Chris wrote:
does anyone have experience w/purchasing casting (from their own
patterns) for some project they were building? Better yet can they
recommend someone in northeast Pennsylvania that does onezies? I'd
like to build a replica of an early Hardinge vertical mill. Nothing
over 40 lbs. I don't think. Thanks.

A direct offlist e-mail would be even more appreciated.

Foundries are fewer and fewer, and the ones that are still around, are
because they charge a pretty high price.

A bud just did a small run of Cast Iron engine parts.

IIRC the price was based on a per pound cost, poured, with a minimum
of $40 or $60 per flask.

To get that price, he had to provide matchplates to the satisfaction
of the foundry, and take his chances that the sandcrabs at the foundry
didn't wreck the patterns. The patterns were built by a proffesional
patternmaker. Not really cheap. Flasks that required handwork to ram up
were really expensive, as I recall.

There are still a few small outfits around. Most are running on
borrowed time, between the costs of staying in business, and the ever
increasing gamut of environmental laws being put in place.

Why would I reply offlist? That is pretty much counter to the whole
point of the newsgroup, innit?

Cheers
Trevor Jones