in aluminum bronze.  This will polish up nicely to a dark golden color.  For any of you folks out there that are proud of your sobriety - these will be for sale soon.  $55 including shipping.  Custom years will be available for $85.  80,82,50,0,B

old friend...

When people first move out here they tend to connect online and mingle with other newbies thinking about relocating here.  A woman formerly known by her online persona as "Mama Crow" was one I met when we were both new to the area.  She ended up not pulling the trigger on buying property out here but has been following my blog and we have kept in touch via Facebook for over 12 years.  She popped in a couple days ago for a long overdue visit.  72,74,46,0,B  

copper bars

My steel mold works fine with aluminum but I discovered molten copper likes to fuse with it so I milled out a chunk of graphite to pour 200 gram copper ingots.  They drop right out of this mold no problem.  68,72,56,0,W

the pour...

junk yard find...

100 pounds of copper and 15 pounds of aluminum - enough to cast over 1000 coins in aluminum bronze.  I decided not to cast with brass...it's too toxic in its molten state.  This was my first test cast with aluminum bronze and it only had a few flaws.  But I am encouraged by how well the detail held up with this alloy.

82,87,44,0,B

 

temptation...

James 1:12  Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him.  

Pandemic Saturday

People think it's over but the numbers are going up.  Covid cases and deaths are rising while states are opening up anyway.

Don't touch!

 

Tempered a few more new crucibles today at about 1400°. 

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moldy...

Broke out the welder today for the first time in years.  Fabricated a steel ingot mold for batches of melted alloys I will use for coins.  70,75,49,0,B

housebroken...

Casting test in brass...almost got it.

 

78,82,41,0,B

The bronze age at TFL...

We have watched...

Lamentations 4:16 The anger of the Lord hath divided them; he will no more regard them: they respected not the persons of the priests, they favoured not the elders. 17 As for us, our eyes as yet failed for our vain help: in our watching we have watched for a nation that could not save us.

Pandemic Saturday

 

In case you were wondering...it isn't over yet.

LEO is a busy place...

the key grip...

Rig for tomorrow's video - masking the laptop with cardboard for shooting the screen with my DJI Osmo.  66,69,44,0,B 

Next melt attempt...

 

71,77,47,0,B

First cast fail...

Tried out melting aluminum cans for the first time today.  50 cans weigh about 600 grams.  I am supposed to expect about 35% to be pure aluminum so I was hoping for around 210 grams in the end.  I got only 109 grams and a ruined crucible clogged with solidified dross and leftover aluminum.  I believe the problem was that I poured before the crucible and metal were hot enough with still too many impurities in the mix.  I tried super heating the leftovers but they refused to melt.  83,89,53,0,B 

Live long and prosper...

let your requests be made known...

Philippians 4:4 Rejoice in the Lord always: and again I say, Rejoice. 5 Let your moderation be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand. 6 Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. 7 And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. 

Pandemic Saturday

 

The numbers are creeping up again as many states (including Texas) open up 100% against CDC guidelines.  Don't be an asshole - get vaccinated and continue to mask up and practice social distancing.

Fabricated some pouring tongs...

 

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Mouth feeder...

my friend...

 

Moley has been hanging out and following me around

at TFL for the past 3 days.  Video tomorrow.

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Fast shipping from the other side of the world.

Shot #1...

 

Approved of men...

Romans 14:16 Let not then your good be evil spoken of: 17 For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost. 18 For he that in these things serveth Christ is acceptable to God, and approved of men. 19 Let us therefore follow after the things which make for peace, and things wherewith one may edify another.  

Pandemic Saturday

 

As if the pandemic is officially over and against the advisement of Federal health officials, Governor Greg Abbott recently issued an Executive Order (GA-34) lifting the mask mandate in Texas and increasing capacity of all businesses and facilities in the state to 100 percent. The Governor made the announcement at Montelongo's Mexican Restaurant in Lubbock in an address to the Lubbock Chamber of Commerce. 

"With the medical advancements of vaccines and antibody therapeutic drugs, Texas now has the tools to protect Texans from the virus,” said Governor Abbott. "We must now do more to restore livelihoods and normalcy for Texans by opening Texas 100 percent. Make no mistake, COVID-19 has not disappeared (?), but it is clear from the recoveries, vaccinations, reduced hospitalizations, and safe practices that Texans are using that state mandates are no longer needed. Today's announcement does not abandon safe practices that Texans have mastered over the past year. (Are you fucking kidding me?  I have seen my fair share of "Texans" who have totally ignored "safe practices" since the pandemic began.)  Instead, it is a reminder that each person has a role to play in their own personal safety and the safety of others. With this executive order, we are ensuring that all businesses and families in Texas have the freedom to determine their own destiny".   

This is exactly that kind of rhetoric that Covid deniers have used since the pandemic started - that mandates put in place for the health of all interfered with individual personal freedom.  In other news - I am scheduled for my first shot on Monday.

Anyone want some silver?

 

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TCR

Third time's a charm?

 

SpaceX stuck the landing but SN10 exploded about 10 minutes later.

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