Gladiator Helmet

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Well this has been a long time coming. Finally finishing this project up, hopefully with in the next month or two if all goes according to plan.

Ill be doing the "lost wax casting" prod. on this and it will be then fully bronzed. Everything as you see it now is a couple different types of wax's and thats why it looks so grainy, but its actually glass smooth on the helmet and face plate area's. The spikes are just held in place by tooth picks till im able to melt/weld them to the dome and then everything will be "vented and gated", then burned out and bronzed, which should probable weight about 20-30lbs when all is said and done.

Question, comments are welcomed......



-Tim

Few other shots in different lighting

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Oh man, that's great.

I can't wait to see it in bronze...

That is stunning. Wonderful looking piece.

Not sure I understand the process. Are you saying the finished helmet will be made out of wax coated in bronze or that a mold will be produced from this wax sculpt?

Looks good so far :thumbsup

<div class='quotetop'>(RKW @ Nov 8 2006, 12:13 PM) [snapback]1353492[/snapback]</div>

Not sure I understand the process. Are you saying the finished helmet will be made out of wax coated in bronze or that a mold will be produced from this wax sculpt?

Looks good so far :thumbsup
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Ha yeh it seems complicated,but when you usual see a bronze, it usually has to be in wax or some time of material that will melt 1st. The process that im using is called "lost wax casting" and basically what happens is once the wax piece is all done and detailed you then have to vent and gate it. Meaning have a was "feed or pipe" that allows for the bronze to travel down to your piece. Looks something like this

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The smaller red "sticks" are vents which help release the air and gases when the bronze is being poured. The main red wax stick is a feed for the bronze and the brown base is the pour cup to help the distribution of the bronze throughout the piece. Lasty once the "venting a gating" is all done the piece is the put into a "slurry" or a plaster cylinder casing to hold its shape while the wax is burned out in the kiln.

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Once the wax is all burnt out, the center piece will have an open void throughout it where your wax sculpture used to be and then its ready to be poured.

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Finally the piece is done and then begins the long clean up part of the job, grinding the excess metal off , removal of the vents and gates, and then the sanding and final painting.

Wow really cool. could you show me some pics of the thing you set the helmet in and pour the bronze in?

Ps: oh wait, do you put them in the big white cylinders? Thanks

"lost wax casting" should be renamed "lost hair casting"

If you don't get it right first time basically your mold has melted away for good :eek

<div class='quotetop'>(RKW @ Nov 8 2006, 03:26 PM) [snapback]1353614[/snapback]</div>

"lost wax casting" should be renamed "lost hair casting"

If you don't get it right first time basically your mold has melted away for good :eek
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Yes and No.....Ill be making another latex mold off my wax when its done so incase the pouring of the bronze goes wrong, im not out of luck.

great looking helmet... it makes me want to watch that movie now.