The Boobpan

Rick Aiello · From: Berryville, VA USA

Fresh outta the sand ...

Alot more difficult to do ...

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Aiello's House of Gauss

My wife and I don't think alike. She donates money to the homeless and I donate money to the topless! ... R. Dangerfield

Jody Cameron · From: Angleton, TX,, USA

Hehe! Nice looking axe Rick...that little fellow standing beside it is not missing many meals, either, huh? I've got one just a little older (kid, not steel). J

Terry Farmer · From: Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA

Sweet!

[This message was edited by Terry Farmer on 15 June 2005 at 03:33 PM.]

Billy Gilbert · From: Texas, USA

Every manufacturer needs an inspection crew.

Ron Victoria · From: New Jersey, USA

As a metalshop teacher, I can really appreciate your work. What machines do you have in the shop? What happens if you get a deep hole in the casting? Are these from air?

Ron

HowardR · From: N.Y.C.-Fire Island-Asheville

Rick Aiello · From: Berryville, VA USA

Ron, there are never any large "air bubbles" ...

What you see in these photos I post immediately after a pour ... are inclusions of carbon from the type of sand I use.

It's oil-based sand ... so "steaming" is not a problem ... very little venting is needed ...

The aluminum is poured at a particular temperature ... significantly higher than its melting point.

This insures that the liquid aluminum will not "bind up" ... and it gives the charge time to spread and fill evenly ...

Any gas evolved will escape long before it solidifies.

This one was much more difficult ... because I had to empty two full "charges" (crucibles full of molten aluminum) ... into one mold.

I had to move fast between them ... because if the temperature dropped and crystalization started ...

The incoming charge would not adhere to the already layed down section ...

Most of what you see in the pictures I post right after I "dig out" ... show the "exhaust" stains from the oiled sand.

This carbon will come off with a particular solvent ... but I don't bother with that mess ...

I just take all surfaces down about 1/32" ...

Here's what the surface looks like after its cleaned up ... thats sanded to 120 grit. I'll eventually take it to 600 grit and then buff.

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Aiello's House of Gauss

My wife and I don't think alike. She donates money to the homeless and I donate money to the topless! ... R. Dangerfield

[This message was edited by Rick Aiello on 15 June 2005 at 07:15 PM.]

Rick Aiello · From: Berryville, VA USA

HowardR · From: N.Y.C.-Fire Island-Asheville

Joel Newman · From: Smithsburg, Maryland, USA

Wow!! Congrats and thanks for keeping us abreast of the situation . . .(sorry I couldn't help myself)

Rick Aiello · From: Berryville, VA USA

All these references to anatomy ...

quote:

boob: n : an ignorant or foolish person {syn: dumbbell, dummy, dope }

To show y'all how sensitive this process is ... check this photo out:

This is a long scale 8 string Dustpan I cast last week.

Terry Farmer's "modular" design allows me to cast two long scale, two short scale and long/short combo versions of the Boobpan ... as well as the singles.

The photo shows the "Scotch Tape" that I used to cover the "line" ... where the pan cutaway joins the pan ... to keep the sand from packing into the crevice.

You know how thin a piece of scotch tape is ... and you can see every little detail of it.

To protect these "Mothers" ... I applied many coats of polyurethane. The oiled sand picks up every brush stroke and places where the poly "pools" up.

Its very important to protect the mothers ... ramming sand is very "violent" ...

I dont bother sanding the mothers super smooth ... cause I know I'm gonna take down the top layer of aluminum anyway ...

So the little bumps and blemishes y'all are seeing in these "dig out" photos ... are functions of using very high grade sand ... picking up every minor surface anomoly on the mothers.

The carbon exhaust accumulating in the deeper recesses ... accentuates these elevations.

Just didn't want folks thinkin' I'm a sloppy foundry man ... ya know ...

A boob caster

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Aiello's House of Gauss

My wife and I don't think alike. She donates money to the homeless and I donate money to the topless! ... R. Dangerfield

[This message was edited by Rick Aiello on 16 June 2005 at 09:59 AM.]

