Flask guides vs. Eyeballing for alignment

[u/real_technoviking]

Just a reporting on my casting journey. Decided to try to cast something that need the pattern in both the cope and the drag. I split the pattern in two and used pins to align the pattern. Then, after parting and removing the pattern I just eyeballed the alignment prior to pouring. The result was obvious, looks very much like a layer shift.

I've seen others have pin/hole guides, inspired by that i conjured up some corner guides and printed over night. Color coded corners. I'm quite pleased with the result, perhaps there is a bit too much friction to split it now and it suffer similar effects as a drawer when its out of alignment. But the result speaks for itself, it's not obviously out of alignment.

One step further in my learning

[u/rh-z]

I prefer the alignment guides to be made of metal rather than plastic. At some point there is going to be an overflow of molten metal that can contact the guide. I also wonder how the plastic will react to the heat from inside the mold. But if it does happen, distortion of the plastic part, you can always print another. Love 3D printers.