Gulf Coast Blacksmith Association

Aluminum Bronze Casting of a Knife Handle

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with Larry House, Tom Walker and Chuck Robinson

Slideshow

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: Tracing a pattern of the master

: Sealing the tang hole with tape

: Centering the master in the casing

: Ready to pour the rubber mold

: Pouring

: Pour complete

: Pouring the wax

: Pouring out excess wax

: Wax pour complete

: Removing the wax pattern from the mold

: Pattern sectioned to show hollow

: Attaching the sprew

: Attaching the pattern to the sprew

: Charging the crucible with copper

: Charge melting

: Adding the aluminum

: Stirring with a carbon rod

: Fluxing

: Results of the initial firing

: Second firing of the alloy

: Removing the crucible

: Pouring the ingots

: Final melting of the alloy

: Investment heating in kiln

: View down sprew hole

: Mould ready for pour

: Pouring the casting

: Pour complete

: Casting cooling

: Hosing out the investment

: Casting complete

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Fire in the Swamp 2012

Larry House of Dragons Watch Forge & Foundry will be hosting the 4th Fire in the Swamp on Sat-Sun, Mar 24-25, at his shop in Picayune MS. Fire in the Swamp is a fire based art show. That is to say the art is created using fire in the process.

This year they will be casting pewter, aluminum and iron. There will also be forging demonstrations as well as pottery (Raku) firing. This event is open to any with an interest in displaying or demonstration their art, or learning about a fire art. Information and registration can be found here.

Discoveries

See Phil Love demonstrate the craft at Colonial Day, an annual event at St. Edward the Confessor School in Metairie.

Students dressed in period costume and took part in various events reminiscent of early America life.

Watch our GCBA demonstrators do their magic at the 26th Scottish Highland Games & Celtic Music Festival.

Discover some very interesting metal art at one of the most unusual festivals in the country, the Bush Tractor Festival.

Chuck recommends the article Of Iron & Stagecraft by Trenton Ty, from the current edition of The Iron Trillium, a publication of the Ontario Artist Blacksmith Association.

Let renowned metal artist Valentin Yotkov introduce you to the ancient art of Ornamental Chasing And Repoussé: The Magic of Sculpting in Metal.

This excerpt from his upcoming book is an excellent primer on adding Repoussé and Chased items to your work.

See some of the interesting work samples presented by GCBA members at our August meeting.

We extend a warm welcome to six new members: Tom Stiegler, Caleb Stiegler, Melinda McElveen and Lyndon, Daniel and Jacob Cutler.

Read the Craftpersons Profile of GCBA Chairman Larry House in the Folklife & Folk Artist Directory of the Mississippi Arts Commission.

Check out Dennis Rohner's Portable Vise and Cristoven Cross, plus the whimsical creations of Sid Gale shown at our July meeting.

Watch Mark Haddix forge a leaf at our June meeting.

Read the biographical article on GCBA member Glen Wesley, featured in Neighbors—The Lifestyle Magazine.

See our members work the forges at our May meeting.

We extend a warm welcome to three new members: Reed Jenkins, Ben Inabinette and Bethany Creel (daughter of member Louie Creel).

Check out Tim LeMien's creative restoration of an antique fire pot.

See Chuck Robinson using a carbide reamer as a substitute for a Sen (an ancient tool) at our April meeting.

Check out our unique collection of Period Sketches, Paintings and Photos depicting blacksmithing throughout history.

Watch Tom Walker and Paul Tuger pour molten iron into sand molds at our March meeting held at Fire in the Swamp.

Discover The Legend of The Iron Worker and King Solomon and the extraordinary metal engraving by John Sartain depicting the blacksmith who challenged the great artisans at the dedication banquet of the Temple of Jerusalem.

See our new annex windows go up, and watch Larry House forging door hooks at our February meeting.

Browse our collection of Vintage Art styled after the classic American poem, The Village Blacksmith, by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow.

Ralph Oalmann, the resident blacksmith at the historic Fort Gaines on Dauphin Island, forged a horse-head horseshoe at our January Meeting.

Check out our ABANA page for links to current ABANA News Topics and sections of the ABANA website most relevant to GCBA members.

Chuck Robinson recommends the new Bronze Casting Manual written by Olivier Duhamel of New Zealand, on low-cost bronze lost wax casting of small projects.