Spectra Emblems - Casting

[spectracular]

So...I've started working on the 32 again after taking a few years off. When I bought the boat it came with 3 Spectra emblems. 2 of them were crusty and one was really clean. Since I always intended on putting the emblems back on the boat, I knew I needed to do something. I couldn't easily use my CNC router because I do not have an electronic version of the Spectra logo. I have something close...but its not it. I also didn't want to screw around with trying to carve something small. The router works best with medium to large sized items.

So...I got my hands on some items:

• some scrap MDF
• packing tape
• elmers glue
• 2-part silicone used for mold making
• Tin pellets
• an 8oz stainless soup ladle

First thing was to clean up the good Spectra emblem...I went over it with my polisher for a good 30 minutes, smoothing as much out as I can without totally destroying the part.

Next I took the scrap MDF and built a mini-coffin for the emblem. I lined the box with packing tape.

A little elmers white glue on the back of the logo to seal it down and then placed inside the box. Gave it 30 minutes to dry.

Next I mixed up some Smooth-on Platinum Silicone...

...and then slowly poured the silicone all over the Spectra emblem

I'm waiting for the silicone to cure now. It says it takes 4 hours to cure. I'll wait till tomorrow before I try to de-mold the thing.

In the mean time, I did want to see what happens to Tin when you heat it up. Tin melts at about 500*F. I put a small amount of these pellets into the ladle, and then heated them up with a propane torch (plumbers torch). It melted the pellets easily.

Below is what the pellets looked like before I melted them, and then what they looked like after they melted together into one T-1000 like puddle. Surface finish is shit, but I'm not surprised. I had take the still molten metal and dunked it into a bucket of water. When I try pouring the tin into the mold, I'll go slower and be a lot more careful. I'm honestly pretty pleased with the luster and color of the Tin. I should be able to polish these with the buffer. It would be nice to not have to chrome them when I'm done. I need about 6 emblems for the boat. Crossing fingers that this works.

 

[coolchange]

Well alright now. Did you vacuum the silicone?
Assuming you're going to Lost wax sand cast.
Thanks for posting your project.

 

[spectracular]

Didn’t vacuum the silicone. Poured from a long way up to minimize the bubbles. Hoping it was thin enough to allow the little bubbles to rise.

Not doing wax. Just going to try pouring the tin into the mold and see what happens.

I have a potential lost foam project on the horizon.

 

[spectra3279]

If this works, would you be willing to sell some?

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[spectracular]

If this works, would you be willing to sell some?

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How many do you want? Not going to sell them, but Id be happy to drop a few in the mail for you. One way or another I’ll get some good replicas made.

 

[spectra3279]

How many came on the boats? I'd like to put it back as close as possible to original.

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[spectracular]

How many came on the boats? I'd like to put it back as close as possible to original.

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Only 2 per boat. 1 on each side.

 

[spectracular]

Silicone cured. I have what looks to be a good mold!

 

[HydroSkreamin]

Cool project, and thanks for sharing your process.

Will the silicone withstand the molten tin? The molds used for baking are rated at 450°F. Not trying to be negative, I’m curious if the silicone you’re using has a rating for your molten tin.

Good luck on your project, if all goes as planned you may have nicer than factory emblems!

 

[spectra3279]

Only 2 per boat. 1 on each side.

If you really dont mind, then 2

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[old rigger]

What a great project!

My friend did the same kind of project with my dad's old car club plaque from the early 50's but he poured some kind of white 2 part epoxy for the part. When he got the part out of the mold he took it to a radiator shop and had it copper plated, then to a chrome shop and had it chromed. It turned out really nice but it's a wall hanger, not sure how that chrome would hold up on a boat. The copper version looked pretty cool.

I should mention that my friend is a crazy model builder, hangs with guys that build model's mostly for sci fi film work. I don't know what kind of epoxy he used to allow it to be plated.

 

[RiverDave]

You are off to s good start. The silicone isn’t going to withstand the heat though of molten metal.

The way I would do it is to take your original and suspend it on little sticks. Use a larger stick on one side.

The little sticks are going to end up being “vent” holes and the larger stick will end up being your pour tube.

Put in the box, pour the RTV. Let it setup. Cut it in half making a jewelers cut.. the more jagged the better as the up and down will end up help aligning the two half’s.

Pull the original out. Get wax, pour into mold and then do a lost wax process with your tin pellets..

You can pour a ton of wax patterns before the mold dries up and is useless.

That is more or less how all the prototype shops do their molds and castings.

In modern times they would just print the wax pattern, or even more so just print the emblem out of metal directly now.

If you have a pattern that clean though and like projects this could be a fun one and on a budget.

Not sure how well the tin is going to hold up. ??

 

[RiverDave]

What a great project!

