This a very simplified explaination of the lost wax process, a process that is somewhere around 5000 years old. We have streamlined the process and refined the materials that the ancestors developed, but it is essentially the same idea. The mold, made usually of plaster with a rubber material (for detail), is made from the original, liquid wax is poured into this mold, cooled and removed. Any repairs that are necessary are made on the wax and another mold is made around this corrected wax. The wax is then melted out ( lost ), leaving the space in which the bronze is poured. Bronze liquifies at around 2000 degrees and is perfect for casting. As a liquid, it flows into every tiny part of a mold which and reproduces very fine details. After cooling, the mold is broken, leaving an exact reproduction of the original. After the raw bronze has cooled and been removed from the now brittle mold material, it is sand blasted and cleaned. It is now ready to receive its patina. A full range of colors can be achieved by modern patina processes. We try and keep ours simple to capture an older, natural look. After the patina is finished, a final wax is applied and your bronze piece is given a final polishing. Remember, bronze loves to be handled. The more you pick it up, the nicer it looks. Every few months, give it a light coat of good paste wax and buff it up to its original warm glow. Bronze is sturdy and almost indestructable. The lost wax process makes possible a large range of sculptures of all sizes from the smallest miniatures to the largest monuments. |