If you have checked out the Second Use store in the last few months, you have probably noticed the large collection of antique Foundry Patterns displayed at the front of the store. Originally used to cast* machinery parts for the agriculture industry in the late 1800’s and early 1900’s, these patterns retired to the Acrowood Foundry in Everett, where they lay unused for the better part of the last century. 14,000 of these patterns were salvaged from the site this winter and are now available at the Second Use store.
The striking primary color pallette, solid wood construction, and variety in size make this material prime for repurposing. We challenged our staff to a design competition, and invited the public to vote on their favorite pieces. Above, you can view the winner (An Industrial Chic Coat Rack) as well as other contestants, many of which are available for sale.
Tips and tutorials for working with the material are available here, and we’d love to hear about your Foundry Pattern projects as well! Send [email protected] an email with your project between now and February 29th, and you will receive $5 store credit, as well as a chance to be featured on the blog!
Update: A special thanks to Zack Erhart of Erhart Foundry & Machine Company who clarified that this material (mistakenly called “foundry molds” in the previous iteration of this blog post) “were actually foundry patterns that would have been used to make molds. Typically, sand would be packed around the pattern in two halves and then pattern would be removed leaving a cavity in the sand. The foundry would then pour molten metal into the sand cavity and destroy the sand mold once the metal was solidified leaving a metal casting. At that point, the wood pattern could be used to make another mold.” It’s a privilege to be surrounded by a community of people as passionate about historical preservation, education, and reuse as we are!
