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The following steps comprise the “Lost Wax Casting” method. A single sculpture will normally take approximately two weeks to complete using this method. This is just quick summary of this labor intensive process but should give you an idea how the sculptures are made.

Step 1 Creating the mold
The initial step in creating a mold from the original work of art is by far the most critical. All the details which appear on the original sculpture must be captured in this mold. The mold are made from hard rubber or plaster. The mold (depending on the size of the sculpture) is cut into sections for casting.

Step 2 Making the Wax Cast
Molten wax is poured into the mold to form layers of wax. This wax model is an exact duplicate of the original casting.

Step 3 Chasing the Wax
The wax model is pulled from the mold and hand chased (re-detailed) by a skilled artisan. Although the artisan reproduces the original artwork, each piece may differ slightly from the next.

Step 4 Spruing
Wax rods (gates) and pouring cup are attached to the wax casting in just the right positions. This gate will assure a full pour.

Step 5 Investment Casting
In this step a ceramic mold is casted. The wax casting is dipped into the investment liquid several times in a temperature controlled environment (at about 72 Fahrenheit) to create the ceramic mold. The investment liquid is basically liquid clay. The next step involves dipping the ceramic mold into coarse ceramic sand. The ceramic sand is applied several times, each time the coarseness of the sand is increased. Between each application, the ceramic layer must be dry before another layer can be applied.


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Lost Wax Casting Process Page 2pad
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Please note that our price includes a high quality marble base. The only other costs are shipping costs and tax if applicable.