Pewter Casting

[mwillis]

I'm toying with making petwer casting moulds on the laser this year. Has anyone discovered a cheap material to laser engrave. In the past we cnc machined Jellutong, which lasers ok, but expensive. Our 60w can cut deep enough into MDF...but is that OK for the laser???? ...any other tips anyone please?!

[bob]

Hi Mike,
Mdf can be used well on lasers our 60 watt cuts 6mm and leaves a good finish. Try looking for mdf that feels furry on the edge this cuts easier as it has less "resin" and more fibres try Hindleys in sheffield they sell a low voc or laserable one.
If youre moulding pewter Brockworth school were using hardboard as a sandwich piece when casting broaches lasered out.
Aparrently you can laser into pewter but I am not sure

[HPCLaser]

Hi Bob
This is correct I would look at acrylic as an option as Pewter when it moulds moulds quickly and cools fast it depends on the amount of metal involved
Good luck

[Bernie_of_CPE]

Hi Guys,

I would look at the silicone mould making materials from Alec Tiranti Ltd. I cast white metal alloys including Pewter into a cold curing rubber compounds. This is how a lot of white metal figures are made so it very much depends what you need to make. There are centrifugal systems, they sell a decent one for under £1000. I would be tempted to laser cut the master template and cast in silicone.

[HPCLaser]

Lasering onto pewter ..
We tried it today at a school in huddersfield and sorry a cut line on high power is the best we could get .
Thermark works well dut I expected better with the low melting point
Help anyone ????