Wax/casting questions

[belette]

Hello all

I want to make some 'wax seal' type jewellery with some nice intricate wax seal stamps that I have and am wondering what the best type of wax is to achieve this.

Ideally I want to create the wax seal as you would normally if sealing a letter (dripping melted wax, pressing the seal into it, and waiting for it to cool) and then just send the seal to be cast. Would casters be able to work with actual sealing wax do you think? This would be simplest, I like the very clean lines you get from these waxes as they're really hard when they set.

If not I've also thought about whether something like mould a wax would work but I don't know how soft it goes - ideally I want to be able to use something that can be melted to liquid forming minimal bubbles, then hardens back again. Could you use the blue carving wax maybe?

Thoughts very welcome!

Zoe

eta: the melting point of normal sealing wax is about 95-115C, maybe I should use the green Ferris wax based on this? I don't care about carving the wax once set, just want clean impressions.

[Dennis]

If you send it in as sealing wax, they can take an impression and do just one, or multiples for you.

You could also do it yourself from that by the Delft Clay process.

You might not do as well in wax, but a one off would be less work for casters and therefore cheaper. Dennis.

[ps_bond]

I'd ask your casters if they have any thoughts on whether they think it will burn out successfully. Compositions of sealing wax seem to vary somewhat; if it's a shellac and filler mix then the filler will probably cause problems. Of course, you could make your own if Ferris green doesn't take an impression well - http://codesmiths.com/shed/workshop/...sealingwax.htm

[Sandra]

Ferris makes a red wax called 'Mold-a-Wax', I think I bought mine from Cooksons. If you work with it and warm it up with your hands it becomes fairly soft and I've been able to use it in molds and it seems to hold the detail fairly well. I think it would probably work with a wax seal. Silver metal clay works perfectly with wax seals actually, but you'd need a kiln for that.

[ps_bond]

I've not seen that one before - sounds a much more sensible wax to use than my suggestions. I might get some.

[josef1]

http://www.cooksongold.com/forum/sho...erris+moldawax

There is a thread on that wax here