Monday, 21 April 2025

How to prepare "WIDER & BIGGER" waxes for casting (Display #2) => 32 photos

  At some point in our labours, we encounter 'wider and larger' waxes, but how do we deal with these varieties of problems?

 This tutorial essay will be essential in this situation, please bear with me as I've selected unusually weird & large waxes.

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 Here is a range of weights (all including the sprues).


 The attached wax sprue must be adequately assigned to the model. Not just heated, but allowing for the metal to flow with no problem.

 This model of a 'standing horse' is an added feature in my collection. It is quite heavy to cast

 Would you believe that this is a 'belt buckle'? That piece of steel keeps the wax from getting filled with metal after casting.

 Can you imagine a normal-sized flask? This is one of the main reasons for using a larger flask.

For a reference of size, these '3-horse' waxes are minuscule in comparison to the horse face shown above.

 My wax broke some time ago, and I had to quickly 'fix it'. Here is the discolouration of the joining of the two waxes.

 I made a little pendant with a 'dice and a ring of stones'.

 This little wax is actually a horse's ring. Keep these weights on your list for future reference.

 To prevent a new wax from accidentally collapsing or breaking, I'd insert a supporting wax rod inside the ring (as shown here).

The deep inside sprue had to be melted on a very low 'wax pen heat'. The chances of melting the ring were high on the list.
 
 The wax insert should be made with a thicker wax for added 'internal structural support'.

 When you need to add additional wax support, do so where the important designs won't be affected. (as shown here).
 
Choose a relatively safe sprue, not a massive rod of wax.

 When applying your sprue, make sure that the wax rod is well joined to the item. On this horse, I didn't WANT TO PUT THE WAX SPRUE TOO CLOSE TO THE DELICATE LEGS.


 Avoid a lengthy 'wax feeding rod' (my choice of words), "short & sweet". I'd cast with important the steel rod inserted.


 On this belt buckle, you can see just how important the steel rod is in this whole procedure.

 Make a list of all of the weights for future reference.

 When you are weighing a large item, please be aware that the item is being carefully placed on the scale.

 Mistakes between 4.98 grams and 7.18 can cause a problem in deciding how much metal is needed for casting.
 
  It is thoroughly necessary to make your alterations to your item NOW, as this will AFFECT THE WEIGHING, such as drilling any holes.

 There is a missing piece of wax on the circumference of the pendant. I'd put the wax sprue just where the missing piece of wax is located.
 
 Be mindful of the wide disk as it appears to be touching the edges of the scale. This might give you an error in the actual weight.

 The weight of the 4 horses is not accurate. Why is this? Where is the wax sprue? WOOPS!

 The wax sprue is not fully joined to the rear of the 4 horses. FIX IT NOW!!!

 Make sure the wax sprue is joined all around the shaft.
  
 Before melting the sprue, try and shape it against the item. Then use your 'wax heating pen' to get an even joining.
 
If you need any extra flow of metal inside an item, don't think that it'll do it by itself. 
The flow of metal needs an extra 'push', such as another source of metal. From this point, this is where your sprue will be attached.


 This would be my 2nd option, but not a rule.

 From where there was a defect in the outer disk, is where you can attach the wax sprue. This will gently fill in the defect on the wax pattern.

 I had a bangle bracelet, and I wanted the flow of metal to be cast all around the frame. The added sprues were the only solution that I had available.

 The weights of this bangle bracelet show that the wide item was 'touching' the sides of the scale. This gave me a 'false-positive' reading of a difference of 1.57 grams of wax. You must be so careful in your calculations.

  These two essays on 'waxes for casting' were not easy to write. I spent approximately 6 hours in total, including the photography.
 I still have another long essay about 'bracelet links for casting'.
ENJOY, READ and above all LEARN.

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