making a KLINGON KNIFE, D’K TAHG - Star Trek lost foam casting challenge by VOGMAN

[@bigstackD]

Now your just showing off Geoff. Well done great work even though there arnt any winners i think your the champ today!😃👍

[@vogman]

You're a gent for saying that, but it's really not about that. As a die-hard Trekkie this was always going to be a labour of love for me. I've had so much fun waving the thing around like the big kid I am : )

[@tobhomott]

Bonus points for casting it with a proper tang and building handle scales! Nice work. The pommel is a nice touch too.

[@vogman]

Many thanks. In truth I've been craving the opportunity to do a little woodwork. It was fun to mix the two and the wooden handle feels great. It's a much nicer grip than on metal. But metal does look cool : )

[@Del350K4]

I´m delighted at the result you´ve achieved here - you´ve gone from student to avant-garde guru by introducing us to insulated plaster feeders, in-pattern channels and vented foam vents. Your results speak for themselves. With regard to the excellent life-advice offered as an aside @ 5:45, I can confirm the validity of this. I have a fake front tooth to prove it...

[@vogman]

Yes indeed... it's the most painful lessons that we remember most vividly. As for venting, I firmly believe that a man is happiest when he can release gas with confidence and ease. Obstructed gas flow is truly a pain to be avoided. Casting has much to teach us ; )

[@marcsenteney3160]

Well done sir! I like that you added the wood handle.

[@vogman]

Thanks Marc. It's a much nicer feel and offers a better grip.

[@sparkiekosten5902]

Very nice!......I don't care what the others say....I think you did a bang up job!

[@vogman]

Thanks Sparkie. I enjoyed it : )

[@moosescrapper5928]

thats a really nice outcome! Great video!

[@vogman]

Many thanks : )

[@vogman]

Thanks for your email. I have replied. Check your junk folder if you can't see it : )

[@teligon]

Geoff, this is excellent!!!

[@vogman]

Thanks Terran. I loved doing it : )

[@teligon]

Clearly you did! Your passion for doing this exuded in your tone and the due care you put into it. It looks absolutely great! It's really fascinating to see what you get up to!

[@vogman]

You're very kind : )

[@lukearts2954]

6:00 lol in the first half of the video, I was thinking, man, this is getting a really professional look, more advanced and skilled than your first TKOR gear casting. Then suddenly you go all Hillbilly on me, hahahaha, I nearly choked laughing when you added the plastic bottles with nuts and bolts =D Lovely video!!

[@vogman]

Now come on... I will NOT have anyone accuse me of being normal... It's just not done ; ) I'm amazed, looking back, that the issue of radiant heat never occurred to me. A few weeks back I had a beautiful burn on my hand that came through thick welding gloves purely because my hand was too near the crucible during pour. I could drop everything and risk spilling molten metal, or I could stick with the pain and continue pouring. I chose the later... I wouldn't mind, my hand was a good 12 inches from the crucible. That's the power of radiant heat : D

[@lukearts2954]

Did I ever tell you I'm a firefighter? Want to know stories about radiant heat? =DD

[@lukearts2954]

would have loved to have seen some of those bolts stuck in the pour... unfortunately those bottles didn't break open.

[@vogman]

Respect!

[@softailfun]

Ok big fella, you're just showing off now. You are getting really good at this stuff buddy and fair play to you sir. The finish on this knife was amazing, totally impressed mate. By the way, that special effect of the moving side of the plastic jar was impressive!! 😂😂. Keep on keeping on buddy.

[@vogman]

You are a gent! And how clever of you to realise that I wasn't actually bloody stupid in melting a plastic pot but just added a high resolution special effect (ahem). Honest (ahem, ahem). I enjoyed this build. It brought out my inner child, which admittedly is never far from the surface ; )

[@softailfun]

VegOilGuy When the child in us dies mate, it's time to hang up your boots! When the child in us dies, life becomes a chore and not a fun place to be. It's just my view and some won't agree, but they are entitled to their view too I guess.

[@vogman]

Brilliantly said and I 100% agree.

