How to Make Wax Jewelry Molds

Wax jewelry molds allows detailed jewelry patterns to be imprinted in metal. The procedure of designing jewelry from wax molds is called the lost wax process. It has been used for thousands of years. Most wax patterns are created by hand and require a great deal of skill to make. Creating wax jewelry molds is also sometimes called creative wax carving.

Difficulty: Challenging

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Jewelers wax
• Precision knife (X-acto brand)
• Wax file

1. Find out exactly what type of jewelry you'd like to make. You also need to know what type of wax works best to create a jewelry mold for the piece you want to make. Select the type of jewelers wax that best suits your needs.

2. Consider using blue wax is for beginners since it's forgiving. It's good for earrings and pendants but not for rings. Jewelers waxes can be bought at hobby stores and the staff can help you find the perfect wax for your needs.

3. Weigh the wax so that you can determine how much metal you'll need to make your piece of jewelry.

4. Hand carve the wax into the desired shape with the precision knife. It should be carved to the exact proportions you want your jewelry piece to be.

Tips & Warnings

• Many professional wax jewelry mold makers suggest purchasing jewelry wax from the international supplier Rio Grande.
• Never purchase jewelry wax without doing your research first. If you don't do your research, you could waste a lot of money.