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Creating the Original
From a drawing, the sculpture is created using sheets of foam core and wax. |
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Mould Work
When future replication is considered, a mould is made. The mould material is made of a commercial rubber and plaster. |
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The Wax Stage
Wax is either directly sculpted or poured into the mould to get a pattern that will later be converted to bronze.
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The Sprew System
Wax bars and a wax cup are attached to the main pattern. These will act as channels to feed the molten bronze into the main pattern. |
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Ceramic Shell
The wax pattern and its sprew system are dipped in a ceramic shell slurry. Each coat is allowed to dry, then another is applied. This process takes 3 weeks for the shells to attain proper thickness - 1/2".
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Burn Out
The ceramic shells are placed in a preheated oven. The wax is melted out leaving a cavity for the metal to flow into.
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Pour Preperation
After the wax is burned out, the shells are heated again in another kiln. This firing is hotter than the first, strengthening the ceramic material. They are then placed in a sand bed to have metal poured into them. |
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Pour, Part 1
Bronze ingot is heated to 2150 degrees fahrenheit in a clay crucible. |
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Pour, Part 2
The liquid metal is poured in at 2000 degrees and at 10 gallons per minute. |
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Assembly - Getting the General Form
The cast elements are fit to pieces of sheet bronze. |
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Assembly - Welding & Sanding
Once the overall form is tacked together, the final welding starts. Later, each weld must be sanded down smooth. |
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Assembly - Fine Finish
The surface is sanded to a fine grit. The piece is then sandblasted to clean the surface of fingerprints. |
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Plumbing
The pumps for circulation and flow, and the rubber hoses are put into place. |
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Water Test
All fountains are tested for sound, leaks, and splatter. The pumps are adjusted according to the water velocity needed. |
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CAD Work
Once the piece is functional, a CAD generated shop drawing is made in case it is to be made into a larger version. |
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Patina
The final stage is to cover the surface with an array of patina colors. The most patina mixes are derived from oyster shells. |
