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Le Blanc Fine Art Lost Wax Bronze Foundry
If you are thinking of getting a bronze sculptures cast,
please do get in contact with us – click here.

 


Since 1973 Lloyd has worked from his own state of the art lost wax bronze foundry in Leicestershire. Lloyd maintains optimum control by casting Judith's and his own work, together with a team of expert crafts-people.
The foundry also casts for a small group of other sculptors.
 
 

Artists we cast for:

Dennis Westwood Sculpture Simon Manby Sculpture Kennith Ford Sculpture Sidney Harpley Sculpture
Dennis Westwood
www.denniswestwood.co.uk
 Simon Manby
www.simonmanby.com		 Kennith Ford


The late Sidney Harpley
www.chrisbeetles.com
 
     
 

Bronze lost wax casting process:
Bronze Lost Wax Process - Sculpture in clay Bronze Lost Wax Process - Prep for the mould   Bronze Lost Wax Process - Pouring the rubber

01
The Sculpture in Clay
The sculptor makes the sculpture
in clay, over a metal armature.

02
Prep for the Mould
The clay sculpture is then cut into segments and painted with an oil residue, then clay sheets are placed over the segments.

03
Building the Mould
The clay sheets are then encased by a thick layer plaster. Once the plaster is dry, the clay sheets are removed from between the segments and the plaster.

04
Rubber Negative of Sculpture
Rubber is then heated and poured into the plaster to fill the gap of where the clay sheets were, encasing the sculpture in rubber - this is then allowed to cool.

 
 
Bronze Lost Wax Process - Applying the wax Bronze Lost Wax Process - Sculpture in wax Bronze Lost Wax Process - Gating Bronze Lost Wax Process - The Dip

05
Applying the Wax
Molten wax is then painted into the
rubber mould sections to a suitable thickness.

06
Sculpture in Wax
When the wax is cooled, it is peeled away from the rubber and the different sections are put together to produce the sculpture in wax.

07
Gating
The wax sculpture is cut into suitable sections for casting. Wax runners and vents are attached to the sculpture pieces with a pouring cup on the top.

08
The Dip
The prepared waxes are dipped in a ceramic liquid and stuccoed with a refractory material six times to provide a strong ceramic shell.
 
 
 
 
Bronze Lost Wax Process - The Furnace Bronze Lost Wax Process - Lost Wax Bronze Lost Wax Process - The Ram-up Bronze Lost Wax Process - Bronze Pour

09
 The Furnace
Once the Ceramic Shell has dryed the shells are placed into a furnace.

10
Lost Wax
The furnace is heated to 700c to flush all the wax out, leaving an empty ceramic mould.
.

11
 The Ram-up
The hot ceramic moulds are placed in a sand box which is then filled with sand to support the moulds. The box is then vibrated to pack the sand. Meanwhile an electrical induction furnace melts the bronze to 1120c.

12
 Bronze Pour
A vacuum is then pulled through the sand box and the molten metal is poured into the ceramic shells.

 
 
Bronze Lost Wax Process - Chip Out Bronze Lost Wax Process - Metal Shop Bronze Lost Wax Process - Patina Bronze Lost Wax Process - Finished sculpture

13
Chip Out
When cooled the ceramic shells,
now filled with bronze are chipped off leaving the sculpture pieces together with the runners etc., in bronze.

14
Metal Shop
The runners are cut off and the sculpture sections are then sand-blasted and welded together.

15
Patina
The completed metal sculpture is then sandblasted and painted (oxidising the surface of the metal with heat and acids to produce colours).

16
Wax Coat
A wax coat is then applied and the sculpture polished, giving the final look desired.
 
     
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