From Wax to Bronze

Wax  pieces rigged up on a tree

Dipped in a ceramic slurry, and covered in fused silica stucco sand. 

 Second dip and sand coating, and three or four more to go.

 Inside the burnout kiln.

 Closeup of the burned out ceramic shells in kiln.

Ceramic shells in the pouring box

Me and student aide Vicki removing crucible from furnace with tongs (bronze temp is 2058F, and note nonchalant handling of crucible with one hand)

Placing the crucible in the pouring yoke

Set up to pour with the yoke

Pouring into the first shell

Pouring into the second shell

Closeup of pour

I never get tired of looking at molten metal

Success. All three pieces poured without mishap. Soon we will find out went wrong...

Nothing wrong here, but it is the first thing I ask. You know, not, let's see if there is a pony in there.

Ah, here's something wrong. The sperm tails froze out early. Note to self, add blind vents to tails on next waxes.

Again with the freeze out on tails, and the pili as well

You get the idea. There are 10,000 hideous things that can happen inside a mold.

Cut off the tree, sandblasted, and note the heat tear (the jagged crack) at the base of the sperm tail. This will have to be gouged out and welded.