Pattern
Plates Selection Guide
Choosing the right pattern plate for your project requires
the answer to four simple questions.
Question
#1 - Aluminum or Dowmetal?
Aluminum
-
less
expensive than dowmetal
|
Dowmetal
(Magnesium)
- 1/3
lighter than aluminum
- higher
tolerance (flatter) and stronger than cast aluminum
|
Question #2
- Do you require built-in registration locks?
Registration
is how one mold half (i.e. cope half) will "lock"
itself in place with the other half (i.e. drag half). If you
require registration on your plate, you have three choices:
Chainlock
(Aluminum
only)
|
Offset
(Aluminum
only)
|
Matchlok
(Dowmetal
only)
|
| A
series of teeth completely surrounding your pattern
with the exact opposite pattern appearing on the underside. |
The
entire middle of the plate is offset, creating a natural
lock when mold halves are created on each side. |
Very
durable urethane strips surrounding your pattern, with
corresponding indentations on the underside of the plate. |
Flat
(Aluminum
or Dowmetal)
|
If
you do not want built-in registration, you may choose
a flat aluminum plate or flat dowmetal plate. With a
flat plate, registration may be added later with moldlock
buttons (below left), matchlock buttons (middle) or
Adolf anti-shift inserts (right).
 
|
Question #3
- What must the overall shape of pattern plate be?
The
shape of your plate is determined by what type of Automatic
Mold Machine you are using. If you are not using an automatic
machine (and instead the jolt-squeeze process), you can choose
the standard ear configuration or the insert plate, which
enables you to have an interchangable cope or drag.
| Hunter
|
Beardsley-Piper
|
Robert
Sinto
|
| Standard
Ear
|
Insert
Plate
|
Question #4
- What size and thickness is required?
 |
Most
pattern plates are available in various thicknesses
ranging from 3/8" to 1" and various flask
sizes from 14" X 19" to 30" X 32".
Actual size and availability will depend on which style
of plate you are ordering.
Note
that your flask size (ex. 14 X 19 on the diagram to
the left) will be smaller than the overall dimensions
of the pattern plate.
Custom
sizes and configurations are available (minimum order
required). |
Continue
to the Freeman/Palmer Line of Pattern Plates
|
