[ExI] horseshoes, was: RE: i predict chaos

[Dave S]

On Wed, Jan 5, 2022 at 3:55 PM spike jones via extropy-chat <
extropy-chat at lists.extropy.org> wrote:

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> *From:* extropy-chat <extropy-chat-bounces at lists.extropy.org> *On Behalf
> Of *Adrian Tymes via extropy-chat
> *Sent:* Wednesday, January 5, 2022 10:07 AM
> *To:* ExI chat list <extropy-chat at lists.extropy.org>
> *Cc:* Adrian Tymes <atymes at gmail.com>
> *Subject:* Re: [ExI] horseshoes, was: RE: i predict chaos
>
>
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> On Wed, Jan 5, 2022 at 9:23 AM spike jones via extropy-chat <
> extropy-chat at lists.extropy.org> wrote:
>
> As I was typing a reply, an idea occurred to me.  Perhaps you have seen
> someone make a sandcast something at home, using molten aluminum.  You make
> the model out of a kind of specialty wax, then you pack around it with a
> fine-grained sand mixed with a specialty silicate infused ceramic epoxy
> stuff, let that harden, then pour molten aluminum onto the model, the wax
> melts and flows away, chip away the mold and there’s your aluminum thing
> the same shape as the wax model.
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>
> OK, well I suppose one could make a horseshoe that way, but another idea
> would be to make your model out of tin/lead 37/63 eutectic, as used in the
> electronics industry for solder.  That way the model would be soft enough
> to work with a hammer without making all that racket that hot steel makes
> when you work it and it would still be rigid enough to do the kinds of fit
> checks and such that the modeling wax isn’t strong enough to withstand.
> Example: tap a threaded hole in the tin/lead model, that might create a
> workable threaded hole in a sand casting.
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>
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> When your cast sets up, Turn the casting upside down, put it in an
> ordinary propane webber grill full blast, let the metal melt and flow out
> since it only needs to get to 180C.  rig up a homebrew blast furnace with a
> leaf-blower and charcoal, with the structure made of those interlocking
> garden-wall stones, where you substitute metal pins in place of the plastic
> ones to hold them in place.
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> Now you have your horseshoe shaped cavity (or cavity shaped like a car
> part (such as an adapter plate)) in your sand cast, your crucible of molten
> iron, ready to pour.  Hmmm… pretty expensive horseshoe perhaps.  But we
> would have fun rigging up the stuff we would need.
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>
>
> So here's another idea.
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> Start with my old programmable shape array -
> https://patents.google.com/patent/US6487454B1/en - pressing a disposable
> surface coated with something that hardens with electricity.  (I hear that
> a paste of corn starch + silicone oil hardens up to a consistency similar
> to concrete with 12V @ 500 mA.)  Press it into the shape of the mold you
> want (as designed in some CAD tool), apply electricity, remove the array
> (since it might not stand up to high heat), pour the molten iron, wait for
> it to cool, cease applying electricity so the mold becomes soft, and remove
> the mold…
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> Now yer thinking Adrian!
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> Before we do that however, we aughta get a 3D printer, make something, get
> one of those kits people used back in the olden days when kids had hot rods
> and were sand casting custom pistons (note to our younger audience: a “hot
> rod” is a car or bike with a modified… (oh never mind (we had fun.)))  I
> suppose we can still find that stuff somewhere.
>
>
>
> We make a model on a 3D printer, pack the ceramic mud around it, heat cure
> the mold in a webber grill, pour in the molten iron (or we might even be
> able to use steel) on top of the plastic model which boils away, you get an
> iron whatever it was we printed.  Adrian in your case since you are in the
> space biz, we use aluminum which is easier to work with than molten iron.
>
>
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> Full disclosure: I haven’t done this procedure myself.  I have seen it
> done only, but since I haven’t actually done it, I assume that I suck.
>

3D printing is cool, but when you get serious about it, you call it
"additive manufacturing". My soon to be ex-employer does some of this:

   https://www.ornl.gov/content/additive-manufacturing

Including the first 3D printed parts used in a nuclear reactor:


https://www.ornl.gov/news/nuclear-reactor-components-3d-printed-ornl-now-installed-tva-browns-ferry-nuclear-plant

Printing horseshoes would be easy but probably not economical, yet.

-Dave
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