lost wax casting

Designs for a wax burnout kiln

Jason — Sat, 27 Sep 2008 18:50:46 -0500

I am wondering if anyone has plans or suggestions for a wax burnout kiln? Currently we are using a kiln which is constructed out of an oil drum, which work well, but it is loaded from the top making it difficult to get the molds in and out of the kiln. Majority or the bronze sculpture object which we are casting are within 6"-2.5' in height, so I was thinking of a front loading design might be a good approach.

Which casting technique to use?

Maddahorn — Thu, 24 Jan 2008 06:13:02 -0600

Hello,
I'm new to this stuff but have been pondering and reading about casting for some time now. I rebuild saxophones as a hobby. My desire is to fabricate brass levers for the neck octave of certain types of saxophones that would be very time intensive doing it by hand forming out of brass plate. My question is which method to use? I am presuming that those who read this don't know what the octave lever on a Sax neck looks like. The lever is bent in an arc, probably that of a 12" dia. circle, it has a loop in it, much like an elongated noose. It is hinged close to the center where it pivots to close and open a vent in the neck. It is only about 1/4 - 5/16" of an inch thick and has various degrees of shaping to the looped end. I can't really be more precise other than the shaping is contoured in an arcing fashion so instead of just square sides to the piece of brass it is shaped to an edge on the loop end. The other end is the "rope" part of the noose analogy and has a little cup at the end of it where a leather pad would be inserted and glued. If I were to flatten the arced original piece it would be approximately 8" long. I am assuming I'd have to make a flat copy out of some material to use as a form? I would like to get as close to the original confuguration as possible as the contouring at the noose end as described above would be quite difficult to match and make consistent by hand filing/sanding.

Metal working machines...

Larry Razza — Wed, 16 Jan 2008 09:11:43 -0600

Just wanted to let everyone know I have a lot of machinery and supplies for...Metal, casting, lost wax casting, electro plating, sandblasting, machining, jewelry machinery, mold making machines, etc.

New Multi-Week Metal/Jewelry Classes at the Worcester Center for Crafts

worcestercenterforcrafts — Mon, 07 Jan 2008 16:29:28 -0600

Hello,

Just a quick announcement on a few new classes offered this year at the Worcester Center for Crafts.

“Introduction to Hollowware”
With Heather Beck
Mondays 6:30 – 9:30pm, Feb 4, 2008 – April 7, 2008

Cores for Ceramic Shell Casting

Daniel Rotblatt — Mon, 15 Oct 2007 02:14:13 -0500

New here - hope I'm doing this right! I have a question about cores for ceramic shell casting. I teach a foundry class, so I am no newbie. Generally for hollow pieces I cut out a section or make sure the piece is designed so that the center will build up a shell and be able to dry properly. But, I am now doing some foundry work for another artist out of my studio of some small animal figures. These are a little too big to cast solid (though I can if necessary), but a little too small for a large enough opening to allow the shell to make a strong core -- soooooooo.....I have been looking into using some sort of core material.

recent grad looking for foundry job

erika tenjack — Tue, 19 Jun 2007 18:28:41 -0500

To whom it may concern,

I am a recent graduate of the Bachelor of Fine Arts program in
Sculpture at the University of Minnesota. I have experience working with both resin-bonded sand and ceramic shell molds. I am also trained in plaster and rubber-mold casting and have a thorough understanding of

Minotaur by Erika Johannsen

erika tenjack — Tue, 19 Jun 2007 18:22:15 -0500

Self Portriat

erika tenjack — Tue, 19 Jun 2007 18:14:58 -0500

Diana by Erika Johannsen

erika tenjack — Tue, 19 Jun 2007 18:11:27 -0500

Casting bronze, core mixtures

C.K.L. — Wed, 12 Jul 2006 19:15:06 -0500

This site is a bit odd to me, but if there are people that do actually cast bronze art in here, I need some info with core mixtures. We use a 4 plaster 4 silica flour 3 silica sand mixture. Not sure this is the problem with the casting.