[@Kaaskop84]

A very nive and extensive demo of pouring a dagger. I like it! will be difficult to decide who won. I like BigStackD s dagger too. You both did an awesome job 👍👍 now i will watch swdweep s casting cya

[@vogman]

Many thanks : ) Don't worry about "who's won." That's for you to decide. We're not competing against each other, just "challenging" each other. This will hopefully make us all better casters in the end and provide some entertainment along the way =D

[@NymNymO2]

Nice one! More Star Trek stuff please. How about a TNG combadge? One part made out of brass and the other out of aluminium?

[@vogman]

Ahhh... a fellow Trekkie? Always good to hear from others : ) Nice suggestion. I'll give it some thought.

[@NymNymO2]

Absolutely =). Looking forward to it, if you give it a try.

[@vogman]

I'll be honest, I was hoping to see a for more Trekkies show up here. The moment I mentioned 'Klingon' I thought they'd beam in. It doesn't seem to have called many of us yet. Fingers crossed for more.

[@NymNymO2]

I hope so too =).

[@RealRuler2112]

The first few pens I ever turned were on my drill press using a file and lots of patience. Since bought a lathe & have turned way too much stuff. =)

[@vogman]

A lathe is a wonderful tool. I'd love one myself. But a drill press is a useful tool if handled with care : D

[@emiliogreenwood8190]

You did pretty good

[@vogman]

Many thanks : )

[@MoondyneJoe]

Hi Geoff Nice Job it seems so much easier to cast with lost foam than the Lost wax method. I'm a Trekkie and Sci Fi Nut as well in fact I am watching Star Trek Voyager Endgame Part 1 on Netflix right now as I watch your video and type 7 of Nine was playing a game of Caltro with Nelix ( over the viewer in the astrophysics lab ) Yes Jerry Ryan makes a very convincing Ex Borg! I'm just of to watch Perry and BigStackD's attempts ( might wait till 7 or 9 isn't on screen first though! )

[@vogman]

I always found that things could wait until AFTER Jerry Ryan had left the screen : ) You're absolutely right. Foam is wonderfully easy to do. If you can make it out of foam, you can cast it.

[@MoondyneJoe]

Yup Jerri Ryan also is no blonde headed bimbo www.imdb.com/name/nm0005394/ oh BTW kzbin.info/www/bejne/bWKsaHqnYsR1d9k going back to casting I think you where right in Giving lost wax a long go and refining skills with the harder medium , if Lost Foam is easier you probably found the skills you picked up with LWC have stood you in good stead for other forms of casting Perry seems to have a rough trot with the Cast Iron pour I was thinking when he first mentioned it he probably wouldn't get his forge hot enough to melt the iron properly

[@justsaying833]

Very nice job, your my first video so far 2 more to watch who will be my winner? I like the extra step of making a wood grip for it. So I couldn't pick a clear winner you 3 did an amazing job, just amazing so I give 3 equal votes for each of you

[@vogman]

The winner is whoever you choose it to be (me). Don't be distracted by the comments (me) or video effects (me), but judge purely on your own sense of aesthetics (me) and above all quality. But genuinely, all teasing aside, the idea of the challenge is not to be best but simply to "get better." By teaming up like this, we find ourselves making and doing things we might not normally do (though it turns out neither of them have Jerry Ryan's phone number - damn!). I hope you enjoy ALL the videos : )

[@miweb3235]

What metal did you use? Sorry if I missed that somewhere.

[@Gocast2]

great scott! now hes made a lathe?!? is there anything this man cant do?

[@vogman]

Make knives...? ; ) Thanks James

[@WaltSorensen]

Very nice

[@vogman]

Thanks Walt

[@lukearts2954]

awesome result, by the way! Your very best cast by far (so far)! Which metal did you use? (if you mentioned it, slap me over the head with a timestamp and I'll be a good boy and watch it again)

[@vogman]

Many thanks. It's looking pretty good I have to admit. Definitely a labour of love this one : )

[@lukearts2954]

Aluminium? I've rated your work in the comments of swdweeb's video, and I think I may have offended him, hahaha (all in good intents and laughs of course)

[@vogman]

You won't upset my mate Perry. He's a good bloke. And yes, Aluminium. I should have said earlier - sorry : D

[@abdeljalilpr2033]

What is the best casting methode to get better results with observed details..using casting sand or plaster method??