My friend did the same kind of project with my dad's old car club plaque from the early 50's but he poured some kind of white 2 part epoxy for the part. When he got the part out the mold he took it to a radiator shop and he'd it copper plated, then to a chrome shop and had it chromed. It turned out really nice but it's a wall hanger, not sure how that chrome would hold up on a boat. The copper version looked pretty cool.

I should mention that my friend is a crazy model builder, hangs with guys that build model's mostly for sci fi film work. I don't know what kind of epoxy he used to allow it to be plated.

You can vacuum metalize them.. It’s not a true chrome plate but achieves the same effect. Trophy shop ca car bumper if you know what I am saying. It’s chrome but not as durable as a true chrome plate


There are a couple chrome shops that can apply a true chrome plate to plastics.. I have no idea how they do it.

 

[Carlson-jet]

I don't know about molding tin but I know that to get the metal clean for alum and bronze a flux is used during the molten state and the scoobies are scraped off the top. Without the flux there are many impurities that will ruin the casting.
Cool project.

 

[guest hs]

I would be interested in a pair for my sons boatv

 

[spectracular]

I screwed a back plate made of mdf onto the mold. The back plate had a big 3/4 inlet pour-hole and 2 smaller 3/8 holes to act as vents. Some thought went into the placement of these holes. The fill was centered and the vents were off to the sides. At this point I had the open mold sitting right below the backing plate (which is now the top). Next I took my torch, my ladle, and tin...and a bucket of water, and melted the tin. Tin melts at 450*. I cleared off all the crap that accumulated on top of the tin and the started pouring.

As you can see, something happened. The metal flowed all the way through the mold, but it’s like it cooled too much too quickly in the mold.

The mold survived just fine. I looked it over real close and there was no melting or burning of any kind.

Needless to say, I’ll be trying again. Tin should hold up just fine...it is an emblem...not a clete.

Here was the result from today. I will be remelting this attempt. Still really cool to do with just basic tools.

 

[spectracular]

If Tin doesn’t work, I’ll just cast them in resin and call it a day.

 

[RiverDave]

That rubber mold held up to pouring molten metal in it?

 

[spectracular]

That rubber mold held up to pouring molten metal in it?

Yep. It looks good as new. Tin is like 450-500* Freedom units. Silicones generally come in 2 flavors...around 400* working limit and then the other flavor works up to 650-ish. I believe the silicone I bought was supposed to be the higher limit, although the packaging suggests otherwise. I firmly believe that these limits are guidelines. Another thing to consider is that as soon as the torch is removed, the metal is trying to rapidly cool. Everything the metal is in contact with is basically trying to steal its heat (mold, wood, even the air).

I was surprised to see that the wood wasn’t even scorched. I thought i was going to be opening up a bag or charcoal.

 

[Selkirk_D]

Nice work! Like literally every other Spectra owner out there, I could use a pair for my 78 Spectra 20 restoration.I’d be happy to pay you for the trouble.

 

[Maw]

A few years back a member was producing machined and polished #304 stainless emblems for classic boats, I purchased a set for my Spectra 20 and our 19. I'll look into my PMs and see what I can find. He used to be located here in Huntington Beach in the Hawaiian tract.

Edit: @povertyjet was the member here that was making them, but he hasn't been seen since 2017. I'll try to get ahold of him and see if he's still making them.

 

[Selkirk_D]

Awesome thanks!

 

[steamin rice]

I missed this before - what a cool project!

 

[Maw]

No reponse to my email to PovertyJet so I'm assuming he's no longer doing the emblems.

What he had was a water jet than cut the emblems out of the 0.120" #304, then he polished them to a mirror like sheen. I treated mine to a citrus passivation solution I keep around the shop.

 

[spectra bash]

I believe Brad at So Cal Jet Boats is making most of the old Emblems.

 

[TrollerDave]

I believe Brad at So Cal Jet Boats is making most of the old Emblems.

Emblems

These Acrylic Emblems, made by ShopCraft Rapid Prototyping, are an homage to the original, since most of the manufacturers of our boats are no longer in business, which means each each design had to be carefully recreated from measurements and images shared online. As such, they may not be...

parts.socaljetboats.com

It doesn’t look like he has the Spectra emblems. It might be worth a call to see if he has a lead on them.

 

[povertyjet]

Howdy,
I make these...
$215.00 for the regular SPECTRA pair, cut in .09", 304 stainless with that nice polish.
insured, priority USPS $12.00.
Frank
[email protected]

 

[SpectraPat]

Frank made me an awesome 9” one for my back window.

 

[spectra3279]

How many do you want? Not going to sell them, but Id be happy to drop a few in the mail for you. One way or another I’ll get some good replicas made.

Looking for 2 of them.