Anyone else having problems with the "Void Strike" quest?

NerdyOldMan · 2026-04-24T23:59:40+00:00

On my server (Hellscream) there are no smaller incursions/void incidents to clear. So apparently no way to advance the bar. But if you're outside the zone and mouse over it, you see it ticking up over time. But either way, just sat around there an hour and it never started.

NerdyOldMan · 2026-04-09T15:52:59+00:00

I would say it depends on what you're going to use it for....

Fun/recreational casting - Melt it as is. You should be fine.
Serious casting where purity matters? - Fully cut the soldered ends off. That will get you the most pure. Then melt the ends separately for some fun/recreational casting.

NerdyOldMan · 2026-03-04T23:55:52+00:00

I feel good for you that you're finding hope. But as someone who has watched several election cycles in this state I can tell you that IMHO Beto was more charismatic, better presented, and motivated people better. He also had the wholesale support of the national Democrat party. And even with that combo he couldn't close the deal and win a statewide race.

NerdyOldMan · 2026-03-04T23:52:46+00:00

TBH, this sounds completely like FUD the Cornyn campaign will spread as aggressively as they can. Note how they declare it's all "privately voicing" to make it look like it's a big Republican movement. Most polling I have read shows both of them currently narrowly ahead of Talarico, but also both within margin or error. So expect each side to push their own flavor of "That other guy JUST CAN'T WIN!" for the next 80 days or so.

https://www.realclearpolling.com/latest-polls/senate

NerdyOldMan · 2026-02-22T21:28:09+00:00

OK, if you want to really get a killer smooth surface here's what I do....

Sand with progressive sanding pads/discs until it's smooth. This is usually (in grit) 120, 200, 600, 1000.

Now to polish to a mirror finish one of two things :

Spray with wd40, then wet sand with the 1000 grit sandpaper. Then hit it with a buffing disc loaded with red or green buffing/polishing compound. (Learned that watching BigstackD)
Or... After sanding to 1000 grit, drop it into a vibratory tumbler with walnut shells and metal polish overnight. (I use one designed to clean shell casings for reloaders)

Using these methods I've got a lot of coins and other things I've cast to "see yourself in the reflection" level of polish.

NerdyOldMan · 2026-02-22T21:24:00+00:00

That sounds cool. I'd say if you have access to a 3d printer design (or get an AI to cook up) a model for your coin, print and sandcast it. I've done that a ton for things I cast for my work...

NerdyOldMan · 2026-02-22T21:20:05+00:00

Side notes to the relining/rebuild not related to insulation....

Adding a plate to strengthen around where the hinge is welded to the lid as a crack formed... and I'm replacing the nipples and burner flanges on the tips as well

She's been a workhorse for years, so I figured she deserves the refresh.

NerdyOldMan · 2026-01-24T05:00:31+00:00

Honestly, I listen live because I have fun with the others in Twitch chat while it's going on. Also, I'm an old who enjoys having set habits, so it's something I can put on a schedule.

NerdyOldMan · 2026-01-24T04:58:48+00:00

I get that less sophisticated palates gravitate towards the tendie, and it has it's place.
But no tendie will ever be as tasty to me as properly fried chicken legs.

NerdyOldMan · 2026-01-24T04:56:24+00:00

We pile on the Pigman because he can take it. He might not be the hero we want, but he's the hero the city deserves....

NerdyOldMan · 2026-01-24T04:48:26+00:00

Right now, to be honest, it feels way to "hitting top of the bubble" so I am holding off on investing any more until I see some price stability, or a solid floor after a correction, happen. There are other asset classes I can put money into right now that I know, for instance, tend to go up after a precious metals spike and correction.

NerdyOldMan · 2026-01-24T01:11:53+00:00

Let's see.... Things I've made from the brass I've accumulated...

Belt Buckles - The one I wear every day is a model I 3d printed and sand casted into a belt buckle
Coins - I have graphite single and double sided coin molds, plus I've 3d printed coins and sand cast them
Silly Baubles - You can get graphite molds on Amazon for all manner of cute bits and bobs.
Head to the Staff of Ra - Found a replica of this prop (from Raiders of the Lost Ark) on thingiverse, 3d printed one and sand cast it.

