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Looking for foundry to cast brass in SW Ontario

DaveinGuelph

DaveinGuelph

Member
Hi all,

I've searched without success to find a Canadian source for simple, thick-walled (0.25") brass tube in diameters from 2" to 3". 6" lengths. I'd turn to final profiles on a lathe. I'm planning to make bezels for gauges.

So, I have a lot of brass bits and bobs and thought casting could be the answer. Does anybody know of a friendly foundry in Ontario, west of Toronto? The mold would be very simple.

Thank you all
 
This subject has been brought up before.....

canadianhobbymetalworkers.com

Looking for a someone who can cast and manufacture items from Brass

Hello everyone, I'm venturing down a new road. I'm getting into the custom manufacture of Scottish sporrans as a hobby. Many include brass cantles and cones on them. There just don't seem to be many suppliers of such items anymore. Most parts are made in in Pakistan and sadly the quality and...
canadianhobbymetalworkers.com canadianhobbymetalworkers.com
 
No personal experience, but the Toronto Society of Model Engineers used to publish a list of suppliers, including:

Riverside Brass & Aluminum Foundry
175 Waterloo Street New Hamburg, ON
800-265-2197 519-662-2500

Molton Metallurgy, Inc.
20 Lee Ave
Paris, Ontario N3L 3T6
519-442-6371

Skara Metal Foundry
930 Kamato Road Mississauga, ON
905-625-9083

Please let us know what you find out. I suspect that these places would have a minimum order that may be a show-stopper. Perhaps they would be able to fill your order when they're already pouring something with the same alloy you want? I suspect they'll need you to supply a pattern (that accounts for shrinkage).

You might also contact Sculpture Supply Canada. They supply bronze and aluminum ingots for artists so they may know of local foundries that will accommodate small orders.

sculpturesupply.com

Sculpture Supply Canada - Mold Making, Sculpture, Casting

For all your sculpting, mold making, and casting supplies, just visit or call Sculpture Supply Canada, Canada's leading supplier of products and services specifically for artists and industry since 1988. Located in Toronto, Ontario.
sculpturesupply.com sculpturesupply.com

Finally, is it possible to create the parts you want out of another material (steel?) and then have them electro-plated? DIY plating is well within the realm of possibility.

Craig
(There are a couple of other places in the TSME list that will pour cast iron.)
 
Is this the same project?

canadianhobbymetalworkers.com

Looking for someone to turn brass in Guelph, KW or Cambridge

(Absolute Newbie) I'm a hobbyist woodworker, with zero metalwork experience. But I'm intrigued by the potential to integrate metal with wood into some funky art projects. (Yes, I have that much time on my hands :D) I'm looking for anyone who's willing to discuss a small, brass prototype "thing"...
canadianhobbymetalworkers.com canadianhobbymetalworkers.com
 
Sorry for being a Debbier Downer, but good luck. Don't know any that cast brass. Bronze, there are options - search for monument plaque casting. Then there is the hobby friendly challenge, double jeopardy lol.

You get anything done for a price, but I bet it will be cheaper to buy brass bar (360) or plate (353) and machine away what you don't need. Those numbers are the free machining flavours which you want.....lots of kinds of brass and those two are the dreams among the duds (machinability wise)

That, or roll it and silver solder the ends then machine

PS. i have some 4.25 1/8 wall brass tubing I'd sell some of if that size was of interest., bit bigger than what you stated.
 
The same folks who run Sculpture Supply also run MST Bronze. They do lost wax ceramic shell casting, among other processes. My recollection is they do brass, but not necessarily every week, or even every month, so you might have to wait a bit. Myros is an excellent guy, though. (And was behind Metalcraft magazine years ago, if anyone bumped into that)

Skara does exclusively sand casting, so you’d need to supply a core pattern for them. Prices have gone up in the last few years, but they’re still pretty affordable, relatively speaking. I’m not sure they do brass, we (work) have only used them for aluminum.

When I was in the spinning shop (Harnisch Lamps) up the road yesterday, they were cleaning up a run of the brass boot jacks Lee Valley sells, I’ll see if they know what foundry cast them.
 
