Bronze Casting Manual

If you happen to be one of these crazy individuals that insists on doing everything by themselves, this short tutorial will show you a simple, safe and easy way to cast a small, fist size sculpture in bronze at little cost and little effort. The method described in this manual is called the thin ceramic shell, lost wax technique. There are many other methods to make a bronze figurine such has sand casting or investment molding, injection casting but the lost wax, thin ceramic shell method is the easiest way for the home founder to make a small sculpture to a high degree of quality at little cost and with easily found tools and materials. This manual is not attempting to delve into details in all principles and all aspects of the bronze casting technology. There are some very good books doing that already. We will rather focus on a simple yet rewarding small project that will allow the home enthusiast to cast a small piece safely, quickly, cheaply and to a high standard of quality. The manual will introduce you to the basics of wax working, sprueing a wax model, mixing and applying a ceramic slurry, making your own crucible and making an efficient yet affordable furnace, melting and pouring the metal and finally chasing, fettling the bronze before applying a simple patina. To learn these techniques you will be following a five days process at the end of which you will have made a small fist size bronze object...