What happens if you fill a seashell with metal? Huge conch shell filled with molten metal

In this video I will be filling a huge seashell with molten brass in an attempt to create a perfect casting of the internal structure. I started with a Spider Conch seashell and made a simple sand mold using petrobond casting sand. I then melted brass in my DIY home foundry and poured it inside the shell. I then broke the casting out of the shell and cleaned it up. I rearticulated the parts of the shell onto the casting and then mounted the whole thing on a piece of Mahogany wood. This was a fun project and I may revisit this idea in the future.
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[@robinson-foundry]

If you're interested in any of the tools or equipment I use and you want to help support the channel then don't forget to check out some of the affiliate links in the video description. Thank you for the support!

[@Frog-ko6uu]

If you have a 3D scanner, it would be really cool to scan the shell before and the casting afterwards, and then 3D print a clear replica to replace the part of the shell that was broken away.

[@draggy76]

or just use the 3d print to make a mold of the shell to cast and keep the original shell intact instead of failing at casting it...

[@andyf1235]

You don't just melt metal like a lot of people you make beautiful art

[@NoodleBear]

Absolutely gorgeous! At first I thought it was a bad call to leave the broken edges of the shell rough instead of sanding them smooth, but in the end it looks so good! The rough broken edges contrast beautifully against the smooth shiny metal and makes the casting look like it's "breaking out" of the shell (which it kinda did lol)! You have an excellent eye for aesthetic design!

[@mkisner8060]

If you had a mold of the original seashell you could have potentially made a transparent resin shell that would replace all the parts that were broken. I think it would look amazing to have something that looks like a glass shell, with a brass core.

[@ericadler5749]

Finished piece was awesome loved the man made and natural combination together. Again thinking outa the box

[@edwarddrost5299]

I'd like to see the spikes cast as aluminum. They would makes great contrasting accents.

[@PBRJOHN684]

It amazes me that the molten brass doesn't make the shell explode on impact! Keep up the good work and I will see you in your next video 👍⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

[@oetic5016]

It'd be mostly silica and calcium

[@markm.9597]

The craftsmanship process is just as artistically beautiful as the shell itself. Thanks for sharing your work with us

[@mxsrmmeow3917]

You ever heard of Torbjorn Ahman? kzbin.info/door/SFaYYQzNMLo2U6rSNLpghg

[@markm.9597]

@@mxsrmmeow3917 have not, thanks for the share!

[@rachelg552353]

Awesome work. Love the finished product on the wall.

[@rlm98253]

That, sir, is art. Well done.

[@jayjones1644]

Knocked it out of the park with this one.. sick wall art!!

[@tracybowling97]

I like the way you think. It looks like the metal broke through the shell. Pretty cool!

[@junkredo2518]

Great piece! Really smart way to mount it.

[@thepeaceforge]

What the Shell! My word good Sir, Your work is absolutely stunning!

[@mitzidurb9313]

Have you ever thought of doing a smaller shell and turning the finished piece into a necklace? It would be alot harder but I bet a loved one would cherish it forever!

[@daviddavis1322]

It's really great!

[@ProjectDIYOz]

Absolutely stunning mate! Turned out very nicely!

[@Patrick.Weightman]

Looks great mounted!! I know a bar that'd love to have that on their walls

[@xylemmelyx]

I am baffled, in this age of specialization, that a metal worker also knows woodworking :-) Great vid, educational and entertaining.

[@whateverwhatever6496]

Very Skilled Person right here. Very Skilled!

[@steelshade]

Your cast would be a representation of the creature that made and lived in the shell. You have immortalized it.

[@akb3851]

Awesome! ✌️

[@deserttan37]

it makes me sad this doesn’t have millions of views bc this is incredible

[@msa4548]

As neat as the casting is, I'd like the shell. I've never seen one like that before.

[@bobjones9727]

Ditto

[@craftycrafter1960]

Same

[@CM-oz7ue]

Really lovely. I feel the frame didnt do it justice though. Amazing craftsmanship!

[@justinbanks2380]

Awesome project! Also great tip on how you mounted, way simpler than what I would've over thought and went with!

[@KrakenCasting]

Very nice! The mounting board was a nice touch.

[@johnkelly7264]

WOW! Brilliant result!

[@eathonhowell7414]

And at 3:48 I learned the meaning to a word I knew but had always assumed was made up. Props to you Magic the gathering for teaching me weird metallurgy/smithing terms.

[@oitthegroit1297]

Absolutely beautiful work!

[@3dbronze]

Awesome. The presentation came out really nice at the end. Interesting hybrid of a piece.

[@boodro2122]

Beautiful!

[@stevencooper2464]

That is a beautiful work of art, and someday, it may be worth a lot of money (if it isn't already). Save it for your grandchildren.

[@kslinaz5668]

Looks great!!!

