Casting...Did you know? (part 1)
Tavia, Posted October 02, 2009
This is a little insight into the lost wax casting process. I thought it would be fun to document my last casting and share it with you through a photo diary of sorts. There will be three installments. Enjoy!
Step 1: If your design requires a rubber mold to create multiples, or to make a wax copy because the material of your original is not conducive to the lost wax casting process, then this would be your first step-creating a rubber mold. There are many different kinds of molds out there, I use a silicone rubber mold. These are two examples. The one on the left shows a mold of 7 toy car wheels (plastic isn't the best material to burn out in a kiln), and the mold on the right is a pendant from my limited edition series.
Step 2: After cutting open the mold and removing the original item(s), the opening of the mold is pressed against the nozzle of the wax injector and liquid wax fills the mold at which point you let it cool before removing the wax item from the mold. Here you see the wax injector nozzle and a filled mold.
Step 3: On the left you can see the collection of waxes I have created that need to be cast (I think there were around 40 pieces!). On the right, you can see the beginning of building the sprue tree that consists of a main wax channel with all of the waxes attached by small wax channels. These channels are called sprues. I am using an electic wax pen to heat the end of each sprue and melt it onto the main sprue.
Step 3 continued: Here is a close up of a sprue tree in progress consisting of pieces from my limited edition line to be cast in sterling silver. Also, on the right, you see a carved wax of an engagement ring to be cast in 14k white gold, which has to be cast separately as it is a different metal. Injection wax is a softer more maleable wax and blue carving wax is more durable to withstand carving, filing and sanding to create the design.
Hope that was enough to whet your appetite...casting story to be continued!!!