Having completed the wax sculpture, a silicon rubber mould must be made. This is a long and complex process where the mould maker must decide the best way to cut the sculpture to form  several two-piece moulds. These will later be pieced together to create a wax reproduction of each new piece. The resulting wax reproduction is identical to the master model, except that it is hollow and has a tightly-defined wall thickness.

              We attach sprues (or gates) to the wax model. Eventually molten bronze will flow into some of these channels, and the air within will escape through others.

A ceramic shell is then formed around the exterior and interior of the wax reproduction. This is baked in a kiln, causing the wax to melt out of the mould, hence the term 'Lost Wax Casting'. There is now a perfect void of the work to be cast, accurate in surface detail, texture, and wall thickness.

The ceramic shell is then prepared to receive the molten bronze. It is slowly heated in an oven so that the bronze will not cool too quickly in its path through the mould and clog up, and so that the ceramic shell will not crack from a sudden temperature change. It is then moved to the sand pit.



We pour the molten bronze. Although dramatic, pouring is often unlike one's expectations. The heated mould has been placed in the foundry floor sand pit, and only a pour-hole is visible. A cauldron filled with nearly the exact amount of molten metal is swung into place and the metal is released into the hole.

The ceramic shell is chipped away from the casting, after the molten metal has been poured into the mould and the molten metal and the mould have been allowed to cool.

The sprues are removed and we begin cleaning the casting.

The casting is "chased" by grinding, sanding and polishing.

The final sculpture then receives its rich brown or coloured patina. The finished bronze is then given a protective coating of wax or lacquer.