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Bronze Casting


One of the wax originals. Realistic female figure of a dancer in dark browm wax. Wax original.  This is the figure that I used for a couple of othe animation pieces and kept "improving" it as I continued studying anatomy.
Wax orignals of female figures dancing are attached in groups of 3, 2 and 3 to a central sprue bar with a pour cup on top. The metal will flow into the original from the bottom and vented out the top of the figures. Several additional paths are provided for the metal to ensure that even the smallest portions are filled properly.
 Wax orignals have been attached to sprue bars and are vented.  The metal will flow into the originals from the bottom and vented out the top of the figures.  Several additional paths are also provided to ensure that even the smallest portions are filled properly.  Any scratches or flaws should be repaired now while it is still wax.

Image of large "dip" tank full of silicon polymer for building up the ceramic shell around the wax original. Image shows tank in motion to keep polymer from solidifying when not being used.

 Here is the "dip" tank full of silicon polymer for the ceramic shell.  Twenty layers of polymer and sand will be built up around the wax original.
Wax original with first coat of Ceramic shell. Most of detail of original is still visible. Wax originals covered with the very critical first coat of ceramic shell.  Extremely fine sand allows even fingerprint sized details to be captured.
First coat of coarse sand. The wax original is still descernable in form. After four layers of fine sand, coarse sand is used to bulk up the mold.
Wax original covered with twelve layers of ceramic shell. Form of original is no longer obvious. After twelve layers of ceramic shell the mold is reinforced with wire. 
Completed ceramic shell molds have been trimmed open and are ready for firing to remove wax original. Dipping support hook is still in place but will fall out as wax melts. Completed ceramic shell mold has been trimmed open on top and is ready for firing to remove wax original.  The dipping support-hook is still in place but will fall out as the wax melts.  Note how little of the original form is discernable.
Prepared cermaic shell molds are stacked in the burnout furnace Prepared cermaic shell molds are stacked in the furnace (cover removed).  Most of the wax will be reclaimed for future works of art. 
Glowing hot cermaic shell is being held with smoking insulating gloves. This delicate work is done by the master. Glowing hot cermaic shell mold being held with smoking insulating gloves.  This delicate and dangerous work is done by the master, Robert Bricker.
Glowing hot ceramic shell molds are quickly set in sand prior to pouring the bronze Still glowing-hot ceramic shell molds are quickly set in sand prior to pouring the bronze.  Keeping the molds close to the temperature of the molten bronze reduces stress and keeps the metal hot and flowing while it is being poured.
Crusible of bright yellow molten bronze is being poored into molds. Previously poored molds glow with cooling metal in the foreground. Molten bronze is poured carefully into one mold at a time.  Note excess metal flowing out of vent.  I got to pour my own molds.  Its not hard, just kind of scary--especially as this was my first time pouring so I slopped a bit more metal around than is depicted here.
Ceramic shell molds are filled with dark metal. Some cooled splashes of metal are also visible on parts of the molds.
 Ceramic shell molds are filled with dark metal.  Some cooled splashes of metal are also visible on parts of the molds.
The Ceramic shell has been chipped away from the casting enough to see that the figure has been captured in bronze. The tools used are shown nearby (a small block hammer, a cold chisel, and a pnuematic chisel.
 The Ceramic shell has been chipped away from the casting enough to see the figure that has been captured in bronze.  The tools used are shown nearby (a small block hammer, a cold chisel, and a pnuematic chisel).
Most of the light colored ceramic shell has been removed from the bronze casting. It looks pretty much just like the wax original except that it is oxidized bronze rather than dark brown wax.
 Some care must be excersied when removing the mold material so that the bronze is not damaged.