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Technique: bronze creations
There are many techniques for the Manufacture of bronze, but they are all essentially related to the ancient Technique of fusion in the negative mould - a Technique which is still used today, albeit with the necessary technological adjustments.
New materials have been introduced over time such as polystyrene, silicon, thermo-endurable resins, but the technique remains essentially the same. These are the main stages:
New materials have been introduced over time such as polystyrene, silicon, thermo-endurable resins, but the technique remains essentially the same. These are the main stages:
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Creation of the model |
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Creation of the mould |
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Baking of the mould (with the model which is either forfeited or is first removed) |
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Pouring of the molten bronze |
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Finishing |
In practice, the bronze is brought to fusion and poured into a mould: the bronze takes the shape of the mould in and through the process of solidification. It is then removed from the mould, processed and cold-finished.
What differentiates the various techniques is the material which the mould and the model is composed of and which, depending on its composition, may be preserved and re-used or is destroyed during the process of baking the mould.
The latter refers to the lost-wax technique, widespread in antiquity, in which the model was made in wax and covered in refractory material, normally clay. In the oven, the clay was baked solid, while the wax melted and flowed out. Then the bronze was poured into the mould. On cooling, it was extracted from the clay and given the finishing touches. In this case, both the model as well as the mould were destroyed. In other Techniques, such as in sand casting techniques, the model is extracted before the fusion process begins, allowing it to be used again and again for copies.
What differentiates the various techniques is the material which the mould and the model is composed of and which, depending on its composition, may be preserved and re-used or is destroyed during the process of baking the mould.
The latter refers to the lost-wax technique, widespread in antiquity, in which the model was made in wax and covered in refractory material, normally clay. In the oven, the clay was baked solid, while the wax melted and flowed out. Then the bronze was poured into the mould. On cooling, it was extracted from the clay and given the finishing touches. In this case, both the model as well as the mould were destroyed. In other Techniques, such as in sand casting techniques, the model is extracted before the fusion process begins, allowing it to be used again and again for copies.
