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The investment sets overnight and then the flask is placed in a steam chamber where the heat of the steam causes the wax to melt out (hence the name "lost-wax" process). The flask, still holding the investment, is placed in an oven to bake for 24 hours.
If the traditional method of bronze casting is to be used, the sprued wax sculpture is instead dipped in a ceramic slurry and rolled in fine silica sand, which gives detail, and then in coarser sand, which gives strength. This is repeated until the layers produce a strong ceramic mold about 1/4 inch thick. This "ceramic shell" is then placed in a kiln, and heated to 1500 degrees F and "burn out" occurs. It is here that the wax is "lost".
Continued...
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| Dewaxing the flasks |
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Testing and dipping
in the ceramic slurry and silica |
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