AFTER THE POUR
Now it is time for something cold to drink, and to discuss the details of the pour.
Silica dust is toxic, a respirator and face shield or hood are imperative.
After the bronze is poured the molds are allowed to cool for about six or seven hours.
Stephanie then cuts away part of the sprue system, and wire-brushes the surface to clean it.
Jon is shown here breaking open his mold that was cast in the morning pour.  The bronze is still hot and needs to handled with gloves.
Dustin uses a sandblaster to remove any remaining investment
from the
surface of
the casting.
The vents 'froze' before they filled completely, but they prevented there from being any disfiguring bubbles in the sculpture.
TALL TUSCAN LIPS
(detail of the rough
  casting when sandblasted)


Now the vents and sprues that need to be cut away from the sculpture can be easily seen, and the sculpture can then be finished.

Don Dougan  -  sculptor
www.dondougan.com
When the molten bronze has solidified but is still hot it is very brittle, opening it too soon is liable to result in a broken casting.
Stephanie removing a bronze casting from the investment.