Found Dreaming

The exhibition is tomorrow night. I finished her this morning.

I have been hard at work on this new girl, mounting her on a base and chasing. What chasing is is the cutting off of the flashing and other bumps with a sharp chisel, and then smoothing her with very fine files. That takes a while. Then I brush her with a wire brush wheel on an electric motor. Why d...

No voids. Some normal flashing, and the need to fill the holes left by the stainless core pins. I'm always tempted to use silicon bronze welding rod instead of stainless (or galvanized nails in large castings) but I am afraid they will melt when I pour in the bronze. This is when it would be nice to...

I busted her out this morning. http://sjames.users.sonic.net/exhibit_2023/busted_out.jpg http://sjames.users.sonic.net/exhibit_2023/busted_out_close.jpg Okay, so far so good. I then asked my house man to clean her up with the power washer. I was afraid to watch. When he brought her to me... http://s...

I burned out the investment for four days and nights at 1000 F. This morning I shut off the kiln burner and lifted off the kiln body with the gantry crane. The investment looked perfect. So I fired up the small furnace and began heating metal. http://sjames.users.sonic.net/exhibit_2023/metal:melting...

Old age has slowed me down. I finally got the girl ready to invest and this morning I did it. It was elbows and assholes for a few hours. The foundry floor after investing: http://sjames.users.sonic.net/exhibit_2023/foundry_after_investing.jpg Pay no attention to the saxophone. The investment: http:...

As I examined the wax closely, I found some problems: several holes and thin spots in her neck. I have made three more waxes. The last one I made this afternoon has no holes and seems perfect. I think I am good to go now. Making waxes is the simplest part of this procedure. With a good mold, which I...

Very hollow. She is between 1/8 and 3/16 of an inch thick in most places.

Richard

I coat the rod with either a silicone spray or with petroleum jelly before pouring the wax. When the wax is cold and solid I place the end of the steel rod in a vise and pull the wax sprue off of the rod. I opened the mold this morning and was greeted with a perfectly good wax. Made me happy. http:/...

Well, I took a day of preparation and organization before making the first wax. I made it today, along with the necessary sprues. I won't open the mold until tomorrow. It would be nice if it is a good one. If not it's back in the pot for another pour. No big deal. I had forgotten how much work inves...