JóneK

ah okay - clearly i'm oblivious to the etiquette of properly utilizing a forum - my bad. thanks for your points however!

hey Deimos: i reached out to ram mounts via email days back and they still haven't got back to me. do you have a contact there that i could connect with?

nice - thanks deimos!

well interestingly enough - i was under the impression that casting would be cheaper? i would think my design would require at least a 5-axis.

simply put - it comes down to the design and the aesthetic.

ok - good to know. firstly - it doesn't need to be shiny. with regards to choosing a metal that doesn not oxidize - what do you suggest is the most affordable? the metal doesn'r need to be ductile - and will not be used under any stress - if that helps. and lastly - can you personally recommend a manufacture for such a service?

ah interesting - i hadn't thought about rust with regards to iron. would brass or bronze be a better choice? but in doing so - would i left with a finish that typifies brass/bronze (a golden hue)? or am i completely ignorant of this process? i would prefer a more neutral tone in finish. regarding tumbling - is this suitable for high volume? and if not - then maybe it would be best that i revise my design and apply the +/- 0.2mm tolerance? good to learn about Inconel - but i think i'll try to avoid that as an option.

i would prefer cast iron. indeed - i am now considering that maybe the piece doesn't need the machining altogether. however, if i am going to provide the manufacture my design part - so that they can create the mold - i am assuming the design itself would need a minimum radius on the edges, correct? and if that's the case - would you know what those minimums would be? i haven't sorted the actual casting process as of yet - which is why i joined this forum - hoping to discover. what exactly is (inconel)? the piece will not be used under heavy duress, fyi. and nodebt correct - for proprietary reasons, thanks. the goal is high volume production - and a clean design. cast iron / stainless steel? i don't have a price point persay - it is my goal to naturally make this in good quality and find a process that is the most affordable. i am sharing a photo of the fastener that will be used to fit the piece - quite small. with that mention - concerning softening the edges for the cast mould - what would the minimum radius need to be? is there a process where i can make a cast - and then have the finished cast tumbled - in softening the edges? rather than any deburring?

firstly - before i begin - i should make clear i have no experience in metal casting. i used to be a welder about 20 years ago - but that's about it. no foundry experience. so - i have a design that needs casting. i have been told that my design cannot be sand casted and that it was recommended that i consider lost-wax casting instead. there are a couple issues with this. i live in iceland - there are only 2 foundries - and both only offer sand-casting. so i am having to now out-source elsewhere. i am looking at either a US manufacturer or the EU. i am needing to know & understand what casting options work best for me and my design. the design will eventually be sold in the icelandic marketplace - a country of about 360 thousand. for the year 2021 - i am hoping for 1st round to produce somewhere between 1000 to maybe 3500, 5000. and it 2021 proves to be successful - i will amp up much higher numbers for 2022. i was told even with lost wax casting - machining will be needed. please review the attached images regarding part of the design - small radius(s). sooooo - i need to source a manufacture first . - then i need an approximate quote (including machining, if needed) for either 1000, 3500 or 5000. can you help me? jón