How can i make a gap in my mould

[Conor Saxton]

So i'm trying to make a mould of an old axe head i have (which i believe is viking inspired) to bronze cast as a gift. I use green sand to make my mould so my problem is that i can't get a mould to keep the gap in the axe-head. 

The only idea i have come up with is putting a steel rod made into the shape of the gap and putting it into the mould but i would prefer an alternative as this would take a lot of time and i don't think i have the proper tools.

If anyone can come up with an alternative way i would appreciate it.

[wpearson]

use a sand core.

[Buzzkill]

Assuming you are casting this so that the axe eye is vertical you could make a post in the shape of the eye from whatever material you would use if you were doing lost wax casting.  If you embed that in your sand that should retain your eye shape and you can just chip it out after the bronze cools - I think.

[ThomasPowers]

Perhaps a molasas bound baked sand core.  A fairly basic casting  process; where are you learning your sand casting from?

[Conor Saxton]

Thanks for the suggestions ill give the sand core a try and hope it works. And ThomasPowers i learnt the basics from a friend and im trying to build on that from forums

[JHCC]

Hi, Conor, and welcome to IFI. If you haven't yet, please READ THIS FIRST.

[John in Oly, WA]

You can use sodium silicate as a binder for making sand cores, but you need to either bake it or gas it with CO2 to get it to harden. Google "making sand cores".