I made the mold for my mom and dads hands this weekend. The luna bean kits are amazing! Now that I have a plaster model of the hands I want to make them in bronze. Any ideas on how to create the lost wax mold from the plaster positives? I thought about making rubber negative but sure there is better way.
Yeah...I was blown away by the detail. The mix was a blotchy slurry that I did not think was going to turn out well but boy was I wrong! I may have to just try another kit and instead of using the plaster use wax...just dont think the mold will take melted wax being poured into it. if they havent thrown out the mold from the first one I may experiment with wax and see how it goes.
FWIW, I have successfully poured molten candle wax into a small alginate mold which I think is what those luna bean kits use so it's worth at least attempting the wax in your mold. According to Smooth-on, alginate can be used with hot wax. https://www.smooth-on.com/support/faq/48/
There was a guy on here (or maybe AA) that went through a big learning curve doing bronze hands, if it's here it should be an intact thread. I'll see if I can find it
Can't find it, any of you remember it? Wasn't that long ago but then I can't remember what I had for breakfast these days........
Here ya go, only caveat is DO NOT USE THE SAME POURING METHOD. https://forums.thehomefoundry.org/index.php?threads/bronze-hands-lost-wax-project.926/
That is probably the one. There was also another guy who was making grandpa's bronze hands into bird feeders on AA who had a booth booked at an event of some sort where he hoped to find some buyers. He suddenly disappeared right when we were about to find out if he'd had any luck with it IIRC. His handle was Voyeurger (sp?). He also had a truly epic thread where he made a great big bronze bell at one point. I don't recall if he was using alginate molds to pour his hand waxes or pulling rubber molds off plaster hand castings... It really sucks that we can't get to those old threads anymore! Jeff
Seems like the problem with the life sculpts is you get these fantastically detailed alignate molds, but things that are otherwise lumps to cast, and splitting and rejoining them while attempting to chase finger print level details after the fact seems hopeless. Does anyone ever successfully slush mold the waxes and cast hollow with shell or some kind of core? Seems doable in investment and casting hollow through the wrists. Parting the slush mold could be a bugger. Best, Kelly
Cores are usually supported inside the mold using nails that are pulled and brazed up after casting. It ain't easy.....
I would go alginate to plaster and then pull silicone moulds off the plaster, at least then you have more than one grab (see what I did there) at the pattern. Personally I wouldn't try to core them, a hand isn't a huge amount of bronze and what's 80 thou shrinkage between friends. Chaplets would work for a core but what faff. Just my 2P
I'd try the less fiddly way using a latex/rubber coating and fill it up with wax (details kept) If you have a 3D printer or know someone who does, scan the hands and get a smaller version of the hands printed to use as a core. (You can get free scanning apps online. The detail isn't good but all you need is a shape). I also do everything in a digital way while exploring all possible ways to fail.
