CLICK HERE FOR INDEX PAGE | ||
CUTTLEBONE / CUTTLEFISH CASTING | ||
V.Ryan © 2021 |
||
Cuttle fish are a deep sea mollusk, related to Octopus and Squid. They are a member of the Sepiidae family, found in the Mediterranean / tropical seas, from the Baltic to South Africa. Cuttle bone is lightweight, soft and has a chalky texture, the internal structure Cuttlefish. It is composed of natural calcium carbonate and is filled with gas, helping to keep the cuttlefish buoyant and manoeuvrable in the sea . When Cuttlefish die, their internal chalky structure, often washes up on beaches. It has been used for centuries as a treatment for rashes and skin ulcers. It is also valued by jewellers. Cuttlefish bone has several uses. When ground into a powder, it is used by jewellers as a polishing agent. Jewellers also use cuttlefish bone for creating moulds for casting, because it can withstand very high temperatures. |
||
When used for casting, cuttlefish bone must be dry. Molten metal poured into a ‘damp’ mould, can result in a failure and can also be very dangerous, even explosive. Normally, two pieces of cuttlefish bone are used to produce a mould. PREPARATION: 2. Cut away the ‘top’ of each cuttlefish bone with a hacksaw, leaving a straight edge. |
||
3. Four small locating pins / pegs are pushed into one of the cuttlefish bones. These can be made from small diameter dowel rod, steel rod or something similar. | ||
4. Both pieces of cuttlefish bone are then pressed together. The pins / pegs create holes in the surface of the second piece of cuttlefish bone. During the casting procedure, they hold the two sides in line with each other. |
||
5. A round file is used to produce the sprue, down which the molten metal will be poured. | ||
CLICK HERE FOR JEWELLERY INDEX PAGE | ||
|