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Dfly_dies&part.jpg

DESCRIPTION:

This is a picture of a decorative press forming die.

Posted by Dar Shelton <darshelton@hotmail.com>. 

The following description was provided:

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Here's a shot of the one-step cut & form die setup I made recently. Upper 
area shows the forming mold half of the setup, which consists of a lexan 
frame mounted to a base plate. The frame has a cutout into which liquid 
steel epoxy was poured . Lower area shows the blanking die part of the deal; 
one of my infamous
one-piece, self contained, "pancake" style dies. This one is the largest I 
have cut with my gearmotor-powered jewelers saw setup. Larger ones I have 
done on a wire edm.

This setup is like what lamely attempted to describe a few months back, when 
asking about sandcasting , as I was in the middle of a similar project that 
was for a 9" by 10" leaf. I sandcast that leaf -forming component in 
aluminum and screwed it to the (very large) cutting die, and made a similar 
epoxy forming-mold. This dragonfly is roughly 6" by 6" and  zero to 3/16" 
deep. The male forming component shown (lower)  was also cast , this time  
in silver/bronze, used as the model to pour the liquid steel over, and then 
soldered to the cutting die.  Sheet metal (.020" copper here) is inserted 
into the cutting die, which is set onto the mold/base and then into the 
press it goes . The base and flat part of the mold provide necessary support 
for the blanking die, and the recessed areas are the depression into which 
the part is formed. Two- part, one-step,
cut and form , short run die setup. Also shown is one of the actual parts 
made with the dies.

A more extensive photo series plus lewd commentary is found on an obscure 
hydraulic die forming discussion group. To visit, check out 
www.bonnydoonengineering.com   and click/link to 'discussion group'.

Dar Shelton

www.sheltech.net