Sorry, No Aztec gold. Maybe someday for a very special project.
I first posted this design over in the blog as Aztec Calendar. So you can go over there to see what I had say.
I have been having a string of good casts with the vacuum assist and haven't documented any of the hot pours for awhile. Actually the problem is I am as busy as a one arm wall paper hanger when doing the melting and pouring by myself. Someday I may have a photo assistant hanging out with me (aka daughter) and we can do a full sequence. The process with all the high heat and molten metal is just too dangerous to be screwing around with a camera at the same time.
So before and after shots is what there is.
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| The Tonalpohualli or Aztec calendar was cut using CNC on the Taig mill. It is about 2 inches in diameter. That is a 3" mold base. |
A lot happened between photos but here is the calendar just out of the acid pickle about a half hour after casting. The white coating is the unpolished natural color of silver |
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| I turned it a bit to show the tree structure. Then all the tree was cut off with a jeweler's saw and the stubs filed away. |
Here is is all finished and cleaned up. Weight is a whopping 48.4 grams |
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| A quick look at the shiney backside. I could engrave something here and make it personal as a gift. |
Front view with my calibrated standard human hand for size comparison. I thought I had misplaced this sizing gage but there it was, hanging on the end of my arm where I always keep it! |
