Benedictus Deus

Discussion in 'Lost wax casting' started by Kurtis Kiesel, Jul 27, 2019.

  1. Kurtis Kiesel

    Kurtis Kiesel Silver

    This should be a quick project... maybe even rushed. This is a sad project that I have been ordered to do. Oddly this is now my 3rd sheep project. Someday I will need to show you guys something else I have done that isn't a sheep.

    I will call it Benedicuts Deus, since I am inscribing those words on the back.

    20190727_230552.jpg

    It is Dragon wax with hardener, I used Victoria wax for corrections and to beef up some thin spots on the inside of the sculpture. I probably didn't need the beef. Note to self weighs 846g w/hook.

    Yeah we are starting off at the shelling process.

    Jason, when you did those foxes you did a similar setup (this might be a little larger). I am going to go watch your video's on that before I dip this, I have a feeling the slurry is going to pool like mad in this thing.
     
    Last edited: Jul 29, 2019
  2. Jason

    Jason Gold

    Welcome back Kurtis. I hope your retreat went well. Good to see you back pushing wax.

    When I did the foxes, it did pool pretty good which makes it get heavy. I do the hook thing, but never hang them anymore. It's too hot here and I dont need any disasters. I invert them now on the cups and point a fan up it's skirt to help dry the shell. I too didn't want to sprue to the edge so I went just under the edge with a 1/2" vent if memory serves me. It was the yellow wax, I'm outta it and miss it big time. I'm not sure how tall you have that cup, but be sure it's got enough drop to keep the pressure up so the metal goes where it needs to.
    Are you going to weld a flat bottom on this? Fritz wanted the foxes poured solid to add weight and I said no way. I left as much sprue inside and welded the bottom on. I thought about filling it with lead, but the last thing you'd ever want is crap rattling around inside a piece of art.

    20180327_174826.jpg

    Like this. I've got these guys drying now. Total length is about 16". They have hooks, but I only use them to hold the piece while dipping and applying silica.
    This is 4 coats and they are picking up some weight now.:eek: I now run a list of times I apply shell. Keeps me from asking the wife how many times she saw me muscle into my bucket in my underwear. (don't ask)
    20190727_223854.jpg
     
  3. Kurtis Kiesel

    Kurtis Kiesel Silver

    Thanks Jason, good to be back. I just watched your first dip video with the foxes. Looks like you just leaned and let the pour out. So I did the same... First dip complete. Pulling it up I had to lean it to dump out slurry, it holds a lot. Of course the idiot I am bumped the piece smudging some of the slurry sand covering with my back as I left it hanging... oh well, it should be fine. I am in my basement, probably get 65 degrees tops down here, so I will continue to hang for my projects.

    No bottoms for me. Open bottom for the bronze in this project, they will get mounted to a base, so unless someone 50 years down the line wants to restore this piece, then they can see the inside guts (and my signature).
     
  4. Jason

    Jason Gold

    You signed it inside? Look at where I signed my recent work the porch light. I want people to see my name either coming or going. I worked hard on that thing. :D
     
  5. Kurtis Kiesel

    Kurtis Kiesel Silver

    Yeah I signed the inside. I totally support your exterior foundry mark. BTW the porch light looks good, looks like the glass work was fun.
     
    Jason likes this.
  6. Jason

    Jason Gold

    Thanks brother. Always learning with this stuff.
     
  7. Kurtis Kiesel

    Kurtis Kiesel Silver

    Dip 5 was this morning. Putting ~ 4+ hours bettween layers. Did the first 3 in A the rest in B. I have pretty much the same sheet you have in your picture to keep track. What a good idea, I am always going "How many dips is this?" when I get to 6 or 7. Now you have me thinking I need to do two more layers on the pouring cups... something I have never had a problem with.

    When have you had the cups cracking?
    Do you just paint brush on the extra slury layers?
    Might it be easier to do the extra cup layers in the beginning then, while the whole thing doesn't weigh 10lbs?
     
  8. Jason

    Jason Gold

    For some reason, when I shell, I go all the way to the top of my cup. Not sure why, but it's never as thick as the rest. So I do the best I can, then just add a couple more layers and no more cracking.
    It's easy to handle this way. I do the extra layers when the rest of it is dry. I just lay it on it's side on the bench and paint it on and sprinkle on the course. When it's done, I just cover the entire thing with slurry only and done.

    The shells were cracking on fire dewax and even on boiling. They were just too thin.
     
  9. Jason

    Jason Gold

    Like so. I just hold it some where in the middle. After a couple layers like this, I'll seal the entire thing slurry only.

    20190729_185757.jpg
     
  10. Kurtis Kiesel

    Kurtis Kiesel Silver

    Ok here is some more shell porn for all you sick turtles.

    All layers done... (honestly this one looks like excrement)
    20190730_174120.jpg
    20190730_174112.jpg
    I know I have done enough shelling since the channel has now gotten so thick it has fused with the cup.


    Wax is now gone... Didn't last long in the boiling pot.
    20190730_180157.jpg

    Last dip... and now drying, looks like a bowler top hat...

