Ten Inch Brass Tube Pen Barrel Mold

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JD Combs Sr

Member
Joined
Jan 30, 2010
Messages
767
Location
Owingsville, KY
I wanted to cast pen barrels but use 10inch long brass tubes which I could then cut to pen barrel length requirements depending on the pen. I made one from 5/8" ID PVC tubing.
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The saw kerf and pour holes were added after everything else was done, fitting, threading, etc.
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The PVC tube is threaded 7/8-14 on both ends. The white blocks are nylon and are female threaded 7/8-14 to accept the PVC.
The short piece of PVC on the outside of the blocks is only there to make the blocks wider. If I had had 1 to 1-1/4" nylon I would not have need them. The are also threaded 7/8-14 to make them part of the nylon. They are lined with smaller glued in PVC which is thread 1/2"-20 to accept the "plugs" that plug the ends of the brass tubes to prevent resin from entering into the tube. Again if I had had thicker nylon I would have threaded it on onside with the 7/8-14 and on the other with the 1/2"-20 but you use what you have.
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This pic is prior to the pen mode but shows all the components disassembled. It was taken just after my first cast. There is a casting inside the mold. The black on the ends are oring seals that are place between the PVC and the plug holders to prevent fouling the 7/8-14 threads.
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I have made 3 castings with it in the pressure chamber I made for it and it has worked well. Had to make some minor changes to the plugs to prevent casting resin material into the 1/2"-20 female threads and had to add extensions, the metal pens, to the plugs to allow for easier loading of the tube but as a concept it worked well.

All comments are appreciated.
 
1 ... how do you get the casting OUT of the mold?

2 ... how does your mold fit in the pressure pot when it's that long? Is your pressure pot laying on it's side or something?

3 ... wouldn't things have been SO much easier to have designed one to be used/filled vertically?
 
That is an intriguing idea. Do you paint the tubes before casting them?
Hi Randy, thanks for responding. Yes I will paint tubes when there is a need like casting a translucent color or need a background color for embedded objects, just depends on the blank.

1 ... how do you get the casting OUT of the mold?
2 ... how does your mold fit in the pressure pot when it's that long? Is your pressure pot laying on it's side or something?
3 ... wouldn't things have been SO much easier to have designed one to be used/filled vertically?
Hi Skie,
1. I was wondering if someone would ask that question. Since the PVC is split along the top it is fairly flexible in its diameter. A simple tap of a wooden dowel with a mallet or hammer will dislodge it and it will slip out one end. Never really had an issue with this type of mold and have used them a lot. The main new components of this particular one is its length and the fact that it has screw in stoppers to plug the tubes. Others I have just stuck a cork or some other disposable plug in the tube but that does use up corks.:biggrin:
2. I noted that you commented on my new pressure chamber post so that should answer this question.:smile:
3. My response to comments on the P.chamber should also answer this question.

Thanks again guys for commenting.
 
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