Jinx wrote:
>
> As part of a PIC project (honestly !!) I need to have some
> components made of glass. I've contacted a company who
> could cut glass with high pressure water/garnet but they
> can't guarantee the work or a low spoilage figure. They
> suggested polycarbonate, and I suggested right back at 'em
> that maybe they could cut a mould out of steel plate and I
> fill it with molten glass. If that fails they will have the cutting
> file for the metal and I'd get them to do it in polycarbonate.
>
> Has anyone in this collective brain of ours any experience,
> suggestions, tips etc for moulding glass ? Getting a smooth
> surface on the top (it's a thin disk) could be tricky. I guess I'll
> have to slide some sort of metal plate on the liquid surface


Hi Jinx! :o)
How detailed is it? How will shinkage when cooling
affect the molding of the glass? How many details
that will stick the mold? Mold release agents for
molten glass temperatures?

One system which is very classy is to look to the
new epoxy aggregate products, you can add glass
dust to your epoxy or bronze or other metal dusts
and it comes out a lot like glass or metal and
feels modern and exotic.

I got to play with some clear chess pieces that
were heavy and cold like glass, but also plasticy
to the touch. Probably about 50/50. I read the
bronze stuff is 40% epoxy and 60% bronze dust and
feels a lot like metal.

Some technology like that will look exotic and give
you all the advantages of cost and ease of
manufacture. So whatcha makin?? :o)
-Roman

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