Wood Casting

[Don C Peterson]

http://www.beautifullife.info/interior-design/wood-casting-furniture-by-hilla-shamia/

This caught my eye. Apparently this is a process of pouring molten aluminum around a log and then cutting it to form a bench/table/etc...

Interesting idea, but I wonder what seasonal movement would do?

[Deane Allinson]

I'm impressed! Nice simple design. You may have a point on the movement but I wouldn't have a clue since it is somewhat case hardened (???) by the molten aluminum, how dry the wood is etc. Nice interesting piece.
Deane

[Mike Henderson]

I applaud the maker's creativity but the finished product does nothing for me.

Mike

[Jim Foster]

+1 on Mike's Comment.

[george wilson]

I hope there is more than charcoal holding the log on!!!

[Jamie Buxton]

I wonder if it is really aluminum. There are silvery metals with much lower melting temperatures than aluminum. Yes, I know that's what the article says, but sometimes the popular press gets the technical stuff wrong.

[george wilson]

The wood got burned up pretty well. Must not be a lower temp alloy. Besides,the prices PER POUND of those lower alloys is very high.

[Jim Koepke]

I applaud the maker's creativity but the finished product does nothing for me.

Mike

A very polite way of presenting my thoughts on these.

New ideas are often not easy to comprehend. They are sometimes difficult to accept. Sometimes they just do not have appeal.

For me, these chunks of wood trapped in aluminum have hit the trifecta.

jtk

[Jim Matthews]

This has ETSY written all over it.

I know that new art forms are made by fusing old to new, but...230224

[Jim Belair]

I don't mind the look in general but the bare aluminum doesn't work for me. Maybe if the metal was black, thus accentuating the wood...

[george wilson]

I burned the grass and weeds in our pebble driveway. The result looked something like that furniture. Fortunately,a few good rains will get rid of the blackened remains of the grass and weeds.:) Now,I smell like burned weeds.

[Don C Peterson]

Yeah, I think it's interesting but not exactly my cup o tea. I suspect these were designed by someone who has no idea that wood isn't a stable material. He or she was probably going for pure aesthetics...but missed the mark on making something beautiful, and instead wound up with something merely interesting.

[Wes Grass]

I think if it actually had some style it could be attractive. But it's too blocky for my tastes. The metal filling the cracks is pretty cool though.

I remember my dad casting a lead weight to balance out one of his model airplanes when I was a kid. Had to fit under the engine inside the cowl. He carved a pocket in the end of a piece of wood and nailed a piece of plywood across the end to close it off. I was surprised by how much the lead charred the mold, but the part came out looking pretty good.

[Charles Wiggins]

When I was in grad school a couple of guys experimented with this type of thing but they were using dimensional lumber, not logs. They didn't stick with it long enough to develop an aesthetic and some of their "joints" were a bit wiggly where too much wood smoldered away, but they did demonstrate that it could be done.

George Wilson - If you look at the shots of the underside it appears that they may have cut channels across the log to key the aluminum into the log. Plus you have the instances where the metal ran into the cracks. It would be relatively easy to create voids and undercuts in the log before preparing it for casting to lock the two materials together mechanically.

Jamie Buxton - Several aluminum alloys melt at under 800 degrees. Having seen this done with scavenged scrap aluminum and various hardwoods I can certainly believe that aluminum is what they're using. And the finished product certainly looks right.

What gets me is that none of the foundry workers are wearing eye protection. Aluminum is not as bad as higher temp metals, but in it's molten state it does give of infrared and UV rays that will ruin your eyes over time. And the shot of the dude standing close by in shorts and tennis shoes?!? I know a dude who had to have foot surgery because a tiny bit of molten aluminum spilled on his tennis shoe. It didn't burn through the top like you'd expect. It rolled off the tongue into the shoe and underneath his toes and the steam from the sweat cooked his skin off.

[Mike Null]

The design obviously isn't for everybody but I'm one who likes it very much. I find it artistic, functional and unique. I would also expect it to have a longer life than any of us.

[John Shuk]

What a very cool idea. I love when people stretch the limits.

[george wilson]

Mortises or not,all of the wood contact areas are charcoal.

[Larry Fox]

Now THAT is cool. I really like mixed-medium stuff for some reason and I like his approach. I think the finished piece is a little chunky in its design but that is design nitpicking as opposed to an opinion about the technique.

