User:Phillip pippenger

Phillip Pippenger is an author and maker in Chicago, Illinois. In addition to writing, Phillip Pippenger is active in the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention and is also an avid motorcycle fan. His current steed is a 1979 KZ1000 (KZ1000ST), but past bikes include three XS650s from the mid-seventies, a 1982 Spectre 1100, a 1984 Honda Shadow, a 1987 Intruder 1400, and a 1982 XJ1100.

A hobby of Phillip Pippenger is metal casting and machining, especially with respect to motorcycle parts, but also for other uses and sometimes even for artistic uses. Primary media include Brass and Aluminum, via sand casting, lost foam casting and lost wax casting. Sandcasting leaves a slightly pebbly finish, and most things are finished by hand after casting, but some parts are lathe-turned and otherwise machine processed.

This hobby is fairly straight-forward, from melting metal to casting objects, and can be performed in a garage or on a patio. Metal casting by individuals is usually employed to make original parts, reproduce old or broken parts, make keychains and produce artistic objects. The references below point to sites that discuss the hobby in greater detail. Phillip Pippenger's other hobbies include powered paragliding, which is also touched on in the references.