YYCHM said:
Is this the same project?

canadianhobbymetalworkers.com

Looking for someone to turn brass in Guelph, KW or Cambridge

(Absolute Newbie) I'm a hobbyist woodworker, with zero metalwork experience. But I'm intrigued by the potential to integrate metal with wood into some funky art projects. (Yes, I have that much time on my hands :D) I'm looking for anyone who's willing to discuss a small, brass prototype "thing"...
canadianhobbymetalworkers.com canadianhobbymetalworkers.com
Click to expand...
Yup. I'm just waiting for the weather to turn (SW Ontario). Then I'll be getting my first metal lathe. This group is very, very helpful. The lathe is one thing. Getting brass stock is the other.
 
trlvn said:
No personal experience, but the Toronto Society of Model Engineers used to publish a list of suppliers, including:

Riverside Brass & Aluminum Foundry
175 Waterloo Street New Hamburg, ON
800-265-2197 519-662-2500

Molton Metallurgy, Inc.
20 Lee Ave
Paris, Ontario N3L 3T6
519-442-6371

Skara Metal Foundry
930 Kamato Road Mississauga, ON
905-625-9083

Please let us know what you find out. I suspect that these places would have a minimum order that may be a show-stopper. Perhaps they would be able to fill your order when they're already pouring something with the same alloy you want? I suspect they'll need you to supply a pattern (that accounts for shrinkage).

You might also contact Sculpture Supply Canada. They supply bronze and aluminum ingots for artists so they may know of local foundries that will accommodate small orders.

sculpturesupply.com

Sculpture Supply Canada - Mold Making, Sculpture, Casting

For all your sculpting, mold making, and casting supplies, just visit or call Sculpture Supply Canada, Canada's leading supplier of products and services specifically for artists and industry since 1988. Located in Toronto, Ontario.
sculpturesupply.com sculpturesupply.com

Finally, is it possible to create the parts you want out of another material (steel?) and then have them electro-plated? DIY plating is well within the realm of possibility.

Craig
(There are a couple of other places in the TSME list that will pour cast iron.)
Click to expand...
Thank you. I've sent a message off to Riverside. Molten Metallurgy's website is broken but I'll give them a cam as they're pretty close to me
 
Mcgyver said:
Sorry for being a Debbier Downer, but good luck. Don't know any that cast brass. Bronze, there are options - search for monument plaque casting. Then there is the hobby friendly challenge, double jeopardy lol.

You get anything done for a price, but I bet it will be cheaper to buy brass bar (360) or plate (353) and machine away what you don't need. Those numbers are the free machining flavours which you want.....lots of kinds of brass and those two are the dreams among the duds (machinability wise)

That, or roll it and silver solder the ends then machine

PS. i have some 4.25 1/8 wall brass tubing I'd sell some of if that size was of interest., bit bigger than what you stated.
Click to expand...
I can actually get the tubular stock from Online Metals in the USA. Exactly the spec I need. But it's $240 for 12 inches!!. I can buy a small forge for that money. And I have lots of scrap brass stock in my shop. And so sand casting rough tubes, then turning them is probably the better option. Steep learning curve to climb though.
 
DaveinGuelph said:
I can actually get the tubular stock from Online Metals in the USA. Exactly the spec I need. But it's $240 for 12 inches!!. I can buy a small forge for that money. And I have lots of scrap brass stock in my shop. And so sand casting rough tubes, then turning them is probably the better option. Steep learning curve to climb though.
Click to expand...

This is the way :D.
 
DaveinGuelph said:
I can actually get the tubular stock from Online Metals in the USA. Exactly the spec I need. But it's $240 for 12 inches!!. I can buy a small forge for that money.
Click to expand...
I'm curious about the size of your bezels. I'm sure you know your own the math but just eyeballing: say 0.4" wide + 0.1 kerf = 0.5" slice per bezel. 240$/12" = $10/bezel. If the bezel width is thinner, lower cost still. Is that price killing your economics? Forges need to fueled or electrified & all the other consumables add up in cost too, just spread out in different ledger line items. Now if you want more intricate shapes or batches of different sized bezels, that's clearly in the domain of casting. Its too bad what used to be a common trade/service has become so specialized & expensive but it is what it is. My buddy has been strongly suggesting I get an Amazon electric forge & Petrobond or similar. I've see his work & it does the talking. But there is still lots to learn, so my investment this month has been some recommended casting books.

