Will tools made of bronze work with glass?

[AmberD]

I am working on making my own 3d stamps for use on molten glass (like the skull tool for marbles, only my own designs) but casting in brass is a bitch. Ive heard I can use sterling, but that gets expensive. Has anyone ever use a tool made of bronze on molten glass? Did it work ok? Its a pretty high temp metal, so Im hoping it doesnt have some weird reaction with glass...

[TlkQ]

Melting point is 1700. Glass gets up around 3000. Iunno.

[AmberD]

we use brass all the time and its melting point is 1652 to 1724 °F, Im just not sure that this alloy would behave. I need to find a piece and just try it to see before I cast with it maybe.

[somewhere]

You didn't say what type of bronze but the short answer is yes no problem.

If your casting the bronze yourself I would stick with silicone bronze. It is one of the easiest alloys to make and cast. Basically copper silicone and manganese. You can just buy it ready to go in ingot form.

[somewhere]

Technically all brass is bronze by definition.

[AmberD]

Sounds like I have the right stuff. This is what I use around the shop and keep a bit of normally: http://www.riogrande.com/Product/Manganese-Bronze-Casting-Grain/706079?Pos=13

[LarryC]

The best glass molds made are cast Bronze. Think Carlo Dona optics.

[AmberD]

Sweet! I've been doing centrifugal casting for a few years, but I got burnt out on it doing prodo so I stopped when I started glass. Now I'm thinking its going to be great for making my own tools! Getting started next week when my new vacuum machine gets here!

[Greymatter Glass]

Sounds like my life... I was doing jewelry and foundry casting in school and bought all the tools, then found glass... I just dug out my sling arm machine and need to get oil for the vacuum pump, and then it's off to rio for some investment and some flasks and I'll be getting back to casting by fall (I hope).

There's a guy who makes lampworking molds out of bronze (Burkhardt or something? I can never remember his name...) they are pretty popular with the bead makers and seem to hold up very well to hot glass.

[AmberD]

Yeah I looked up the Carlo Dona molds and those are def bronze, so I figure its at least worth a shot! I probably would have taken glass blowing in college instead of metals if they offered it, but they didnt so I gave metal a chance and didnt leave that shop for four years. Im actually going back up to the university in a couple of weeks to meet up with my professor and get a little lesson on vacuum casting. Ive always just done centrifugal, so Im sure there will be some things I need to know that he can save me from a headache over! I still love metal, but silver has gotten so expensive I can barely afford to make anything most of the time. The tool cost I have into glass vs metal is comparable, but raw glass is a lot cheaper than raw silver if you want to make anything other than dainty little pinkie rings. LOL Base metals just dont appeal to me as much.

[Chad S]

Steinert Industries makes very nice molds for glass.