[@alisontibbens2155]

Beautiful piece.

[@harubernardo4313]

Congratulations your spider conch involved into a golden spider conch

[@ukitngmindoro245]

From Philippines watching you

[@adamgibson4503]

Stellar finish

[@jamesh5460]

Awesome! More like this!

[@blackthornknives]

GREAT IDEA!!

[@inchxinchlifesasynch]

I think the shell was so much more beautiful

[@audraturner5365]

Beautiful

[@hughjass132]

Very cool!

[@donnaboyle669]

Fantastic, love the end result. Didn’t expect the way you completed this project.

[@dominocweber9763]

That actually turned out really cool

[@AdamRichardson90]

That is amazing, true art.

[@SEAKPhotog]

Cool idea!

[@petrescuework-difficultcas6581]

It turned out amazing! I love that you take care of proper safety measures 💛

[@noran.9008]

Ah, you just gotta love the way his mind works!

[@williamjhunter5714]

Castings of partly decomposed leaves always amazed me, now this shell does too.

[@ThePaully1976]

great piece

[@bruceleroy8063]

The shell with the still red hot metal inside is an awesome visual. The end result was incredible.

[@masoodbhai692]

Very good very nice 👍

[@dennisanderson3895]

Very impressive!

[@GHuber-xh5vv]

A fine work. Great project.

[@skrimper]

Love your work.

[@MeltAbilities]

Another amazing job… you rock‼️

[@deemdoubleu]

Awesome work

[@beckaliz]

That is really fantastic

[@mellieemerton3080]

That’s so brilliant!

[@lip-filler-looks-rank]

drill and thread the metal cast rather than wire.. awesome project and a great result

[@dalegreenaway]

Excellent well done. Looks brilliant.

[@CoalCoalJames]

Man, I was thinking how insanely ugly it was when you broke off the shell......... but you really pulled it off putting the broken spikes back on, it went from trash to treasure~ Great video~

[@Shalelolz]

Nicely done! Looks great!!

[@Warhawk76]

Very cool project. Thanks for sharing!!

[@DrWeird-zw5dc]

Great job. :) It really shows what the hidden inside of the shell beautifully.

[@SilverScorpion]

Super nice cast and project

[@bongoib]

wow, ART PIECE, good heavens, that is so so nice, sell them , i would buy one right now

[@cmac9148]

that looks really cool

[@Cypher791]

This could really throw off an archaeologist one day 😐🔎

[@acefighterpilot]

Sea snail: *dies* Human: Imma yeet some metal up in that

[@dogdrone5186]

Amazing

[@joshortiz1576]

That turned out really great!! Would also like to see you cast the outer layer in petro. Would be good to see the whole thing in brass or Nordic Gold =)

[@janeuler3262]

wow - what a nice piece!

[@barbaraprest783]

That was very watchable 👍👍

[@Kenny.6807]

Awesome project. Great work 👏

[@christopherhouge5465]

That was amazing thank you. You are a genius

[@quinnjdq]

Absolutely love the finished piece, the metallic core surrounded by the pieces of shell is really beautiful!

[@awalk56]

Wonderful. Shared.

[@timsuttonlovinlife-]

Omg! I think I’ve just found my new favourite channel ❤️ I could quite literally sit and watch this stuff all day 👍

[@awizardalso]

My real name is Michael McCluskey. I like watching videos where someone makes art work!

[@davelamont]

That really looks nice.

[@andreipendle1778]

I find there is absolutely no finish better than Tung oil finish. Great casting and lovely display!

[@ryanlawson9439]

so cool I just saw both the shell videos and man thats awesome

[@03lugnut1]

So cool! Sell sell sell!!!!!

[@danielbarbee7712]

You gave it life.

[@bagusnaga01]

Could I have something to eat? Golden conch: No.

[@nullsnaggle5198]

Sweet dude😛

[@somethingnottaken2299]

I just looked up a video of a dude filling a wasp's nest with molten aluminum, but now I am watching this, and I can only say that I am not dissapointed.

[@themanfromdystopia807]

1:46 This part made me crave shellfish.

[@AUMINER1]

super cool what you have done with seashells and alum :)

[@yadabthapa3468]

Good job brother

[@Jeiiyman87]

Somebody better call THE DOCTOR...A Dalek was spotted in this timeline

[@aronbraswell1589]

great work. Thought you would cast the shell spikes in the sand then remove them from the shell body so when you poured the spikes would have also been brass. your way was more artistic. love the result.

[@geraldstamour1312]

Dope AF job!

[@ReasonAboveEverything]

Nice👍

[@yoadrian7265]

Interesting project 👍

[@dindiain]

Superb

[@maciejsimm2342]

i think the swelling you captured, was the thermal release of C02 by CaC03 in the shell. awesome process/result!