I want to make a plaster mold to cast aluminum in, but I want to minimize the machining work that needs to be done to the metal end productSo can I machine the set plaster safely in my mill and drill press? A quick google search doesn't reveal anything about itIs plaster too brittle? Will it dull the cutters excessively?
No.- Plaster of paris is too brittle to 'machine'You could do some grinding to shape it, but your big problem is that it won't withstand the heat of molten aluminumIt's a 'hydrate' and enough heat turns it back into a loose powderYou need some sort of refractory compound to cast metalPlease note, some aluminum alloys will burn in air at 'melt' temperaturesYou don't know what you're doing, and that can Bite you, hardI smell a 'Darwin Award' in the making.
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