| Lost Wax Casting is known as Cire Perdue in French. | | | | Filling up the mold: Once the latex and plaster mold is |
| It is a process in which an artist's sculpture is used to | | | | complete and finished, molten wax is poured into the |
| cast bronze. The Lost Wax Casting method is also | | | | mold till it gets an even coating all around the mold. The |
| known as Investment Casting in the modern industrial | | | | thickness of the wax coating is around 1/8 inch. This |
| world. This is a very ancient method used for casting | | | | process is then repeated until the desired thickness is |
| small bronze sculptures, but today it is used to make | | | | achieved. |
| many different artifacts and the process varies from | | | | Removal of wax replica: The hollow wax replica of |
| foundry to foundry. Today this developed method of | | | | the original art work is then removed from the mold. |
| Lost Wax Casting is used to make articles like fine | | | | The original mold can be used for making more wax |
| jewelery, show pieces, dental restoration, a few | | | | replicas, but due to the wear and tear of the original |
| specific industrial parts and also some machine tools. | | | | mold the reuse of the mold is limited. |
| Process of Lost Wax Casting: | | | | Softening: Each wax mold is then chased or softened |
| Rough Sculptor making: A creative artist makes an | | | | using heated metal tools. The metal tools are rubbed |
| original sculptor or mold or an artwork by using raw | | | | around portions that show cracks or the joining line of |
| material like wax, plaster of Paris or clay. A mixture of | | | | the mold, where the pieces have come together. |
| oil based clay and wax is preferred as these materials | | | | Separately molded wax pieces are then heated and |
| retain their softness. | | | | attached. The finished mold is then dressed in order to |
| Final Mold Making: A mold is then made as per the | | | | hide any imperfections. The final piece then looks like a |
| original sculptor. The mold is made up of two pieces | | | | bronze sculpture. |
| and a key with shim is placed between the two pieces | | | | Making paths for molten bronze: It is also known as |
| during construction so the mold can be put accurately | | | | "spuring", in short the wax copy is then branched with |
| back together. Molds are generally made using plaster | | | | treelike wax, so that the molten bronze reaches the |
| or fiberglass or any other material that may be suitable. | | | | right parts and also it helps the air to escape. The |
| An inner mold of latex or vinyl or silicone is put pup | | | | critical and careful spuring begins from the top of the |
| preserve the details of the original art work. Generally, | | | | wax copy. The top of the copy is attached to by wax |
| the original art work made of plaster mold cracks and | | | | cylinders to different points on the wax copy. |
| breaks during the initial phase of deconstruction. Many | | | | Slurry, burnout, testing, pouring, release, metal-chasing, |
| a times, numerable molds are required to get the | | | | and painting are the final steps in the process of Lost |
| exact replica of the original art work. | | | | Wax Casting. |