About Sterling Silver Ring Castings
A sterling silver ring is cast using the lost wax method of casting. A design of the desired ring is carved into a special ring wax. Jewelry-making tools are used to carve the ring into the wax. A special casting material is used to make the cast. The wax is melted out of the cast and it is replaced with molten sterling silver.
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Lost Wax Casting
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Lost wax casting for sterling silver rings is completed using a wax wire (used for the sprue), investment, casting flax, a kiln, a centrifugal machine, molten sterling silver and water. The wax sprue is attached to the wax ring. The sprue is then attached to the rubber base of the casting flax. Investment, which is like a plaster of Paris, is poured into the flask and allowed to harden. The flask and the investment are heated to remove the wax from the mold. The investment mold is then placed in a centrifugal machine where molten sterling silver is introduced and cast. The investment is then placed into water for removal. The sprue of metal is then cut from the ring and the finishing process is completed.
Origins
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Lost wax casting was first used 2500 B.C. by the Sumerians to cast bronze utensils such as cups, bowls and jars. They carved beeswax to form the shape of the item they desired. They either dipped the item into a very watered down clay (called slurry) or hand pressed clay around the outer form. The clay was allowed to dry, then it was heated. The heat caused the wax to melt and they could pour the wax out of the clay mold. The clay mold was then filled with molten bronze. The clay mold was broken off the bronze piece after it had cooled.
The oldest silver jewelry unearthed has come from Neolithic India. The cities of Harappa and Mohenjodaro Indus Valley have been excavated and jewelry has been found made from gold, silver and copper.
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Wax and Ring Design
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There are three weights of carving wax available: blue, green and red. The blue is the softest while the red is the hardest. Individuals new to wax carving should begin with the blue wax. It is the easiest to carve and provides an excellent medium to use for initial designs.
Cut the desired amount of wax from the ring wax tube. The slice should be slightly larger than the ring design. Use dental tools, jewelry files and sand paper to create the ring design. Beginners should start with a simple design.
Ring wax can be carved with very intricate designs. Stone prongs can be added to set stones. The prongs should allow for a snug fit for the stone without breaking the prongs. The red ring wax is the best wax to use when producing very intricate design work.
Air Pockets
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It is important that the investment used to cast the silver sterling ring is free from air. Air pockets around the wax mold provide areas for excessive molten sterling silver to settle. The excess sterling silver requires more time to finish the ring after it has been removed from the investment.
Heat
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Heating the investment for the proper time and at the proper temperature is necessary to create a hard investment mold. The mold needs to be set securely to hold the molten sterling silver as it is being sent into the mold opening by the centrifugal machine.
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References
Resources
- Photo Credit series object on white silver ring image by Aleksandr Ugorenkov from Fotolia.com
