Making these

[mandoro]

I know I am a beginner and I need to be learning the basics and I plan on doing so with making my own tools (hammers, tongs, chisels, punches, and hardies), but I have a million ideas running through my head right now about things to make.

Now I go to Texas A&M and some people around here and real hardcore on aggie merchandise. So I thought of maybe transposing a couple of our "symbols" on various products.

Now here are the pictures I am trying to change. There are a couple others, but these are the hardest.

Texas A&M Industrial and Systems Engineering (the dog)

http://www.aggiemoms.org/pages/traditions/images/bonfire_big.jpg
OR
http://www.tailgatershandbook.com/Images/tamc3.jpg

http://theory.gsi.de/~vanhees/images/Texas_AandM_University_seal.png

I was thinking about casting, but I dont have a clue about how to do that. I could chisel it all away and I would be willing to, I was just wondering if there were a more efficient way.

Im guessing that if I were to sell these items that I would have to get an ok from somebody? Im pretty sure that some of these items are trademarked.

Finally, I was wondering if it is possible to paint metal. Ive seen a couple of demos where the person painted to rose red. I would be interested in that as well

[Sam Salvati]

It would be easiest to etch those in with acid.

[mandoro]

etching with acid? How do you do that, it sounds dangerous O.O

[cheftjcook]

Mandoro, Just my 2 cents worth...But you may want to check out this page,
Texas A&M University - Trademark Licensing

Maybe you need to go a slightly different direction with your Idea.
Just a thought, you could forge a branding iron incorporating the similar letters and star without Trademark & Licensing problems. Kind of pulls together the fire theme and other elements of the school and could really be a neat item for resale. Who knows, Frats may buy them for part of their initiation rituals. Not that they would use'm mind you, But..... It would be a wild new school tradition you would be starting.
Good Luck
Tim

[ladysmith]

Pewter is soft enough to easily cast. My suggestion (if you want a hand-forged look) would be to actually forge out the symbol. Having stated you understand the trademark issues, I won't go into that.) For this purpose be sure to forge out something that isn't detailed in back.

Once you forge out the symbol to your liking, you'll need to make a mold of it. While pewter melts low enough a business card can be taped and folded into a mold (Hint: think knife guards right on your handle and blade) , it isn't appropriate for what you want.

A great mold material for pewter is the high temperature gasket goop found at auto body shops. Find an appropriate sized container to hold the goop. The next couple of steps have to be done fast because the gasket goop hardens quickly. It's best to prepare the symbol before squeezing out the goop. Rub a light coating of vasoline all over your symbol. While you're at it, rub some vasoline inside your container. Next squeeze the gasket goop into your container (keeping air bubbles out) to twice the depth of your symbol. Carefully wiggle your symbol into the top of gasket goop. Make sure you don't completely cover the symbol. Let cure to dry.

When the gasket goop fully cures, take it out of the container. Flex the goop to retrieve the forged symbol. You now have a mold!

You now need pewter. You can search online for a supplier, or look for inexpensive local sources. Search around at the local thrift store for those pewter mugs with the glass bottoms that all college people seem to collect. Make sure it says pewter on the bottom. The prices generally under $3.

Ok you've found a couple of mugs...what about the glass? Pewter is soft enough you should be able to crunch the mug with your gloved hands until the glass breaks. (Don't forget the safety glasses too.) Once the glass breaks you can easily separate it from the pewter. Dispose of the glass properly.

Next you will need a simple plumber's propane torch like the kind they have at most hardware stores. Place your crunched mug in a small old pan with a long handle (one you won't ever use for food again). Place it on something non-flammable. Turn on your torch and wave over the mug until it melts. You'll be surprised how little time is actually needed. While pewter melts at a rather low temperature, it is still hot enough for burns...safety is always your first consideration.

Carefully pour the liquid pewter just to the top of your gasket mold. It should harden just as quickly as it melted. When cool, flex your mold enough to pop out your first cast Aggie symbol.

Depending on the complexity of your design, and how carefully you pop out the symbols, you should be able to reuse your mold many times.

On a side note, I melt all of the mugs into small batches for easier storage.

Good luck and let me know how it works for you.

Pam

[mandoro]

Tim, the trademark issue was expected (I just didn't know the degree) and is only a mere obstacle. I read their "terms" so to speak and I what I plan to use it for will be allowed, I just have to get it approved by them first.

I do like the idea about the branding iron though. The thing about that is it isn't "legal" under their terms because they can cause harm, but like you said, some alteration and I should be alright.

Pam, I like this type of casting seems easy after I get the hang of it. Although I wonder how this mold actually works, Im just trying to get a visual of how it looks when finished. I think I know what it looks like, but how do I use the mold to shape other metals? If what I am visualizing is correct you have something roughly in the shape of a small hill and how would I use that to make other shapes using the mold?

[ladysmith]

Mandoro,

I think you are confused. You have to shape the original metal THEN use the mold to make copies. The mold itself looks like a square or circular piece of hardened gasket goop that has a reverse of the original pressed into the top. Think of pressing a symbol into sand and the impression it leaves. Does that make more sense?

On another note a Dremel or Fordom and some diamond bits can be used to cut some of these symbols into your products. If you cut deep enough and do a slight undercut at the edges, the pewter can then be poured into that cut out to create a nice contrast.

You will have a bit of clean up and polishing to do, but it's pretty easy with pewter.


Pam

[mandoro]

That is how I visualized it. What I was talking about up there was the pewter mold. I was just wondering how you are supposed to get metal to conform to the shape of the pewter mold?

[ladysmith]

Ok, you still don't understand. The metal won't conform to the pewter. The pewter is just a copy of something else.

I think I misunderstood your original post. I thought you wanted to cast metal. Pewter is a metal, whose melting point is low enough to easily cast. If you want to cast iron, you need a foundry. I'm not sure if the backyard foundries get high enough to melt iron. Do a search on "backyard foundries". They also include some stuff on mold making.

I wish I could help you more, but I've reached my knowledge limit on casting.

Pam

[mandoro]

Oh ok, I understand now. I dont know why I was thinking pewter was some kind of plaster of paris type stuff.

Well that gives me an another way of doing this

[ThomasPowers]

If you want to cast iron in your back yard you want to build a cupola furnace.

Stewart Marshal is the name to look for when researching them. (hope I spelled it right) Lindsey Books usually has some works on cupola building and running.

[mandoro]

Cool, thanks. Ill definantly look it up. I just finished my anvil stand and forge, so new project to start is always welcome.

[yesteryearforge]

Mandoro
Nice anvil and the forge ashgate was what I was trying to exlain on another thread.
Nice job
Mike