Potmetalman

Yes Sir. That's almost the same process but I've found that I get better results with castable resin and Ceramic Shell over sold mold vacuum casting. Depending on your printing equipment, with resin printing you can get down to .025 layer thickness so thin that there's not layer patterns. Down side is, it takes longer to print, but you get far better castings...

...With lost wax, theres no way to scale for shrinkage.

Hey Gary. I do 3D print and import into Autocad for reverse engineering to clean up the pattern to prepare it for printing.

Yes, but it depends on the part and materials that are used? For instance, I do a prototype casting first to check dimensions. If it shrinks i scale it up a bit and do another casting until it comes around. Usually with the parts I do, the shrinkage is roughly 3% and I build that into the model prior to prototype casting. 70% of the time it's on the money. Thanks

Hey Brother. Sure I can make ya a set, but I need at least one side, in order to make a complete set. If you've got one that's in rough shape, I can use that as well. Thanks for reaching out. James Ruther - The Pot Metal Man

Hello Everyone. I thought you'll might like to see this 1941 Cadillac Convertible vent window that I just created? The guy had been looking around for a 2 or 3 years LT side and finally decided to call in make the request. So what we did was digitally copied RT side, flipped it and made a matching LT side. The polished one is the newly created frame. Hope ya'll find it interesting. :) Thanks.

Could you imagine if they manufactured a car like this form cratch today how much it would cost? I Imagine it would be well over a milion dallars!

Hello, thought I'd throw a couple cents into the mix here? What you described above is how most will attempt to fill pinholes and or crators, however the oldschool way is still a far better method. First let's talk about Strike, Sionide copper to pot metal. The acid copper is usually referred to as "strike" plating. This is the most recognized phrase that describes the only way to get common copper to stick to pot metal. Strike plating only needs to be done a once, maybe twice then you're on to conventional copper plating to build up the substrate. The problem with building up the surface is it builds all over in areas you don't need it. This is where you run into issues for fitment etc. Sure one can go in and sand, grind or the like to remove the unneeded material, but without the vehicle how are they going to make them fit much less, what chrome shop would go to such lengths?? I'd say slim an none... Alternitively, the siad "pitted, cratored" pot metal can be stripped of decaying top layer, the larger pinholes and or crators can be welded in and plained off, filling the bad areas with new "pot metal" then sent to a plater that will final prep the part(s) and have them strike plated and couple layers of conventional copper to resurface. Now, there will always be something that the copper will not cover without having the eccess build up, so what then? Simple. They will lead those areas like bondo on sheetmetal, send back thru the copper plating line of a couple more layers like primer over bondo and sheetmetal... The final step is to smooth out the copper 400 to 600 grit then polish it to a mirror like finish. if surface will support what the customer wants, if off to nickel and finally chrome. All that's needed now is polishing. Granted, I'm not a plater and I'm sure there are hacks that can be done successfully, but working with the many chrome shops, this is what I know about plating Pot Metal. Anyhow, I apologize for any typos and or bad grammar. If I were a writer, I would've been a politician and not a pot metal weldin' fool! lol

The gauge can be investment casted in bronze using the CAD file as well. investment casting would have eliminated the layer/bleed lines in the print. Regardless, it's a nice part.

Pot metal when heated just a little bit swells up quite a lot. One could put a little heat on it, with say a heat gun and it might come loose for you. Pot metal is much tougher than most think. Sure, it will fall apart if you use an LP torch or the like; which one could use. However they'd be much safer with a little extra time and not so much instant heat. Just food for thought...

Hello everyone. I recently repaired a client's 1953 Buick special hood bar, sent it back to him via ups with $1500 insurance coverage and they lost it. Ups' resolotion was to send my $100 to cover that cost. Are you kidding me?? Absolutely no integrity whatsoever.. Bottomline, my client does not deserve this so I am going to replace the part. If anyone has a lead on one of these, I would greatly appreciate it if you wounldn't mind, letting my know where I can find it. Thanks James Ruther - Pot metal repair

Hello. I'm looking for a 1931 Buick Trico SX-2 wiper vacuum motor. If you have one that you'd like to sell, please contact me as soon as it's convenient.

Thabk you!

Sherm's doesn't do their own. They send their stuff out. Know this for a fact. 👍

We are located in Vacaville California... Also I had forgotten to leave the page link to the grille: https://potmetal.repair/lincoln-zephyr-grille-repair/