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This page shows you the final steps of the lost-wax casting process. Step one, is obviously to create the sculpture. The sculptures on these pages and in the gallery were first created using wax. It's possible to create a sculpture out of any material, but then you would need to build a mold for it.
Next we make a shell casing for the wax sculpture. This is done by applying this mixture of goop and sand in several layers to create a heat resistant casing. (note: 'goop and sand' is not the professional terminology. Nor is having a sculpture that is 'all jacked up')
Next, we heat the shell so the wax melts and pours out. We are left with a hollow cavity in the shape of the wax sculpture. This is what we will pour the bronze into. It's best not to drop the shell because you no longer have the wax sculpture.
After the bronze has cooled, the ceramic shell needs to be broken apart to reveal the bronze sculpture. This part is a little tedious and requires some hard work. The object is to remove the shell without harming the sculpture itself, but as I've found out.... almost any mistake can be fixed with the proper tools and know-how.
After the shell is removed, the beer is drank and the sculpture is sand blasted and polished a little bit, it's time to add the patina. The patina is what gives the bronze that classic dark color most people are used to seeing. It's actually a chemical process where you oxidize the bronze.
I would like to thank Roland Richardson from the Backyard Foundry who taught and assisted me throughout this whole process. If you're interested in learning how to cast bronze for yourself, this is the place to learn. He offers classes and is an exceptional and helpful teacher.
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Bronze Casting for Dummies
Once you're wax sculpture is completed, you'll need to sprew it. That means you need to create channels for the bronze to pour into. This is a critical step, because if the bronze does not pour into the shell smoothly, then the sculpture will come out all jacked up.
It seems there's a certain pattern when it comes to hard work, whether it be home maintenance, yard work, or bronze casting. If you're working hard, your friends will show up with beers. Their objective is to sit around, watch and critique. It's the same everywhere.
To add the patina, the sculpture needs to be heated up and then dabbed with certain chemicals. I just used ferric nitrate for this piece because it gave a nice warm dark tone. It's possible to get green, brown and black tints. It's also possible to create a patina that makes your sculpture look like something else such as marble. I personally think that is a stupid idea. If I wanted to make a marble sculpture, I'd make a marble sculpture. Bronze is an amazing material so there's no reason to try to make it something it's not..