Making a snake clip

[mredburn]

Thought I would share this process with you. I had in the past made a clip of a snake coming down over the top of the pen to form the clip. It was OK for me to have to custom fit it to a pen, but it didnt have anyplace that was concentric enough to match a turned blank. I decided to remake it and while I was at it make a new one that was larger. The older one is specifically dewsigned for slim line sized pens. And I wanted to make one that could easily work on a larger sized blank like the cigar or Sierra etc. The first 2 pictures are of the older clip with the part that would fit into a 7mm tube removed and a brass rod soldered on for the rubbermolding process, a cylinder of purple wax about .565 in diameter, and a basic cut out of the snake body in purple wax.

The next two pictures are of the snake body and the cylinder connected. I use extra purple wax and a hot tool to add wax and join them to gether. the snake has to be offset from the cylinder by about 3/32. this will make the space between the clip and the turned blank.

The next 4 pictures are of the snake taking shape. I use a wax file and a scrapper to do the work. I first draw a rough outline of how I want the curls to look and the form them with the wax file and scraper roming what ever I think doesnt fit. If I make a mistake and remove to much I can remelt wax back onto the model and then reshape it.

Next I will do final shaping and textures getting it ready for the casting process.

 

[Crickett]

Thank-you for posting this.

Can I assume you make a plaster mold or some other type from the carved wax, then pour in melted silver?? Is the wax just ordinary candle wax or a special type?

 

[mredburn]

This wax is Ferris Carve a wax brand. When I finish the carving process I will sprue the piece, pour investment(high tempeture Plaster) aournd it, let it harden and then put in a kiln for about 12 hours reaching temps of 1300 degrees and then letting it cool down to 1050 degrees and then I will melt the silver and cast i into the hole left by the melted wax. (Lost Wax Casting)

 

[wood-of-1kind]

I really like the snake clips that you create Mike. They're all nice and I may "spring" for placing an order for that "special" pen that may deserve one. Keep up the good work.

 

[mredburn]

Here is the next step, I outline where I want the diamond patterns and relieve the wax around them. then i smooth out the wax with a scarpper making sure all the surfaces blend.

Next I draw the scale pattern onto the snake, stopping frequently to brush off the small pieces of wax. I have dusted the wax to show the lines .

I will wash the piece off before investing it. I still need to make the part that will attach to the snake and fit into the tube. tomoroow I will invest and cast it.

 

[tim self]

WOW! I've wondered how you did that. Awesome.

 

[cnirenberg]

Mike,
Thanks for sharing. I agree with Tim, Awesome. That is the stuff this forum was meant for.

 

[Crickett]

Thank-you very much for sharing with us. It's quite a process but well worth it in the end.
Are you able to use the cast multiple times or do you have to go through the whole process every time?

 

[mredburn]

Thank-you very much for sharing with us. It's quite a process but well worth it in the end.
Are you able to use the cast multiple times or do you have to go through the whole process every time?

After I make the master and cast it I make a silicon rubber mold of it. I can then reproduce it several,sometime hundred of times before the mold wears out.. I am ready to post more pictures and more of the process in a minute. be right back.

 

[mredburn]

Early this am I turned 2 different pieces, 1 to fit 10mm tubes(cigar) 1 to fit 10.5mm tubes(Sierra) the top step matches a hole I drilled in the original wax cylinder when I turned it round and before carving. the 1/8 brass rod in the second picture forms the sprue that the wax flows in through the mold and then the metal in the flask at casting.

the next pictures are of the rubbermold of one of the pieces. 1/4 unvulcanized rubber sheets are cut up and packed around the model inan aluminum frame and then heated for about an hour. The mold is cut open and the master removed. Molten wax made for injection is then pushed into the mold, let cool and then removed

the waxes.

After casting the sprue is cut off and it loks like the second wax picture above. It is then remounted on the lathe and turned back down to final size. the next pictures show how the pieces will fit together after casting. I will make a couple more pieces to fit different tube sizes, 3/8 11mm or more as I need them. The last picture is a better picture of the Carved snake.