[george wilson]

I do not recommend anyone to char their mortise and tenon joints before assembly. Not nit picking. Just bad design with inappropriate material usage,plain and simple. I do modern designs myself sometimes,but there are appropriate and inappropriate things to do. The art World has long since gotten into an "anything goes" sense of acceptance. I just cannot agree. I've seen 2 rusty sheets of black iron that lay on the floor,with some largish rocks scattered between them for 6 figures. That just isn't right.

[Deane Allinson]

I have been known to use half tails to start off the ends of a 6 board chest. There are rules in art, woodworking, or any craft; somebody else's usually.
Deane

[Don C Peterson]

I'm reminded of a quote attributed to Leonardo Da Vinci

"Those who are enamored of practice without theory are like a pilot who goes into a ship without rudder or compass and never has any certainty where he is going. Practice should always be based upon a sound knowledge of theory."
Certainly, advancements are made from time to time, but often the traditional techniques have a purpose which is forgotten by those who toss them aside.

[Greg Portland]

I wonder if it is really aluminum. There are silvery metals with much lower melting temperatures than aluminum. Yes, I know that's what the article says, but sometimes the popular press gets the technical stuff wrong.
You could make it from Gallium and have the chair melt when you sit on it!

[george wilson]

I bet there will be charcoal bits and dust on the floor for years to come. Seasonal changes will see to that,plus any moving of the furniture or disturbing it. No white rugs,please!

[Steve knight]

the metal would shrink too so that could be an issue. But if they get sold for a profit then that's all that really matters in the end. I mean no matter how well or cool you make something it is more important that it sells and makes money in the end.

[george wilson]

Making money is important,but I would never sacrifice my art over it. I have been lucky to have had a job where I was able to do the best work I could,and not worry about selling it.

I don't envy the rich. I make money working for them!!

[Deane Allinson]

[QUOTE=Don C Peterson...

, but often the traditional techniques have a purpose which is forgotten by those who toss them aside.[/QUOTE]

Here, Here, Don, well said. Traditional techniques indead have a purpose. They are built from others mistakes: with strength, motion, efficency, balance, on and on. They are usually the safest methods. If you adhere to them you will not often fail, If you understand and consider the reasoning behind them, then you are a craftsman no matter if you adhere to them or not.
Deane

[Steve knight]

Making money is important,but I would never sacrifice my art over it. I have been lucky to have had a job where I was able to do the best work I could,and not worry about selling it.

I don't envy the rich. I make money working for them!!
but most people don't. there is always a tradeoff between making a profit and doing it the way you want to do it. that's the way life is. There are always the lucky few that can do what they love how they love to do it and make the money they need. but they are the few.

[Jessica Pierce-LaRose]

From the artists website, it appears that yes, it is aluminum. I know the thermal expansion of aluminum is more than most other metals, and might seem like a decent compromise to wood to someone just looking at numbers on paper - but it's going to be the moisture content movement that's going to be a killer. I'd be really interested in seeing what one of those looks like as those logs start drying out!

I actually find the finished product fairly attractive; but I certainly wouldn't want one knowing that it's going to be mess by the end of a thermal cycle!

[Pat Barry]

I give the artist a 10 for creativity on the concept of casting the aluminum into the wood. I think if he has wooden legs, or another casting of wood and aluminum for the legs it would be outstanding and could be very organic. I wouldn't be so quick to dismiss this, because I don't think you can see what really holds it together (or should anyway). Also, keep in mind that if this is done properly the wood will be in compression and that will limit the damage potential. The wood had to be very dry to do this in the first place or else the heat and compression during cooling would have created some very potent internal pressures and likely would blow out large chunks of the wood. This to me is cool and artistic and that doesn't mean it has to be functional.

[george wilson]

I admitted and admit that I have been lucky to make a decent living doing my chosen work. I did have to have the skills to get the jobs,though,and worked many years hard to acquire and mold them. But,I think we all have our gifts and our goals. I am not,nor could I ever be a "money person",and have the goal or the ability or real desire to get rich. I have been content to go with my talents and goal of being a craftsman. I think we should all be happier if we admit what we have and not be envious of talents we never could have. Sure,being rich would be fun,but I know it's not for me. Neither is being an electrician or any number of other professions. I'm pretty spread out in what I can make,but all of them involve working with solid materials I can SEE,and deal with.

I have a friend who was trained to be a craftsman. But,he has totally sold out his art to become very rich selling trinkets that he designed,but are made in China. His whole life has been scheming how to sell a lot of tourist souvenirs. Personally,I'd rather have done what I have done.