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Thread: Filigree & Lost Wax Casting

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Dec 2013
    Posts
    23

    Question Filigree & Lost Wax Casting

    Hi,

    I am looking at designing & creating some filigree designs to sell in my new collections. On this occasion, I wont be handmaking these designs at a bench, I have to be honest I will probably have them cad modeled. I was wondering if anyone could advise potential production methods please. I will need the production method to be quite scaleable, as I run a business and naturally want to sell as many as I can.


    The closest thing I can find to the designs I have in mind is this, not exactly like this, but this type of design, a 3D wire type filigree rather than flat. - http://www.hamiltonjewelers.com/prod...SSNK1309_0.png

    I am thinking of having the designs cast, by a casting company along with the stone settings, is this possible? Would it be advisable to have it cast with the settings, or would the settings become too thin?

    I realise alot of clean up would be needed with casting, does any one know of any other ways to produce designs such as these? I've been looking in to die-casting, but the upfront cost/tooling/machinery would be huge!

    Thanks,
    Hannah

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Mar 2011
    Location
    Manchester UK
    Posts
    937

    Default

    I would maybe make masters by hand or have them CAD (I would CAD them to be honest) but slightly bigger to allow for shrinkage,this occurs because your molding the model twice and injecting wax,unfortunately there is no set figure to account for this shrinkage as there are so many variables but somewhere between 5 to 10 % .these waxs are then cast , The settings can all be done as one,then rubber/rtv mould the models and use that mould for wax injecting to produce copys then you can cast as many as you need. Make sure you highly polish the master models after you attach a brass sprue (these can be purchased they allow a path for the injection wax) the polishing is done so no defects are carried across to the copy's this also makes the copy's easier for final polish. If you have the settings CAD correctly setting the stones is fairly easy (ish) with a bit of practice, also its a pretty simple design to make (not copy obviously) so It shouldn't be to expensive to have CAD.

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