How to Mold Metals
Civilizations dating back thousands of years used various methods of casting metals to make household, religious and decorative items. All forms of metal casting involve melting metals at very high temperatures in special furnaces and then pouring the molten metal into a mold of one type or another. Both sand casting and lost wax casting are two methods used for making decorative items and metal jewelry.
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Things You'll Need
- Metal
- Carved wax
- Sprue
- Flask
- Wax pen
- Investment
- Jewelry kiln
- Centrifugal casting machine
- Water
- Bucket
- Small brush
- Gloves
- Safety goggles
Instructions
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Making a Mold
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1
Attach your wax carving to a sprue with a wax pen. The sprue is your feed line that will be part of the method for removing the melted wax and making the metal button at the end of your piece.
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2
Use the wax pen to attach the sprue to a rubber base. Choose a base that is appropriate in size to your wax carving.
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3
Place a metal flask, or piece of pipe, over the wax carving and sprue, making sure it fits into the base properly.
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4
Pour the investment into the flask. Investment is a plaster-like substance that starts out as powder and forms a liquid with the addition of water. Allow it to set overnight.
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5
Remove the base from the mold and place the mold into a jewelry kiln or other furnace.
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6
Heat the investment, flask and wax carving to 1,200 degrees Fahrenheit, which will melt away the wax, leaving a detailed mold in its place in the investment.
Casting the Metal
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7
Place your flask and mold into a centrifugal metal casting machine.
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8
Heat the metal to its melting point but not to boiling. Make sure the metal is completely molten and stir with a graphite wand.
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9
Follow the directions for your centrifugal casting machine and force the molten metal into the mold.
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10
Allow the device to spin until it stops and remove the flask. Plunge the flask in water to fully cool. Leave it in the water until the investment dissolves. Move the flask from side to side to dissolve the investment.
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11
Remove the metal casting from the remainder of the investment and the flask and clean with a small brush to expose the piece of jewelry you just made.
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1
Tips & Warnings
Gold and silver are the best metals to use for lost wax casting.
When your finished casting comes out of the flask and the investment is dissolved, it will most likely be dark and need refining and polishing.
The melting points of many metals are extremely high, with some being above 1,000 degrees Fahrenheit. Never look directly into the flame of your furnace to protect your eyes.
Use care to prevent molten metal from coming into contact with water because it explodes. Wear protective safety gear such as goggle and gloves to avoid burns.
References
- Photo Credit Stockbyte/Stockbyte/Getty Images
