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The steps in bronze casting
I. Making the mould
This is the longest part of the process.
The desired sculpture is fashioned in wax, which is then covered in successive coats of a mix of earth and an organic material (such as donkey manure). Effectively, this creates a mixture that has the ability to resist the heat of molten metal . Great care is taken during the building of the mould to leave two “chimneys” into one of which the bronze will be poured.
II. The Pouring of the Bronze
On the day of the bronze pouring, it is necessary to remove the wax from the mould. It is placed near to the fire, with the chimneys pointing down, so that the wax can melt and escape, leaving the space and the shape for the bronze. Next the copper and the tin are melted to the temperature required for fusion.
The mould is then heated on the fire, to avoid any shock from the temperature of the molten bronze.
Once the metal is ready to be poured, the melting pot is removed
from the fire, and placed in a basket.
Once the metal is ready, it is poured through a nozzle into the mould to fill the space left from the wax sculpture.
As the moulds are filled, any remaining bronze can be poured elsewhere, and saved for use on the next project.
It is essential to be patient now, and wait for everything to cool before removing the mould.
III.Discovery of the piece
It is with emotion that the piece is carefully unwrapped by breaking the mould after the long hours of waiting.
There are still many hours of work to be done to polish the piece and create the final appearance..