Cuttlefish bone for casting ?

Use the soft side, almost like styrofoam. I used to flatten mine on a concrete block, squeeze them together over the original object and notch or mark the mating spots. Take them apart, remove the object and cut a sprue notch on one end (of both), then re position them together and wire together. You can cut it with a knife on the soft side.

Once upon a time I lived on the beach in Sicily and would pick them up in my backyard. This is rather crude casting but fun.

I used to use a parrot to machine them. He was slow but steady.

There is a rec.crafts.metalworking newsgroup where they may have some experience and be familiar with the hazards.

it leaves a surface a lot like wood grain. I kind of like the effect, and the bit of cuttlebone casting I did I brushed out the grain to accentuate it. you can work to minimize it, burnishing to fill the grain, but if smooth is what you're after, there are refractory casting materials specific for the purpose.

the rubbing on a brick is a good technique for getting a flat face.

pretty much.

I wouldn't go snorting the dust, but in small quantities I don't imagine handling it would be a hazard.

power tools should be unnecessary. it's soft and pretty porous. damn near scoop it out with a spoon.

hand tools.....

right up the middle.

if you need to register the halves, a groove in the edge where the binding wire bites in should be plenty. if you want a flat back, save the cost of cuttlebone and use something cheaper and easier to get flat for the back. a fire brick or shard of kiln shelf works well. I have used wood with good results for small castings.

have fun.

Manual or CNC parrot?

It was polly neither.

The smell is going to astound you!

He has it already cross-posted to rec.crafts.metalworking, so we are already seeing it.

Not that I know the answers, but someone else probably does.

Enjoy, DoN.

be careful, feed slow or you'll crack'er