Todd Weger · From: Safety Harbor, FLAUSA

Rick -- YOU ROCK, MAN!

That is some very cool work, dude. One of these days, I hope to be in position to be able to order a custom-made Aiello steel. With the vintage style stuff we're playing these days, I wish that day were sooner, but eventually, I will be placing my order, braddah!

Way cool... KEEP UP THE GREAT WORK!

TJW

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Todd James Weger/RD/RTD
1956 Fender Stringmaster T-8 (C6, A6, B11); 1960 Fender Stringmaster D-8 (C6, B11/A6); Chandler RH-4 Koa semi-hollow lapsteel (open G); Regal resonator (open D or G)

Gary Boyett · From: Colorado

Rick, If you want that new shed I would suggest that you so all of the sanding on the kitchen table. The wifey will buy it for you!

Works every time... You should have seen the mess I made with the glass bars!

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JCFSGC,RMSGC,HSGA member since 2005
Fenders- Georgeboard- Melobar
Boyett's Glass Bars

Rick Aiello · From: Berryville, VA USA

Here's todays cast ... a double 25.5" Boobpan

This one was even tougher ... they are so big ... its very difficult to pull the "mother" out of the sand

Speaking of "mothers" ... Terry Farmer's "Modular" design worked like a charm ...

Thanks a-million Terry ...

Anyway ...

Here is this years Pourin' Season's opening weeks "catch" ...

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Aiello's House of Gauss

My wife and I don't think alike. She donates money to the homeless and I donate money to the topless! ... R. Dangerfield

Terry Farmer · From: Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA

Wow, just a couple more and you'll have your complete line poured. Whooda thunkit?!

"its very difficult to pull the "mother" out of the sand"..........

Rig yourself up a simple tripod with a block and tackle attached. It'll be worth the time it takes you to build it!

Keep up the good work.

Rick Aiello · From: Berryville, VA USA

Terry, your "last mother" showed up ... right in the middle of this pour today.

That modular design of yours is "da bomb" ...

Everything came apart and went together ... so easily ... and fit perfectly.

Its a work of art !!!

Anyway ... I'm taking advantage of the weather ... and my mom bein' up to visit for awhile this summer.

I'm gonna do the 22.5"/22.5" Boobpan tomorrow ...

Then (3) 25.5" 6 stringers and (1) 22.5" 6 stringer ...

They will all be at the 2005 HSGA convention in Joliet ...

A couple will be auctioned off that weekend ... as a fundraiser for HSGA ...

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Aiello's House of Gauss

My wife and I don't think alike. She donates money to the homeless and I donate money to the topless! ... R. Dangerfield

David L. Donald · From: Koh Samui Island, Thailand

Hey Rick, great work,
I am really enjoying watching this process.
And a fine assist from Terry too.
DD

HowardR · From: N.Y.C.-Fire Island-Asheville

Hey Rick, are your Boobs 6, 7, or 8 stringers?

Also, a fine assist from Rick's "elves"....they are adorable. Your house is in order, as my grandfather used to say.

[This message was edited by HowardR on 18 June 2005 at 06:50 AM.]

Rick Aiello · From: Berryville, VA USA

These are all the "wide" necks versions. They can be accomodate up to 10 strings (PSG spacing).

These will all have 8 strings ... with the spacing of a Sierra 8.

I'm fixin' to go pour the 22.5"/22.5" Boobpan in a couple minutes.

I've run out of babies to pose with this one ...

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Aiello's House of Gauss

My wife and I don't think alike. She donates money to the homeless and I donate money to the topless! ... R. Dangerfield

HowardR · From: N.Y.C.-Fire Island-Asheville

While you're at it, pour me a shot, will ya'?...

We'll call it..."The Bustpan".....

[This message was edited by HowardR on 18 June 2005 at 12:00 PM.]

Denny Turner · From: Oahu, Hawaii USA

Rick,

Food for thought: A used school bus makes a darn good shed / shop. Drive it right in. Plenty of natural light. Many States and municipalities require school busses to be replaced every few years (5-10 common); Making a glut of good used school busses nowadays.

Aloha,
DT~