Jewelry Casting
requires specific Jewelry Making Supplies and Jewelry Tools. Learn about
Jewelry Casting Here.
Casting
Jewelry is an ancient skill that has been around for as long as there has been
jewelry in the world. The Ancient Egyptians are usually credited with
perfecting the process but casting jewelry was also practiced by meso American
societies and cultures located in Asia and the Middle East.
The casting process is called Lost-wax and is still very popular with craftsmen
who enjoy making hand made jewelry.
By the name of the process, one can guess that wax is involved of which will be
lost. While the Lost-wax process is mainly used for the casting of rings and
bracelets, other items such as sculptures can also be created. Investment
casting is another name of this casting jewelry method and both are acceptable
terms it just depends on the speaker’s preference.
The Lost-wax casting process has many benefits. When making jewelry this way,
the caster will be able to make identical pieces quickly and efficiently.
There are several companies and individuals willing to cast the piece for you
for a price. Many of these companies may overcharge, the cost of commerce, so
if you have the resources and ability you might be better of casting your own
jewelry.
Lost-wax casting involves a number of steps. If followed properly and with
precision the artist will find the process enjoyable. Before you begin, you
will need to come up with an idea for the piece of jewelry. Generally, the
sculpture of the piece is created using wax though some prefer having a metal
master copy in case of mistakes. You are going to create the mold using the
original. The molds used for casting jewelry allow a great amount of
detail. When the mold is finished, you are going to fill it with wax to
create a wax copy which will then be coated with sand and silica. This ceramic
shell will then be heated so that the wax is melted out. The wax can be reused
so make sure to safely collect it during this step. The ceramic copy will be
hollow and you will have to test it for holes before pouring the molten
metal. Afterwards, you will lightly hammer the ceramic shell away to
reveal the finished product.
The end result of the Lost-wax process is usually very detailed and exact
creating a beautiful piece.
Casting jewelry can be a profitable business depending upon your skill level
and creativity. This skill is diminishing as the jewelry companies switch to
computerized and automatic means of creating their pieces. While this move is
smart for the jewelry business as it reduces the production cost, the end
result lacks a certain desirable element that hand made jewelry posses.
Casters will be able to use the mold created during the Lost-wax process a few
times before a new mold has to be made. Extra care and attention has to be paid
to polishing any imperfections or patching any variants during the casting
process. Several things can go wrong during casting especially when you remove
the mold so take care to be extra careful and attentive during this time.
Casting jewelry is a valuable skill to master and if you plan on making any
money from your home foundry , this is a good place to start.
About the author
Go to Metal Casting Zone to get
your free ebook on Metal Casting. Metal Casting Zone also has a Metal Casting Forum, Sand
Casting Information, and a Metal
Casting Blog with daily news on Casting. Go to www.metalcastingzone.com to visit
the site.
Tags: acceptable terms, american societies, caster, ceramic shell, craftsmen, cultures, egyptians, hand made jewelry, investment casting, jewelry casting, jewelry making supplies, jewelry tools, middle east, mold, molds, own jewelry, preference, sculpture, sculptures, silica
Recent Comments