nonjic Posted August 17, 2012 Share Posted August 17, 2012 If you continue to get the mess about from your foundry I can reccomend H.Downs Ironfounders. They have turned round (very) complicated engineering castings for me in 2 weeks, and the price is very reasonable. Nigel, who owns it is very approachable, and does quite a lot of 'artistic' casting for sculptures etc, so this would not be outside his remit.http://www.hdowns.co.uk/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GNJC Posted August 29, 2012 Author Share Posted August 29, 2012 Thanks for that John; the foundry does take its time, but big advantages are its prices, proximity and the fact that the foreman is a pretty decent bloke. Downs has been suggested by someone else, so they must do pretty good work to be so well thought of. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jonny Foreigner Posted September 12, 2012 Share Posted September 12, 2012 Hey Giles, Any news? Dog that barks loudest and all that... Regards Guy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GNJC Posted September 13, 2012 Author Share Posted September 13, 2012 Hi, yes casting is being done tomorrow and Monday, I was waiting for the results before posting anything though, since even with the right temp' and alloy the results are not guaranteed. Apologies, I must admit that I've not been on the case as much as I ought - a new baby and and an old parent have taken up far more time than I'd have thought possible... a second child really does involve far more than a 100% more work than the first! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jonny Foreigner Posted September 13, 2012 Share Posted September 13, 2012 Thanks for the update, sounds promising. Completely understand regarding children, from 1 to 2 the effort seems to be exponential and with 3 you start to question your own sanity and find the red wine glass size increases - I'm currently up to dimple mug :wacko: next stop might be a full yard! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GNJC Posted September 19, 2012 Author Share Posted September 19, 2012 The first lot of new castings have been done, I've not been to the foundry but the foreman reckons only one is up to par. He'll do a few more with an extra top riser and I'll 'phone him on Monday (24th) to see how they come out. As before, I'm not keen to pass on blocks that I think aren't to a sufficiently high standard; although, following advice / feedback, I'm not going to be quite as fastidious as before since people seem happy to do a fair bit of dressing themselves. Three children was the original plan and still is... sometimes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beth Posted September 19, 2012 Share Posted September 19, 2012 giles good news - dont worry about the hurry factor, it will take as long as it takes - this aint your full time job ( yet :) ) am very much looking forward to getting mine though :) infact was thinking about it today randomluy. regarding the children, you have my sympathies, i am three deep here, and it is pure work in the early stages isnt it! hang in there! ( and dont have any more! ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GNJC Posted September 24, 2012 Author Share Posted September 24, 2012 I spoke to the foundry this afternoon and will head over later in the week to pick up some blocks. The boss sounded a bit gloomy, so I'm not quite sure what to expect. I do know that he was a bit irked by the previous 'failure rate' and gave a pretty broad hint that if I wasn't happy with things this time it would be time to part brass rags once and for all. Of course there are other foundries (some mentioned earlier and others I know too) but even the cheapest would mean a price rise of over £50 and that is assuming that they can cast the blocks well enough. I'll post pics of the blocks I get as and when I have them (probably Friday). Thoughts and advice on this matter gratefully received. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beth Posted September 25, 2012 Share Posted September 25, 2012 giles it sounds like your having a total nightmare with these blocks, what a shame... im at a bit of a loss as to why, so i cant really offer any advice on the solution... i would dearly love my block, and i suppose adding another 50 quid will have to be... but i understand also if you want to back out of the whole agreement if its turning into a monster that has his hands round your throat as you sleep ;) i know how these things can be. if your the anxious type it may well not be worth it! i am in contact with an iron foundry about some sculpture so if you liek i will ask them what they think - its a contact i have literally only just made, and i have no idea what the standard or really, what they will do. they have agreed in principle to do some small sculptures for me. i will email them and see if they have any advice if you like? im SURE however, that im not the best person to get this thing resolved, things in my life tend to get worse rather than get resolved :) its a kind of pattern id rather not involve the wider community in!!! :) but if you like i can try, i feel like this should have gone smoother for you - annoying that its been such a ball ache... how many did you get done to your satisfaction in the end? