Octagonal Pipe Fittings

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JBodenmann
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Octagonal Pipe Fittings

Post by JBodenmann »

Hello My Friends
Here is something I have been working on for a while. Modern steam had these octagonal pipe fittings and I wanted them for Jim's Berkshire. I scribbled some rough dimensions, and Jim drew them up and had Shapeways make the masters for me. Life in the future is so very cool :D .Then I made the molds for the soluble cores and main waxes. I think they came out pretty good. The octagon shape allowed them to be tightened with a normal wrench instead of a pipe wrench. This prevented them from being goobered up from the pipe wrench teeth. I have them in 1/8", 5/32", 3/16", 1/4", and 5/16" for now and 3/8" is in the works. Here is a photo of a wax with the soluble core. The soluble core (the gray stuff) will now be soaked out with water. The bottom photo shows a soluble core in the main wax mold. The mold will now be closed up and the regular wax (the blue stuff) will be injected. Quite a cool process. They are cast in bronze. Next will be 45 degree ells and also Tees. I also have tees and ells in 3/32" size but they are not the octagonal variety. I haven't decided on prices yet and will have to think about that for a while. Let me know what you think.
Jack
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Mold5.jpeg
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jeffsmith
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Re: Octagonal Pipe Fittings

Post by jeffsmith »

Hello Jack,
I am happy to hear you will be offering these pipe fittings for sale. Quality and accurate pipe fittings especially in the smaller sizes have been sorely needed. I am very interested in the 3/32" fittings. Keep up the great work.

Jeff
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Bill Shields
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Re: Octagonal Pipe Fittings

Post by Bill Shields »

must be nice to know how to do all of this stuff....
Too many things going on to bother listing them.
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JBodenmann
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Re: Octagonal Pipe Fittings

Post by JBodenmann »

Hello My Friends
Thank you Bill, and Jeff. I have been blessed with several old cats that are now sadly gone that I could always tap on the shoulder and ask how, why, and where. I miss them and wish they could see what I am up to these days.
Jack
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Dick_Morris
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Re: Octagonal Pipe Fittings

Post by Dick_Morris »

Neat! I had wondered how wax molds were cored.
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SteveR
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Re: Octagonal Pipe Fittings

Post by SteveR »

Why not make the cores out of the investment plaster directly?
Thanks,
SteveR
12x36 Enco Lathe, 9x42 Bridgeport, SMAW, O/A, Miller MIG w/gas, plasma
Not enough measuring tools...
1.5" Allen Models Consolidation on air.
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1" & 3/4" LE Projects
Measure twice, cut once, wait - it was supposed to be brass! :)
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JBodenmann
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Re: Octagonal Pipe Fittings

Post by JBodenmann »

Hello My Friends
I suppose you could make the core from investment. Core wax cools and sets up in a few minutes, usually while you insert the previous core in the mold and shoot the wax. Investment does not set quickly. The process is slow enough as it is with core wax.
Jack
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Greg_Lewis
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Re: Octagonal Pipe Fittings

Post by Greg_Lewis »

Plus soaking the core out with water is easier than digging out the hardened investment.
Greg Lewis, Prop.
Eyeball Engineering — Home of the dull toolbit.
Our motto: "That looks about right."
Celebrating 35 years of turning perfectly good metal into bits of useless scrap.
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Fender
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Re: Octagonal Pipe Fittings

Post by Fender »

Greg_Lewis wrote: Mon Jul 12, 2021 6:16 pm Plus soaking the core out with water is easier than digging out the hardened investment.
Doesn't the wax pattern, when invested, fill with investment after the core is dissolved?
Dan Watson
Chattanooga, TN
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Greg_Lewis
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Re: Octagonal Pipe Fittings

Post by Greg_Lewis »

Fender wrote: Mon Jul 12, 2021 7:03 pm
Greg_Lewis wrote: Mon Jul 12, 2021 6:16 pm Plus soaking the core out with water is easier than digging out the hardened investment.
Doesn't the wax pattern, when invested, fill with investment after the core is dissolved?

Duh. Of course. The wax wouldn't take the heat. What was I thinking. (It was 107 here today. That's my excuse.)
Greg Lewis, Prop.
Eyeball Engineering — Home of the dull toolbit.
Our motto: "That looks about right."
Celebrating 35 years of turning perfectly good metal into bits of useless scrap.
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Bill Shields
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Re: Octagonal Pipe Fittings

Post by Bill Shields »

Did you say you turned 107 today?

Congratulations!
Too many things going on to bother listing them.
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Greg_Lewis
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Re: Octagonal Pipe Fittings

Post by Greg_Lewis »

Bill Shields wrote: Mon Jul 12, 2021 9:34 pm Did you say you turned 107 today?

Congratulations!

It sure felt like it! :lol:
Greg Lewis, Prop.
Eyeball Engineering — Home of the dull toolbit.
Our motto: "That looks about right."
Celebrating 35 years of turning perfectly good metal into bits of useless scrap.
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