Casting a Matchplate Vibrator

I need a pneumatic match plate vibrator (stl) for my future castings. So working from the plans from Steve Chastain’s awesome book, I created this:

I used Sketchup to design the pattern. It’s free and I’ve gotten very proficient using it.

The above screen grab shows how the pattern and core print (blue) will intersect with the core (brown).

The 3D printed patterns came out looking good.

This was my first casting attempt of a functional component. I used my small diy furnace and propane burner to melt the aluminum.

Creating the sand molds was challenging, Since it was my first time creating a sand core, I was extra careful during the process. The molds came out great, except the mold was upside down, the core needs the force of gravity to keep it registered in the mold. The next day I remade the molds correctly, only taking pictures to fill in the sequence’s gaps.

The casting came out exceptionally well.

Now I just have to clean up the casting, drill a few holes, and get a steel bearing for the rotating weight. Here’s what a “professional“ match plate vibrator can cost.