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GNJC Posted September 28, 2012 Author Share Posted September 28, 2012 I have the blocks and they are pretty good; a minor problem on one but a bit of work with a dremmel should sort it out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jonny Foreigner Posted October 22, 2012 Share Posted October 22, 2012 Received my block today, big thank you to Giles for a great product and arranging a good, competitively priced transporter to France. The casting is top notch, obviously needs to be dressed and polished up on the working surfaces but nothing problematic as the basic casting is "tres propre" as the french would say. Looking forward to the mandrel next Giles... ;) :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Candidquality Posted May 29, 2014 Share Posted May 29, 2014 I know this is a tad old, but curious as to how well these are holding up after a few years work. Any updates? Did that one ever get it's mirror polish from the silversmith? find a decent caster? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GNJC Posted June 1, 2014 Author Share Posted June 1, 2014 Hello, as you may have gathered if you read this thread, I'm not a full time smith, just an amateur with a (just about) paying hobby. A block did go to a silversmith, but not the one who originally enquired. I've lost contact with that one too, but I believe it was her intention to get a mirror polish - I guess she would have to. Of the other blocks cast I have not had anyone come back to me with a complaint. My own block is in use and has not shown any sign of suffering. As for the foundry... still a love-hate relationship; very good work and at a good price but simply never reliable as to when. All that written, the real world has intruded on my smithing - another baby and the necessity of doing more work has meant less time at the anvil. But, with luck that will change soon and both the swage block and some other items will be back in production. It has just occurred to me that I should mention what I would do differently on the block; there is only one thing I would change, I would leave out the leaf-vein pattern and either put another recessed pattern of some sort in the space left or leave it flat for use as a local 'anvil' when using the block. On future castings this veining will be absent, I shall fill in the veins on the pattern. The veining didn't work because to allow it to be cast it needs to be of a minimum size, that size is too big for the desired purpose. Other than that I am very pleased with the design. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Budd Posted June 2, 2014 Share Posted June 2, 2014 Well, my block gets used :) I think I've already mentioned some of the uses that I have found for it earlier in this thread. I've also started using a few elements of it for making tapered ferrules. I agree that the veining doesn't work, but it was an experiment after all. I may grind it off and make a very shallow round swage in there instead. I've still not got around to dressing it properly, just enough to do what I need it to do. The only damage it has sustained are a couple of small dents caused by errant blows with the cross peen of a hammer whilst beating a piece of tool steel into spout swage (making an auger), nothing more than would appear on an anvil or any other swage All in all, a good solid tool. still :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the iron dwarf Posted June 2, 2014 Share Posted June 2, 2014 I have a press and a forge, depending on thickness and shapes needed I could have a go, I also have loads of gas bottle bottom dishing forms of all sizes. I can form 10mm thick cold and a lot more than that hot Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the iron dwarf Posted June 2, 2014 Share Posted June 2, 2014 oops, had not read most of the thread and only seen recent posts, did not know you had done the blocks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Candidquality Posted June 3, 2014 Share Posted June 3, 2014 Thanks for the update. Sorry for resurrecting an older thread, but so many times I come in late and wonder what ever happened... Good to know project is still plugging along, and no complaints. Nice to know a newer cast iron can make a real difference in strength. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GNJC Posted June 3, 2014 Author Share Posted June 3, 2014 You're welcome. I don't know if you trawled through all of the thread, the 'cast iron' issue was raised early on; I used a poorly cast block as a test piece and gave it a lot of whacking. There is a youtube video of it (search GNJC block), it is not the best quality footage but is shows the block surviving a fair bit of abuse. As with Dave's, my block only has a few dents here and there from stray hammer blows, it is otherwise fine. I should have mentioned what I use most on the block, for general smithing the large 'swoosh' is very useful; the 'step' at one corner is good for all sorts of raising; the largest ladle depressions for sinking. All the other parts are used just as planned. The larger spoon recesses are pretty good for small spoons too. Thanks for the good feedback Dave; if you come up with a good, original idea to replace the veining please let me know. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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