Anyone work in wax? Bronze casting tips?

[jhusel]

Looking for tips and tricks to smoothing wax and getting a nice uniform finish. I have a casting of one of my sculptures in wax, and am going over it trying to smooth out some rough areas. It is less than perfect and was wondering if anyone had any tips to help make it the best it can look. I flashed a few areas with MAPP gas and it worked really good. I also used some tools to help, and a wet rag to help smooth out areas. Just looking for some other tips from people who work with wax.

Jhusel

 

[DAVIDYR1]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(jhusel @ Mar 13 2007, 10:16 AM) [snapback]1438991[/snapback]</div>

Looking for tips and tricks to smoothing wax and getting a nice uniform finish. I have a casting of one of my sculptures in wax, and am going over it trying to smooth out some rough areas. It is less than perfect and was wondering if anyone had any tips to help make it the best it can look. I flashed a few areas with MAPP gas and it worked really good. I also used some tools to help, and a wet rag to help smooth out areas. Just looking for some other tips from people who work with wax.

Jhusel
[/b]

You can use different degree's of sand paper dipped in Naptha to smooth out the wax. It can then be polished using wet/dry sand paper again dipped in Naptha then finally buffed with a rag dipped in Naptha.

Make sure you then have plenty of breather tubes to allow for the air to escape and the bronze to run fully through the mold.

David

 

[jhusel]

Cool, thanks for the tips David. I also read you can have 2 buckets of water, 1 hot, 1 cold. Dip it in the warm water to help mold it better, and then the cold to freeze it. I might try that too.

Jhusel

 

[DAVIDYR1]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(jhusel @ Mar 13 2007, 01:36 PM) [snapback]1439132[/snapback]</div>

Cool, thanks for the tips David. I also read you can have 2 buckets of water, 1 hot, 1 cold. Dip it in the warm water to help mold it better, and then the cold to freeze it. I might try that too.

Jhusel
[/b]

No problem buddy...

Yes, hot and cold water are great for this too but usually for the rough sculpting. Wax is temperature sensitive..heat will melt it and the cold will make it sold again...and of course you know that, but watch when you dip it in hot water that you dont leave finger marks in the wax from handling it. Hot water weakens the wax, but wont give you the means to smooth the surface much. Naptha pretty much dissolves the wax in thin layers so if you're working it with a low grit sand paper it'll almost be like working clay in that respect.

You should post some WIP pics..we dont see a whole lot of 'lost wax' bronze work around here and it's pretty cool.

David

 

[jhusel]

I will take some tonight. I am doing the Ceramic Shell method, rather than the investment mold one. It is a great way to do bronze castings.. I am excited, I haven't done one in a while. I love pouring the bronze...

Jhusel

 

[Mr_Creepy]

If you're using a fairly hard wax, you can get a nice burnished finish by rubbing it with old pantyhose.

 

[Utinni]

At the final stages of wax carving for jewelry, I use a small square of soft jean denim with a final touch up with a piece of nylon, like ToothTech mentioned. It puts a nice glossy finish on the wax.

Jeff