Casting Questions

[Goldsmith]

Hi James,
I've been looking at your photographs of the stag (stunning by the way!) & was just wondering - why the copper on the cut line?
I make lots of non-jewellery related sculptures & i've never seen this done before.
Was there a reason to solder together afterwards rather than joining the waxes prior to casting?

Hi Lucie, as Peter says the stag was hollow, as for my method of shaping the wax, I find this method a great time saver, 10 hours to complete the casting pattern, and of course a hollow model uses less silver so less cost. I did also make some smaller casting patterns for this job and I soldered them together so that they only required 1 rubber wax mould. This was all part of an antique restoration job that I did, here are a few more photos.



James

[Lucie]

Thanks guys. I've made quite a lot of larger bronze lifecasts, but I must admit, I tend to cast them solid as it's almost impossible to disguise a cut line / join line with skin texture.
I was thinking your method could have quite a few other applications. Is it documented anywhere, or is it your own technique?

[Goldsmith]

Thanks guys. I've made quite a lot of larger bronze lifecasts, but I must admit, I tend to cast them solid as it's almost impossible to disguise a cut line / join line with skin texture.
I was thinking your method could have quite a few other applications. Is it documented anywhere, or is it your own technique?

When I first attempted wax modelling as an apprentice, I was given advice by Fred Bush who was a fine a craftsman designer and model maker. He used to model decorative fittings for the silversmiths and they were modelled on copper shapes so that they fitted the articles that they were being added to. I still have my first wax model that I made using wax and tips given to me by Fred, I do not know of any documentation re using copper as a base for wax modelling.

This is my first wax model, a solid wax and wood model of a chess piece,that I never had cast. Although I did get a commendation that year, in the annual Goldsmith's Company Craft & Design Council competition, model makers section.


James

[Lucie]

Thanks James. The chess piece is amazing. I guess I now have an excuse to get a few more books
Not nearly as refined I know, but here's one I made earlier.

[Goldsmith]

Thanks James. The chess piece is amazing. I guess I now have an excuse to get a few more books
Not nearly as refined I know, but here's one I made earlier.

That's very nice Lucie, I don't do much modelling, it's just that in the past few years my business has been mainly antique restorations, so I sometimes have to do some pattern making and casting if the customer doesn't want to pay me for handmade replacements.

I have a friend, Larry Heyda, in the USA who is a fine modeller, you might like to see some of his work; http://lawrenceheydastudios.com/portfolio.html

James

[Lucie]

These are amazing James - I'd probably have to get myself back to college though.

[caroleallen]

Those hands are really good Lucie.

[Lucie]

Thank you Carole - They're brass which is a bit different
Keep trying out new ways to make some money around my ever expanding brood of little ones