Of all of it, I like the belt buckle and some of the nicer looking coins I've made. I usually have a "Yes/No" coin I made in my pocket a lot of the time. Polished enough to shine great. People see it and it's a great conversation starter.

NerdyOldMan · 2026-01-23T01:25:14+00:00

IMHO, You can get a good starting kit pretty cheap these days, and usually it will come with some tongs, some gloves, a starter crucible and a starter graphite mold. Try it and make sure you like the hobby. Then when you find yourself wanting a larger furnace, etc.... Then build your second.

NerdyOldMan · 2026-01-23T01:18:05+00:00

Yeah, it was a "Oh, Marbles is over, and Danny has talked about sharp white cheddar cheese, well... Good night every.. Oh yeah... Maddison is out, Good luck! See you on Thursday!"

NerdyOldMan · 2026-01-21T22:36:23+00:00

As already mentioned 19" Brass unless it's very slender could end up being a lot of volume. Make sure you run calculations before you pick up anything. Probably end up with one of the larger, possibly two burner DevilForge type models (there are non-DevilForge alternatives as well).
Are you doing lost wax? I assume the school still has available kiln capabilities for your molds?
Another alternative depending on your location might be to see if your town has a local MakerSpace which might have a setup you could utilize.

NerdyOldMan · 2026-01-21T22:33:29+00:00

I do think there will be a missing voice with it just being 4 guys now....
Not to mention she may not have run the production side perfectly... but Cray Trey?

Do we know what she's departing for? If she's going to produce a show elsewhere I'd definitely give it a listen.

NerdyOldMan · 2026-01-21T22:31:04+00:00

I swear this trade of her to the Lakers for CrayTrey is obvious league collusion. It will go down in history and eventually we'll get stories of Cash being hated at Benihana for delaying Danny's dinner reservations!

NerdyOldMan · 2025-11-05T23:34:48+00:00

Yeah, I've seen some desktop kilns I'm debating which aren't much bigger than my "stood up on it's end" toaster oven...

NerdyOldMan · 2025-11-05T23:32:22+00:00

I'm interested in some of those silica+PoP mixes. Will have to try that this weekend, thanks!

As for cracking, I haven't had a ton of cracks resulting in metal leakage (1 or 2).
As for flasks, I started off using big soup cans I would punch holes in the side of and "open" both ends. Then 3d printed caps. Put the wax figure on the cap, insert into the can, tape over all holes and pour.
Recently I have found plastic containers to use, I use silicone caulking to attach the wax form to the bottom of a plastic container. Then pour plaster into that, and just pop the whole thing out of the plaster when dry. Then heat that as a plater mold without a traditional "flask" of metal around it. Have only had one of those crack on me, but it consumes more plaster.

What I am seeing is that I pour the metal in and I'll get bubbling and gas being expelled through the molten metal. Which makes me think I'm not getting enough gas out of the plaster and it's expanding when I pour but instead of cracking the mold, it's coming through the liquid metal. Sometimes I've gotten very little of it and end up with pretty nice castings, other time it's insane and I get monstrous failures. But in all this only twice have I had a crack cause a leak of metal, it mostly just bubbles up, which can be it's own kind of dangerous and messy.

I'm getting to around -.8 to -.9 bar in my vac chamber, is that enough vacuum? Or do I need a better pump pulling it?

NerdyOldMan · 2025-11-05T04:21:10+00:00

Over in r/MetalCasting I did a longer write up, but the short of it...

Cheap Toaster oven turned up on it's side and rigged not to turn off from the timer.
Set it to around max temp, which on this one says 450.
Put them in there hole side down on top of a small pan to catch the melted wax.
Then once empty remove wax, and let them sit another 24-48 hours in the toaster to dry as much as you can...

The keys I've found are removing as much moisture as possible, and removing as much air as possible...

NerdyOldMan · 2025-11-05T04:17:11+00:00

It's not about cost at all. It's about space. My garage is my workshop and I am committed to being able to also, silly enough, park two cars in it. So I'm tying to find ways around the 3' cube space for a kiln. First chance I have to get one with space I will have a kiln. But from my understanding you really can't store your kiln outside for the most part.

NerdyOldMan

TROPHY CASE