![]() ![]() Once all your lead has melted, leave it for a few minutes to super heat, this will give you extra time for your pour. only melt what you need maybe a little more to be sure you have enough. Slowly add up to 4 pieces at a time, waiting for each batch to melt before adding the next, you can check if they are melted by poking the pieces you have put in.ĭon't put too much lead in your crucible otherwise you may not be able to pick it up safely. ![]() it will solidify and take a while to melt again. Important note here, do not put too many pieces in at once you will freeze the melt, e.g. Your can will smoke to start with as it burns off the coating inside the can, this will stop after a few minutes. Pop your can on the small ring of your hob on high heat, pop about 5 or 6 bits of lead in. Take your tin can and squeeze one end so its pointy, this will be your pouring spout. Now you can wait for a couple of days for the mould to dry out or you can cheat, pop the 2 halves on a baking tray separately, pop in a cold oven then put the oven on low and leave for a few hours to get the water out the moulds.ĭo not cast with wet / damp moulds, they will crack/crumble or explode. Once its hard remove the walls and separate the mould, remove the clay from the mould. Now mix up some more plaster and pour it in to the 2nd half, agitate again and then wait for it to harden. Now build walls again high enough so they come above the highest point of the part.Ĭoat the plaster and the 2nd half of the part in a thin coat of petroleum jelly, this will act as a release agent and stop the plaster sticking to its self so we can separate the 2 halves. ![]() Now place the other half of the part on top of the one in the plaster, line it up and push down lightly to make it stick. Remove the small ball parts we used for the key, and then using a hobby knife carve off the edges of the key points so there's no overlap. Let your plaster harden then remove the walls and turn the mould over. Mix up your plaster to the consistency of thick cream, only mix up enough for this half of the mould, pour this in to the mould all the way to the top of the walls.Īgitate (shake gently) the mix to dispel any bubbles. Using the modelling clay build walls all the way round the part but make sure the bottom of the cone/sprue is butted up to one of the walls. Make a small ball and cut that in half and place the 2 halves on either side of the part to be cast, make them staggered, these will form our key for the mould making sure it will only fit together in the correct way and aligned correctly. I cut it in half and lay one half on my desk. Using my non-drying modelling clay I made a ball of roughly the right size, then made a rough cone which will form my sprue. I decided that I would use what I know and make it from plaster which I had kicking around. Polish – Finally to wrap up this nifty process, Elicia smooths away any rough or sharp edges and refines the custom piece with the perfect polish.I need a mould for pouring molten lead in to unfortunately the best thing for this is a metal mould but they cost money unless you have a home foundry to cast your own.The metal has developed by this time and is perfectly set to the exact image of the initial wax design. Quench – After the metal in the mold has had time to set a bit, Elicia “quenches” the hot metal and plaster mold to cool the whole project.C ast – Once Elicia has developed the desired mold, she very carefully pours hot molten metal – silver, for example, into the hollow cavity in the plaster mold.Kiln Time – The finished plaster mold – with wax model inside – is fired in a kiln overnight while the plaster hardens during heating, the wax melts out, providing the basis for jewelry casting’s alternative term “lost wax casting.” Once the wax has melted out, the hollow impression of the designed jewelry piece is left inside the cavity in the plaster – creating the final form of the mold.Invest – After Elicia has finished the wax model, she uses special powder to make a plaster that becomes an “invested” mold.This might be Elicia’s favorite part of the process as she loves using her talents to creatively develop each customer’s unique piece. Using a large stick of wax, Elicia forms the ring shape and carefully etches in the intricate designs and details. ![]() Carve and Shape Wax – The first step is to carve the jewelry project in wax.The jewelry casting process itself is fascinating: The alternative name “lost wax casting” refers to how the original wax form is “lost” during the process. Also called “lost wax casting,” jewelry casting is a long-standing traditional way of using plaster molds and wax carvings to develop exquisitely crafted jewelry pieces from molten silver or other metals. Jewelry casting is a technique Elicia works with frequently to fashion the custom designs, especially rings, requested by clients. A recent custom ring Elicia created for a customer ![]()
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