Casting Practice
This workshop focuses on the casting part of the lost wax technique. It’s ideal for students who would like to focus on learning and practicing casting skills.
Our first class is in the evening, during which we’ll prepare our models for casting by adding sprues, weighing them, and investing them in steel flasks for burnout overnight.
The following morning we return to cast our models, using either vacuum assisted casting or a centrifugal casting machine. Students can use a torch to melt their metal or an electric furnace.
Students can bring their own wax models to invest and cast.* Bronze alloy is included with the class for free. Sterling is an additional charge. Students can bring their own casting alloys.* Use of tools is included with the class. No extra tools required.
*Due to limited space in the kilns for burnout, each student has 1 2.5x3” flask to use for their casting. This equals a 2x2” maximum space for 1 or more models.
*Casting alloys must be free of solder and sorted by alloy. For example, your sterling should be verified sterling only and any solder joins cut off. The same is true for gold: it should be the same karat and color.
Why take this casting class?
This class is ideal for students who know the basics of how to make a wax model, but they want to practice casting. A studio casting setup can be set up in small area in a garage or similar space, and can use normal 110 household voltage.
Practicing these techniques from sprue to cast builds confidence and skills for jewelers to cast their own work. Although casting houses can efficiently reproduce your designs, being able to cast your original master models saves time, allowing them to be polished and proofed in person before being molded.
Casting Practice teaches the following:
• How to choose the size and attach gates (sprues) to your models
• Weighing your models and converting the weight into metal
• Attaching sprues to a button former and/or main sprue
• Investing your steel flasks with the models inside for burnout
• Choosing a schedule for burnout
• Programing a kiln for burnout
• Choosing a casting temperature for your flasks
• Casting with a centrifuge or vacuum assisted casting
• Melting your metal with a torch or electric furnace
• Removing models from the flasks after casting
• Cutting off the gates
• Review troubleshooting poor quality castings
There is no kit for this class.
A full color handout is included with the class. Create your own workbook with the beautiful handout that is downloadable for this workshop. Handouts include instructions for techniques and projects, reference charts and lots of information to support your learning.
Prerequisites:
Students must have basic wax working skills, including how to weld wax with a wax pen or similar tool. Completion of our Lost Wax 1 - Basics class is one way to satisfy this prerequisite. A link to the materials list for this class was sent in a separate email. Be sure to read it because it has important info about wax models to bring and any metal to bring for casting.
Instructor:
We remain committed to keeping everyone as safe as possible while continuing to move forward and adapt to the current circumstances for our in person classes and open studios.
We recommend that in person students be vaccinated, but it's not required.
Face masks are encouraged while at the school, but no longer required. Students must bring a particulate face mask (N95, KN95, KF94 or similar) to protect against dust and particles when needed and required during class work time.
If you have tested positive for COVID, have symptoms that could be COVID, or feel ill, please don't come to class. Contact us for more information.
And now the fine print. Payment in full for class fees is due at the time of registration to reserve your place. We accept Visa, MasterCard, American Express, Discover, and PayPal. Checks and cash are accepted only if you register at school. If you mail a check, your registration is not processed until it clears and the class may fill during the wait.
If the workshop is canceled by our school for any reason, all class fees will be refunded, or you can transfer to another class, or you can keep a credit on account with us for future classes or purchases,
Students can cancel, receive a credit or refund, or transfer to another class up to 21 days before a workshop, whether it is online or in person. No cancellations are accepted after the 21-day deadline, however, we will do what we can to try and sell your place to a qualified student. If we can sell your place, you can receive a refund less a $50 cancellation fee, keep a credit on account with us, or apply your fees towards a transfer to another class.
If you can’t make it to class, you may send a participant who has the necessary prerequisites in your place. Please call or email us immediately with any changes in the student participant information. If a class includes an online section, your class will be recorded and you can watch later to make up a class you miss.
Students must be at least 15 years old to attend a class, and students under 18 must have a legal guardian sign our liability waiver form. We have had younger students attend classes, on a case by case basis. If you’re interested in enrolling your child, please call or email us.
If you sign up for a class and fail to have the required prerequisites as listed in the class description, you are still subject to the 21-day cancellation policy, listed above.
Lodging and meals are not included for in person classes.
If you don't come to class, there are no refunds, credits or transfers.