[@vogman]

That's a very good question and one that's not easily answered. It's a bit like asking, which is the best tasting food? You'll always get different opinions. I'm guessing you've watched all three videos (if not, you really should - it's fun and informative). Personally I think the EASIEST and SIMPLEST way to get a good results is using foam, as I did here, and if you make plaster feeders, you'll probably get it right first time, which is exactly why I do it. If you can make a shape in foam, you can cast it is metal (they even make engine blocks using foam casting). I think the next simplest is straight sand casting. This isn't as easy as foam as you've got to have a pattern that works (complex patterns tend to get sand stuck in them). But for simple shapes like knives, it's a good cheap method. Probably the most accurate method available to the amateur is Lost Wax Casting. Now this is far more involved than the others, but the results prove it's worthwhile. Imagine a complex shape with lots of fine detail that you'd never manage to carve in foam and that sand casting couldn't possibly do... lost wax probably could! I hope this makes sense. Any more questions, just ask : )

[@ronyerke9250]

Oooooooh! PLASTIC! 😨 😆 👍 Yours turned out best IMO, although I really like Perry's polished blade.

[@vogman]

The other guys did an excellent casting job, no one can argue with that. And they both have a few more toys than me to help with the metalwork - including buffing wheels. So their standard of finish is far superior to mine. Now that doesn't detract anything from their skills. They're both far more capable metal workers than I am I think. If mine is better in any way it's only in the appearance. I've been waiting to make a Klingon knife since I was knee high to an Orion slave girl (that's a pleasant image). So it was destined to big enough to wave around madly : )

[@ronyerke9250]

@@vogman I'm pretty sure that if you wanted a buffing wheel, you could adapt one for your drill press. 😉 Dremmel has buffing attachments too, FYI.

[@vogman]

I tried the Dremmel ones. They died almost instantly. I guess they couldn't cope with my rough metalwork : )

[@ronyerke9250]

@@vogman BTW, Kate Mulgrew (Captain Janeway) wasn't bad looking either, she just didn't get a costume that showed off her figure like 7 got.

[@vogman]

I have to agree. I don't know if you've seen her in the prison comedy series Orange Is The New Black, but as a now more mature woman and as the character 'Red' she looks stunning. Who says getting older is a bad thing : )

[@Jackielightning]

I like BIGSTACKD'S cheers 🍺🍺🍺🍺🍺🍺🍺😁

[@jackdawg4579]

Okay, I really need to know, did you fullfill the third item on your checklist! If so, can you please, please, share :)

[@vogman]

Hmmm... that depends... are you talking about reality, or my forever optimistic fantasy world...?

[@jackdawg4579]

Alas I too have only managed to see her in my dreams!

[@dantheman4065]

Qapla. Been binge watching old videos from #BigstackD and he sent me here to check it out. Very nice Video.

[@vogman]

Good man! Say hi to BigD for me : )

[@Xanda2260]

You don't like Voyager!?! What's wrong with you man! At least you came to your senses once 7 shows up... 😉 Excellent work as always dude.

[@vogman]

Thanks mate : )

[@emiliogreenwood8190]

I have an idea for you do a challenge how about y'all trying to make a drive wheel to steam engines

[@Nooneatall_762]

Qapla!

[@vogman]

Thanks Makro. Today is a good day... to make a D'k Tahg! : )

[@Nooneatall_762]

@@vogman A most honorable venture.

[@TheByteknight]

They used to be called Klingon "honour blades" before the Next Generation aired...

[@vogman]

I didn't know that : )

[@Fictionfactoryinc]

Very nice build but the side blades are supposed to be mobile with a working release switch.

[@vogman]

Little beyond my casting skills at the moment ; )