Investment Casting/Lost Wax Services

[Pedro]

Hi All

Does anyone know of or used any Investment Casting company's ?. Looking for someone that can do the wax's from mould's provided by me in small quantities and even one off carved wax forms. Only really interested in Silver at the moment,maybe gold at a later date.

Cheers

Peter

[Dennis]

Hi Pedro,

Try these, which I have had limited experience of, but did well: http://www.londononline.co.uk/profiles/181879/.

Or these from the Goldsmiths Company website:

http://www.thegoldsmiths.co.uk/technology-training/technical-portal/?cat=11301&subcat=11321. Dennis.

[Tabby66]

I've used these......http://www.nexgenprecisioncasting.co.uk/, you can see the services available from the website...

[LucyAlicia]

Hi Peter, I've tried a few and now use Merrell Casting - they seem to have separate people answering the phones, so you don't feel as rushed when asking questions, as I did with some of the others.
Good luck with it all!
Lucy

[Anna Wales]

I've used these......http://www.nexgenprecisioncasting.co.uk/, you can see the services available from the website...

I also now use Nexgen. Mainly castings from my old moulds from the 80's but they've also done some new ones for me and all have been fine. Helpful and friendly.

[Tabby66]

They do one offs, three castings and more in silver, I've certainly been pleased with their results, if you're going to use nexgen, ask for Phil, he will sort you out!!

[caroleallen]

Nexgen are fine but they take ages. I've just started using St Justin who are local to me in Cornwall and they do the moulds on a Wednesday and cast on a Thursday, so if I get my stuff in by Weds, I get it back the same week. Nexgen take about a month.

[medusa]

Ohhh! What's the quality like at St Justin? Do they do silver as well? Always assumed they just did peweter. My caster can take anything from 3-9 weeks. Really frustrating.

[caroleallen]

Having now tried other casters, I've just eaten humble pie and returned to Nexgen. I've realised that it's worth waiting for quality work. Nexgen's castings have been faultless and there has been very little cleaning up to do. I can thoroughly recommend them.

[medusa]

so St Justin are not great then? I was going to try them out for a commission after the last commission only got cast after two weeks because of me hassling them.

[Tabby66]

I really can't fault Nexgen, service and product has been great....
Just note, they do have a weeks shutdown atm, it has been advertised, so expect a delay..... (they do advertise there shutdowns, and obviously bank holidays make a difference, I go into the 'shop' frontage, so it's easy to check out!!), as ever the advice would be speak to someone!

[medusa]

what's the turnaround at nexgen for one off castings? I'm fine with waiting for moulds. Also, if you don't supply your own silver, what's the premium they charge?

I recently sent a seaweed bangle in to be cast with the promise it would be back for the first weekend in May (so two weeks), I rang up on the thursday and was told it was being cast and posted out the next day so would have it by tuesday after the bank holiday. The wednesday a small pattern turns up, but no bangle. Ring them up and was told they hoped to cast it sometime the following week when they will have some stuff to go on same flask. I was pretty hopping so they agreed to cast it on its own the next day.

Now I know my stuff is a pain to cast and I appreciate them casting with other stuff to reduce cost (£20 as opposed to £60 for a solo casting) but for commission work it's doing my head in. In future I'm just going to factor in the cost of solo casting to prices.