WHITEWATER -- The Wisconsin Makers will host its second annual aluminum pour on Saturday, Oct. 12.
This is a family-friendly event at the regional makerspace, 200 E. Clay St. in Whitewater.
It will be similar to the past cast iron pours, except organizers will be pouring aluminum, which has very different properties. It melts at a lower temperature, is lighter, is silver in color and does not rust.
Spectators are welcome to watch the “pour team” — led by Teresa “Tree” Lind, a former University of Wisconsin-Whitewater lecturer of art and design — melt aluminum in an outdoor furnace and then fill sand scratch molds with the liquid metal.
The team will start melting aluminum at 9 a.m. By noon, it will have reached 1,200 degrees and be ready to pour into the sand scratch molds participants have carved. After being cooled and cleaned, the castings will be ready to take home by mid-afternoon.
The cost is $25 per scratch mold. Participation is on a first-come, first-served basis.
Grilled brats, chips, water and soda will be available for purchase during the pour.
Make your casting
Members of the public wishing to make their own casting may buy a scratch mold square to personalize with their design that day, starting at 9 a.m. They must be completed by 11:30 a.m.
Those who would like to get a head start on their design may attend a scratch mold workshop at the makerspace Friday, Oct. 11, from 6 to 9 p.m. Volunteers will be on hand to provide tools and advice.
In addition, persons who would rather to do their artwork at home may buy scratch molds beforehand at Binning and Dickens Insurance, 319 W. Center St., Whitewater, during weekday business hours. They also may be purchased by contacting Wisconsin Makers President Al Jewer at wisconsinmakersinc@gmail.com or (630) 430-9498 and setting a meet-up time.
“We are very excited to be hosting our second fall aluminum pour,” said Jewer. “We have held spring cast-iron pours for many years and last year added the aluminum pour. This is a wonderful opportunity to create a one-of-a-kind piece of art and have a lot of fun doing it.”
Wisconsin Makers is a nonprofit regional makerspace (community workshop) offering an affordable, collaborative and educational environment that inspires people of all ages to become innovators by unlocking their skills through continual experimentation and training. Work areas/equipment include: 3-D printing, laser engraving, machining, welding/fabrication, electronics, blacksmithing, woodworking, ceramics/pottery, jewelry making, arts/crafts, quilting/fabric arts, matting/framing and more.
For more information on the iron pour or scratch mold workshop, or to learn about the makerspace or memberships, visit Wisconsin Makers’ Facebook page at @wisconsinmakers.
A brief video showing the capabilities and resources available at the makerspace may be viewed at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pqa9N8p1Fqw.
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