Hollow casting and full casting (1 Viewer)

[TomB]

I believe the early Britain TS were hollow cast....Why ?...to save lead in production ?.....surely hollow casting would be more difficult than full figure casting .....I know nothing about casting so I am curious to know why ... to a layman like me the more difficult hollow casting ( I presume ) would be a slower production method...but...the 1930's was a totally different time than today so they would be doing what was reverent to the period I guess....TomB

 

[snowyowl]

I believe the early Britain TS were hollow cast....Why ?...to save lead in production ?.....surely hollow casting would be more difficult than full figure casting .....I know nothing about casting so I am curious to know why ... to a layman like me the more difficult hollow casting ( I presume ) would be a slower production method...but...the 1930's was a totally different time than today so they would be doing what was reverent to the period I guess....TomB

According to Joplin's book Toy Soldiers, it took about 1/3 the amount of lead to make a hollow-cast than it took to make a solid figure. That substantially reduce the cost of manufacturing.

 

[TomB]

According to Joplin's book Toy Soldiers, it took about 1/3 the amount of lead to make a hollow-cast than it took to make a solid figure. That substantially reduce the cost of manufacturing.

That is what I thought.....I read a article about Britain's about ten yrs ago reference the way he cast his TS...cannot remember much about it now....that is why I wondered if anyone knew how it was done...would be over 60 yrs since I had a hollow cast soldier and I think they stood up pretty well to wear and tare...cheers TomB

 

[theBaron]

The big savings was on shipping costs, and on materials. The casters turned out hundreds in a day. The process took a couple of seconds per figure, from pouring the metal in, to waiting a beat for the hollow shell to form, and then a flick of the wrist of the hand holding the mold, to pour out the remaining molten metal.

The hollowcast method allowed Britain to undercut the German makers who had dominated the market previously, with their solid figures.

Prost!
Brad

 

[TomB]

The big savings was on shipping costs, and on materials. The casters turned out hundreds in a day. The process took a couple of seconds per figure, from pouring the metal in, to waiting a beat for the hollow shell to form, and then a flick of the wrist of the hand holding the mold, to pour out the remaining molten metal.

The hollowcast method allowed Britain to undercut the German makers who had dominated the market previously, with their solid figures.

Prost!
Brad

Thanks for that...must be a reason why they do not do hollow now....weakness in figures ?....maybe someone who collects early Britain's could give an opinion on the for and against of hollow cast figures...cheers TomB

 

[thebritfarmer]

I am not sure why they don't do hollowcast anymore. I think it has to do with there not being a machine that actually does this so it has to be done by hand which would cost more than casting a solid model.

I don't think it has to do with weakness in the figures, toy soldiers aren't played with nowadays like they were. There are probably thousands of hollowcast figures still around so they are fairly robust and they were played with as intended.

 

[Mirof]

The mould was made of two parts holded in hands with a clamp
pouring the metal in, waiting,
returing the mould upside downand letting flow the surplus out
And you had an hollow-cast

 

[Martin Tabony]

The metal temperature has to be higher to hollow cast, therefore a metal or mineral mould is needed. These are solid moulds, so you can't get as much detail or undercuts. Modern moulds are usually made of rubber which allows greater detail but can't stand as high a heat. As far as large items such as horses I think you'll find most are cast as two halves, in order to allow for a hollow centre. Not just to save metal. An even thickness of body wall allows an even cooling of the metal and prevents pitting on the surface. The moulds also take longer to burn out.

Martin

 

[TomB]

The metal temperature has to be higher to hollow cast, therefore a metal or mineral mould is needed. These are solid moulds, so you can't get as much detail or undercuts. Modern moulds are usually made of rubber which allows greater detail but can't stand as high a heat. As far as large items such as horses I think you'll find most are cast as two halves, in order to allow for a hollow centre. Not just to save metal. An even thickness of body wall allows an even cooling of the metal and prevents pitting on the surface. The moulds also take longer to burn out.

Martin

Thank you....I can now understand why the earlier TS were not as detailed as the modern TS....not so much to do with the sculpturing but the reproduction......Rubber moulds sound strange but when you think about it...rubber is tough and heat resistance .....thank again...regards TomB

 

[theBaron]

It's true, fewer undercuts means a mold that is easier to produce, but the old molds weren't all just 2-piece clamshell molds. Many were made with inserts that allowed more sophisticated castings. For example, many molds to make a horse had a third piece that formed the space between the horse's legs and under its belly. The same principle is used with molds made of other materials, too. But that raises the cost of the mold, because it takes more work to make it.

Prost!
Brad

 

[Martin Tabony]

It's true, fewer undercuts means a mold that is easier to produce, but the old molds weren't all just 2-piece clamshell molds. Many were made with inserts that allowed more sophisticated castings. For example, many molds to make a horse had a third piece that formed the space between the horse's legs and under its belly. The same principle is used with molds made of other materials, too. But that raises the cost of the mold, because it takes more work to make it.

Prost!
Brad

That then also leaves more mould lines to be removed! Even with modern materials I fiind it easier in the long run to make multiple part moulds when casting very large scale figures in "cold casting" materials.

Martin

 

[TomB]

I am not sure why they don't do hollowcast anymore. I think it has to do with there not being a machine that actually does this so it has to be done by hand which would cost more than casting a solid model.

I don't think it has to do with weakness in the figures, toy soldiers aren't played with nowadays like they were. There are probably thousands of hollowcast figures still around so they are fairly robust and they were played with as intended.

Thank you....Nice to know that they do not have another machine to put someone out of work (if they were still produced hollow cast that is).......from memory the very few I had (unpainted) stood up to a pretty rough time........thanks again...TomB