Making of Bronze Statues
The steps "Lost Wax Casting" process are provided below.
Making the Mold From An Original Work of Art: This step is by far the most difficult and critical. The detail of the original sculpture must be captured in this mold; depending on the size of the sculpture the mold is cut into sections for the casting.
Making the Wax Casting:
Molten wax is poured into the mold to form different layers of wax. The wax model is an exact duplicate of the original casting.
Chasing the Wax:
The wax is pulled from the mold and hand chased, which means re-detailed by a skilled artist. Even though the artist reproduces the original artwork, each piece may be slightly different from the next.
Spurning:
Wax rods and a pouring cup are attached to the wax casting in just the right place, which allows a full pour.
Casting theCeramic Mold:
In a temperature controlled climate of 72 degrees Fahrenheit, the wax casting is dipped a few times into investment liquid. First, the wax casting is dipped in a very fine powder. Next, the wax casting is dipped in course ceramic sand. This step is repeated several times, each increasing the coarseness of the material to create the ceramic mold. Between each dip, the ceramic layer must cure, which means dry, before another layer can be applied.
Burn-Out:
The ceramic shell is placed in a kiln and fired. The shell bakes and the wax is melted, known as lost from the shell. This creates a hollow ceramic shell mold. This is where the term "Lost Wax" comes from.
Casting:
The ceramic mold is removed from the kiln and immediately the molten bronze is poured into the shell. At the time of pouring, the bronze is 2100 degrees Fahrenheit.
Break-Out:
After the casting has cooled several hours, the shell is carefully broken away leaving the unfinished bronze exposed.
Sandblasting:
Any fragments of the ceramic shell are sandblasted away. The sculpture is now inspected to see if all is correct and even. Assembly: At this time all the pieces of the sculpture are welded together by a skilled artist.
Chasing:
All the weld marks are chased and re-detailed.
Glass Beading:
This is similar to sandblasting; the glass is extremely fine to ensure an even bronze finish.
Polish:
The raw bronze sculpture is now hand polished in preparation for the patina.
Patina:
The bronze is first heated. The patina chemical is hand applied by a skilled artist.
Waxing:
The wax is hand applied with heat to ensure a beautiful lustrous patina.
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