    20190730_224227.jpg

    I have to work late tomorrow, so the pour will wait till Thursday at least.
     
    Last edited: Jul 30, 2019
    Tobho Mott likes this.
  11. Jason

    Jason Gold

    You BOILED it out??? Good for you! I love it, no drama. Looks like you went with one more layer after boil out. Smart move. ;-)
    With my extendokiln the other day, I only got the shell up to around 1400degrees. I pulled it, stuck it on a layer of sand inside a big stainless pot. Pulled the
    crucible and poured. So that shell was probably 1200-1300. No issues, great finish.
    My catpizz kiln has only 3 elements working and firebrick is HORRIBLE for insulation factor. My bricks were around 500 and pulling heat out fast.

    20190728_185710.jpg

    20190728_185517.jpg
     
  12. Kurtis Kiesel

    Kurtis Kiesel Silver

    Boiling is where it is at. I need to get a 30 gallon pot. I have honestly thought of just welding a giant 30 gallon custom pot.
     
  13. Jason

    Jason Gold

    Did you price out pots yet? OMG they get pricey fast! I have found tall is better than short and fat pots. You'll only ever boil out one shell at a time and you'll need the length more than the width. A buddy of mine gave me a stainless steel pot recently. My suggesting is find an old air tank and make that work. Something around 12" diameter and 30inches tall. Obviously you never have to fill it all the way up. The taller it is the less boil over you'll have. Mine has gone over a few times and what a ROYAL MESS it makes. :mad: Steel would work and stainless would be better. I think mine came from the oil field. It had a static bonding wire on it for some weird reason.

    You can see it in this photo on the left. I didn't trust my tall shell so I poured it inside the stainless. Double duty!
    20190731_221124.jpg
     
  14. Kurtis Kiesel

    Kurtis Kiesel Silver

    Ok it is time for everything you want.... pictures... All I care about it making it hotter the next time. I am still pouring too soon, going to cold.

    Some of my setup:
    20190803_102107.jpg

    20190803_102508.jpg
    20190803_102005.jpg

    I haven't seen the pour pics yet from my wife....

    But here is the glow.

    20190803_114757.jpg

    Hammer time!

    20190803_121328.jpg 20190803_121501.jpg

    I have about 2 hours of cleaning in... probably 2 more left to go at least:

    20190803_151610.jpg 20190803_151603.jpg 20190803_151558.jpg 20190803_151552.jpg 20190803_151548.jpg
     
    Tobho Mott likes this.
  15. Jason

    Jason Gold

    Great artwork. You are right my friend. Looks too cold. Did you sandblast that yet? I have a method to tell when the bronze is ready to pour. I'm sure to catch a lot of slack for this, but Barry taught it to me and it seems to work fine for him and me. If you don't have a pyrometer (I do, but it's pissing me off lately) you have to watch the surface of the crucible of bronze. When its ready to pour, it will look almost like a cauldron. There is a swirl on the surface that forms and it will be mobile slowly moving on the surface.... That's my cue to pull it out of the furnace. I then skim any dross off and pour. When you skim, if the bronze ever seems sticky (which it shouldn't) you are not hot enough. If it's lumpy in anyway, put it back in the fire. Another method is to dip a clean piece of steel. It should be pretty liquid and not cause your steel to get fat. Personally I like the watch the swirl method better than the dipping. When I skim, that's when I always see I pulled it at the right time. Hey when you post the pour photos, please include a photo of the inside of your lamb. Thanks!
     
  16. DavidF

    DavidF Administrator Staff Member Banner Member

    That looks like it came out very well. Nice work!
     
  17. Tobho Mott

    Tobho Mott Gold Banner Member

    Wow, that's super nice!

    My wife looked over my shoulder, saw this, and asked why someone posted a picture of a bowl of chili... :D
    Jeff
     
  18. Jason

    Jason Gold

    OUCH! Yeah it did look like the chunky variety. I bet he will get it hotter next time. ;)

    Should be more like this.

    20190728_203239.jpg
     
  19. Kurtis Kiesel

    Kurtis Kiesel Silver

    Well after some more polishing the monument is ready. I found a near 150 pound stone (selected by my son) and I took the 4" grinding disk for cement to it for a while, pressure washed and then I had an excellent foundation stone for the monument. The monument just sort so snaps in, we discussed bolting or glueing it down, I had put a hole through it, but decided to leave it free standing on the stone so it could be moved or cleaned, since there was no real fear of theft. The small bolt hole was filled with some of the 93% tin solder that I had added to the material in the foundry, I might have left it to drain water, but I like the idea if it ever gets wet that there will be a little tight pool in between to the two sleeping sheep. Patina: There is nothing, it is hard polished with the intent to corrode naturally over time, and possibly get a polish once or twice a year.

    This project is complete.


    20190809_115517.jpg
    20190809_115534.jpg 20190809_115503.jpg
     
    Jason, joe yard and Tobho Mott like this.
  20. Jason

    Jason Gold

    Perfect!
     

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