Bronze Hands Lost Wax Project

Whelp fellas... I think I’ve finally got a viable hand here! Just gotta clean up some of the charring from my metal being alittle too hot. One down one to go!
https://imgur.com/IQtQNbg

 

I know I’ll probably get raked over the coals again for my pouring process (pun intended), but here’s a gif of the pour.
https://imgur.com/rlSjTa2
like I said I added some fiber to cover the tops of my shoes for extra safety until I can get my hands on some proper foot&shin guards that my brother in law has.
And FYI despite how it looks on the video, my face was NOT directly over the mold even though it looks that way from this angle.
I don’t plan on regularly casting after this project is done so I’m hesitant to spend the time and effort creating more tools to facilitate the process since what I’ve got is working so far. I’ve been working on this project for 7 months straight now. So close to the finish line! If I can get the other hand done without catastrophic injury I’ll be happy to hang up my crucible for a while...

 

That looks like a winner to me

 

Super!

 

you should be able to view them without an account. I don’t even have an account.
I wish I could upload them here but the gifs flag as being too large.
Here’s a few stills for posterity sake.

 

Now I’ve just gotta pull it off one more time for the other hand and I’ll be home free!!

 

Any recommendations on the best way to polish this sucker?

 

The pictures look pretty good.

I would start out with a Dremel with real brass wire wheel. Then I would move onto scotch-Brite By hand. I would finish off with a felt Bob and polishing compound in the Dremel.

something like this could take me easy 6 to 8 hours of polishing.

 

I'd just give it a blast with superfine glass beads to get a frosted metal finish and coat with lacquer. Can you imagine using that hand as a doorknob?.

Edit, this would be ideal job for the vapour blasting/vapour honing process.

 

That's strange, Kelly.
Here's the gifs uploaded to a different host. Hopefully you can see them here:

 

Thanks for the polishing tips guys! Gonna get to polishing tonight!

 

Here's the deal, you need to decide how polished you want them? IF you want high polish, re pour that hand. If you are cool with inclusions, stay far away from polishing them. It all depends how deep they are. I would suggest you work what you have there and go with cheap diamond balls and a dremel and go over them. Cheap chinese carbide burrs work bronze really easily too without taking to much metal off. Think artsy fartsy and use your artistic license to leave defects as you see fit. Took my awhile to figure out what was acceptable and what I needed to fill with weld.

Here is the junk tools I use. https://www.ebay.com/itm/High-Quali...514380&hash=item3f7a52a41f:g:RKAAAOSwRUhY9VkA I get the most done with just a diamond ball about 1/4" in diameter in my dremel.

For faster removal, I switch to cheap chinese carbide burrs. Good for removing sprues and taking weld down fast. https://www.ebay.com/itm/Tungsten-C...322421?hash=item4b6e7e5d75:g:7QwAAOSw8MxcEMwW

ANY kind of polishing will always start with coarse metal removal... PERIOD! Then you switch to progressively finer grit as each level removes the scratches from the last process. Different grits of rouge on pads is the last step. With that said, your first move should really be the blast cabinet with some glass bead. This will remove the scale and make it a nice even color so you can assess what ya got there. Color is added back at the patina stage.

 

Candle holders!

 

oh well, the gifs i posted that you can see should be the same gifs i uploaded to imgr. weird how imgr is being a turd when you try to view them there.

based on you guy's advice i'm going to attempt to make a quick and dirty homemade sandblaster like this fella here
i mean cause why not? use what you have to make what you want....

 

Vapor blasting or honing gives a very fine almost polished appearance.

 

Good tips so far. Something like this might relieve some aggravation
https://www.homedepot.com/p/BESSEY-...-Jaws-from-3-in-to-6-in-Wide-BV-NVJ/204986223
A modest assortment of good files is always helpful too, although if you're a novice you may want to get your filing skills on a different project. There's a learning curve but you can do some really good effective work with hand files, even fine work. A file with a safe edge (no teeth) is a bonus. I have dremels and die grinder but I do most of my cleanup with files.
Just in case the soda bottle blaster doesn't meet expectations a couple days' lunch money will get you one of these
https://www.harborfreight.com/search?q=sandblasting gun

I have to agree, "shiney" bronze finish on a backyard casting can be a real rabbit hole. Shiney is seriously overrated anyway IMO.

Pete