1711207945635.png
 
PeterT said:
I'm curious about the size of your bezels. I'm sure you know your own the math but just eyeballing: say 0.4" wide + 0.1 kerf = 0.5" slice per bezel. 240$/12" = $10/bezel. If the bezel width is thinner, lower cost still. Is that price killing your economics? Forges need to fueled or electrified & all the other consumables add up in cost too, just spread out in different ledger line items. Now if you want more intricate shapes or batches of different sized bezels, that's clearly in the domain of casting. Its too bad what used to be a common trade/service has become so specialized & expensive but it is what it is. My buddy has been strongly suggesting I get an Amazon electric forge & Petrobond or similar. I've see his work & it does the talking. But there is still lots to learn, so my investment this month has been some recommended casting books.

View attachment 45859
Click to expand...
I've done the calc's and yes, you're right. Each bezel is about 3/8" high(wide). So I figured about 12 to 16 bezel could be machined from a 12" piece. But I'm a complete novice (so <12 (hah!).

But I've got a lot of scrap brass in my shop, that cost me nothing.

Here's a picture to give an idea. The left one is a complete, but old, gas regulator valve. The one on the right is new, brass body but it had a plastic, one-piece bezel/face. AND the piece of ABS I just pulled out is the exact size of the rough brass tube I'd need to machine. So I'm thinking to use the ABS as my pattern in a sand casting and get a cheap propane forge from Vevor. I'm retired and I've got extended healthcare :).
IMG_6716.jpeg
 
Shop up the street says the brass castings came from Steve’s Castings Ltd., in Scarborough. No idea what alloy, they just clean them up and make them shine.
 
DaveinGuelph said:
I've done the calc's and yes, you're right. Each bezel is about 3/8" high(wide). So I figured about 12 to 16 bezel could be machined from a 12" piece. But I'm a complete novice (so <12 (hah!).

But I've got a lot of scrap brass in my shop, that cost me nothing.

Here's a picture to give an idea. The left one is a complete, but old, gas regulator valve. The one on the right is new, brass body but it had a plastic, one-piece bezel/face. AND the piece of ABS I just pulled out is the exact size of the rough brass tube I'd need to machine. So I'm thinking to use the ABS as my pattern in a sand casting and get a cheap propane forge from Vevor. I'm retired and I've got extended healthcare :).
View attachment 45861
Click to expand...
If you have lots of scrap brass it can always be sold to a local scrappie and used to purchase the proper stock.

It will take considerable time to machine and polish each bezel. If $10/bezel for material is a concern then what is your expected hourly wage to get the desired selling price? Or is this only a hobby?

Just thinking that you should consider all costs (positive and negative) plus desired profit.
 
DaveinGuelph said:
But I've got a lot of scrap brass in my shop, that cost me nothing.

Here's a picture to give an idea. The left one is a complete, but old, gas regulator valve. The one on the right is new, brass body but it had a plastic, one-piece bezel/face. AND the piece of ABS I just pulled out is the exact size of the rough brass tube I'd need to machine. So I'm thinking to use the ABS as my pattern in a sand casting and get a cheap propane forge from Vevor. I'm retired and I've got extended healthcare :).
Click to expand...

Take lots of pictures :)
 
DaveinGuelph said:
And by coincidence, A piece of ABS pipe happens to be the near-exact dimension. Use it as a pattern. A cheap forge from Vevor, casting sand and lots of learning (and propane).
Click to expand...
Now you're talking :D

One thing I want to experiment with when I get a bigger propane/waste oil foundry going is centrifugal pipe casting. In all the videos I've seen, the equipment is very easy to make. The knowledge required to get good results, can be learned, and gained through a few trial and error castings, but it doesn't look all that difficult compared to sand casting and pattern making.

What got me headed down that road is a cheap and easy way to cast stock for cylinder liners from iron.

 
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