The lost wax casting process is widely used as it offers asymmetrical casting with very fine details to be manufactured relatively inexpensively. The process involves producing a metal casting using a refractory mold made from a wax replica pattern.

Steps involved in the process of lost wax casting are:

• Create a wax pattern of your piece. Pre-made wax patterns are available in our shops.
• Sprue the wax pattern.
• Mix Investment material, add to can with the wax pattern. Set to harden.
• Eliminate the wax pattern by melting it (inside the furnace or in hot water). This will create a new mold (a negative impression of your wax pattern).
• Using the acetylene/oxygen torch, heat the metal in a crucible and spin to allow the liquid metal to flow into the negative impression.
• Clean the cast of investment debris.
• Remove sprue from the cast.
• Finish and polish the casting on the die.

by Linda Shanahan ​
Appeared in the Sun Lakes “Splash”, October 2020