Understanding Business Issues

Tips For Injection Wax Casting Precious Metal Jewelry Pieces

13 October 2017 by Connie Hanson

If you recently purchased the equipment to cast your own precious metal jewelry pieces but aren't getting the results you expected, then you will be pleased to know there are many small things you can do that will make a world of difference. Since something as small as a human hair or an air bubble can completely ruin a piece, it is important you take special care while preparing your injection wax molds. To this end, follow these tips to ensure you obtain professional results with every precious metal casting:

Tip: Reduce Air Bubbles by Using Rubber Molds with Vent Lines

If the hot wax you inject into your rubber mold has bubbles in it, then your final metal casting will have an unsightly hole or bump on its surface. To avoid this casting failure, you should always use rubber molds that have vent lines cut into them. As their name implies, vent lines prevent air bubbles from forming between the rubber mold and the injection wax by venting it outside rather than trapping it.

Tip: Never Mix Hard and Soft Wax in Your Injection System

When you are preparing your mold's injection wax, it is important that you are consistent in the wax you use. Different waxes melt at different temperatures and if you mix a low-melting and high-melting wax together in your melting pot, then the resulting mold may develop bubbles or cracks.

The best way to avoid wax problems is to always use the same type of wax purchased from the same supplier. If this isn't possible, then empty the melting pot at the end of each project before you add new wax.

Tip: Blow the Condensation Out of Your Air Compressor's Lines before Blowing Out the Wax

Before you connect your air compressor's lines of your wax melting pot, first clear any condensation out of the lines by blowing some air through them. Condensation can build up as you store your compressor in your workshop, and removing it will help to reduce casting failures due to water bubbles.

Tip: Use a Vibration Plate Under Your Injection Molds to Eliminate Bubbles

Finally, even if you follow each of the tips above, your molds may still have some random air bubbles. For this reason, you should always use a vibration plate under the molds. Placing a full mold on a vibration plate will bring air bubbles to the surface so they can flow out the vent lines in your molds.

Contact a company, like Au Enterprises, for more help.

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