A glance at bronze ART process
A process known as “Lost Wax” as in the French sculpture tradition was called “Cire Perdue” for the simple fact that once the ceramic shell reached the appropriate thickness, the wax is melted out and lost from this ceramic shell leaving a negative shape of the sculpture, a new mold, in which the bronze will flow into to create a bronze duplicate.
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The Last Word in Foundry.
At Inferno Art Foundry we follow a process of different stages to reach the final result of all our art production.
Our projects are very important and special to us because our foundry takes pride in turning out a custom work every single time.
We specialize in bronze materials but also have the expertise to work with other metals like aluminum and cast iron.
Quality patina makes a big difference at the end of the process, for this reason we strive to achieve a master patina to contribute with your art piece at the last stage.
Mold Making
The INFERNO ART FOUNDRY has a complete in-house mold-making facility as well as site-specific capability. The mobile mold unit allows an artist to work in the convenience of his/her own studio without the worry of transporting the original piece of art. The mold department can produce anything from one-of-a-kind to high-production molds. the foundry’s use of various industrial grade rubbers helps ensure the highest quality replication and mold life.
Wax Production
Once the rubber mold is ready to use, this goes to wax department that has the task to make the copies required; pouring melted wax in the mold makes a faithful duplicate of the original piece.
This wax is removed from the mold and detailed as in the original.
When the wax is ready, it has to be gated or sprued and prepared for the next stage, ceramic shell room.
Ceramic Shell Room
The sprued wax is coated with an initial ceramic shell slurry, containing very fine refractory powder and colloidal silica, follow by a fine coat of fused silica, this process is repeated several times; every time adding a different grade of silica until thickness necessary its achieved
Bronze Casting
In this stage the bronze ingots will be melted in a crucible at the temperature close to 2100 degrees F. Then the ceramic shells previously heated and prepared will be filled with this molten bronze, forming the negative shape to a positive shape, the art piece itself. These shells are left to cool down overnight to be divested and the piece sandblasted the following morning, revealing a new bronze casting ready to begin the metal chasing process.
Bronze Finish - Chasing
Our Metal finishers use time honored techniques with modern technology to complete a seamless finish.
This guarantees the integrity of the artists original creation. All of this achieved by our highly skilled metal chasers.
Patina
Patina is the last stage of the process, this step brings color to the art piece by working in combination of heat and chemical application that will alter the oxidation process in the metal surfaces.
Its a reaction of the nitrates, oxides and sulfates over the bronze surface; creating a traditional museum brown or a more contemporary palette of hues in different patterns.
We have a wall of samples on-site.
Restoration
This process can restore or repair any damages or color oxidation, maybe just a new look on your art piece, new patina or addition to the current shape.
