do you have a pressure regulator on your wax injector?  What pressure are you planning to use to inject the wax?

The Tucson Shows are open.  Went to Tucson Saturday Jan 30th,  ran errands and toured the Kino park show.  Here are a few pictures

Here is a silver belt buckle I just finished

here are attached photos of the table I built.  the last photo is of the tuyere,  a safety valve if the bottom of the flask fails and molten metal is sucked into the system,  the plastic bottom melts out rather then plugging the machine

here are attached photos of the table I built.  the last photo is of the tuyere,  a safety valve if the bottom of the flask fails and molten metal is sucked into the system,  the plastic bottom melts out rather then plugging the machine

why does the vacuum chamber have to be an aluminum box?   A pc. of large diameter steel pipe with a suitable pc of plate welded to the bottom would be much easier to find.  A circular chambe would also be subject to less stress when the vacuum is pulled on the chamber.

Built a vacuum table 4 yrs ago.  Purschased a used HVAC air conditioner service vacuum,  you can find them on Craigs list quite often.  used a sheet of 1/4" aluminum for the table, drilled and tapped a hole in the center and use a sheet of red hi temp silicone gasket material for the seal.  there is an additional tapped hole with a valve off to the side to be used with a plexi bell jar that I use for debubblizing investment.

In use the standard flask is filled short of the rim by 3/8 to 1/2"  with a series of short holes drilled around the outside edge of the flask for additional surface area for the vacuum to draw on.  do not dill more the a inch deep and watch out for the location of your wax pattern.  when the flask has calcined it is placed on the gasket, the pump is started and as soon as it draws a vacuum the molten metal is poured in. 

I have pictures of the table and will see if I can find them for posting. 

All of the discussion about the 2016 shows in Quartzsite has been taking place on the 2015 thread last post DEC 17.  A friend drove by Desert Gardens yesterday and the place is full, the vendors were late arriving but they are there now.

The Desert Gardens show, The QIA Pow Wow Prospectors Panorama and a couple of other shows will both be going at that time.  The congestion in Quartzsite will be bad, because the Sports show will also be on at the same time.

The QIA Pow Wow should be going on the 23 and 24 of January, along with all the traffic from the Sports show that brings the big crowd and congestion to town.

What shows are must see's, and how many days should a person allow for a visit?

If you have access to lost wax casting equipment you could dip the portion of the tooth you want covered in silver in wax, gently remove the wax from the tooth with out breaking the wax, then you can cast the cap in silver.  you would have to coat the dipped portion in Vaseline before dipping to prevent the wax from sticking to the tooth, and you would have to scrape the interior of your wax cap to compensate for shrinkage.

When drilling your holes keep the cab submerged in water,  I use a Fordom tool [hand held] to drill and have a tuna can partially filled with wax to bring the working surface near the top of the can then fill with water.  when drilling apply intermittent pressure to allow the hole to flood with water to cool the bit and flush out any accumulated rock dust

TP

Hello Tucson.  Are you going to be our resident expert on all things Tucson Gem show? 

We are currently in Kemmerer, Wy heading south for the winter, Quartzsite then Tucson.

TP

Looking for plans for a 16 or 18" slab saw,  anyone know of plans published on line or in older issues of Lapidary Journal.   Thanks for any suggestions

TP