-2

Just realized a simple trick for cleaning out sand pockets in small castings

I was working on a bronze gear pattern at the shop in Tacoma last month, and we kept getting tiny sand pockets in the teeth. My foreman saw me struggling and said, 'Try a dental pick with a bent tip.' I got one from the hardware store for about $8, and it lets me hook and pull out the packed sand without scratching the surface. It's saved me so much time on rework. Has anyone else found a good tool for cleaning up those hard-to-reach spots in detailed molds?

4 comments

4 Comments

ward.kim2mo agoMost Upvoted

Eight bucks for a dental pick seems like a lot when a bent paperclip usually does the same job. Those tiny sand pockets often burn out in the pour anyway, so is all that extra cleaning even needed? Maybe it's just my shop, but we usually don't fuss over details that small unless it's a show piece.

foster.tessa2mo ago

Paperclip guys are the same people who use a butter knife as a screwdriver. Sure, it works. Until it slips and you gouge your pattern. Eight bucks for the right tool is cheaper than recasting the part.

park.miles2mo ago

Who cares about tiny sand pockets?

max2232mo ago

Yeah, the "tiny sand pockets burn out" line from park.miles is kinda true for basic stuff. But I mean, if you don't clean them out, you're just baking that sand into the mold and it can wreck your surface finish later. It's one of those small things that saves you a headache down the line.