Can we talk about using a 3% borax wash to stop sand sticking in the flask?

After fighting with a stubborn green sand mold for a 20-inch gear pattern in our Toledo shop, I tried a light borax solution spray on the flask walls, and it released clean every time for a month, but our old-timer says it weakens the sand bond over time.

3 comments

3 Comments

reese_nelson8d ago

That sounds like a real pain to deal with. A clean release for a whole month is pretty convincing proof it works, right? Wonder if the old-timer has seen it cause a specific problem before.

reese_nelson8d ago

Honestly used to think that kind of stuff was all just old wives' tales... but seeing a full month with zero issues is hard to argue with. Makes you wonder what kind of weird failure he saw in the past that made him so against it. Kind of changes your whole view when the proof is right there in front of you. Guess some old school advice has real weight to it after all.

mason.brian6d ago

I mean, my own sand castle skills are so bad I'd probably need borax just to get the bucket off.