This is my first glass cast. The process is very involved and somewhat time consuming. First the object, in this case the humming bird, must be formed out if wax. The wax is kinda tough to work with and often has to be melted down and made into workable wax sheets. After the wax object is made it must be attached to sprues and a base to make it a proper positive. After the wax is ready to go it is attached to a base and framed with four boards that must be clamped together. Clay is used to secure the cracks and then 50/50 mix (plaster and silicone) is stirred wit cold water and poured over the wax object. After one hour the boards and clamps are removed and the wax object is incased in the mold on 5 sided. The 50/50 block is set on a steamer and the wax is melted out. That takes one to three hours. Then the mold is put in a wax enkneeling cylce for two day. After that the glass frit is poured in the place where the wax used to be. It goes in the kiln for five days, the mold is broken away, and boom-a glass replica of the wax mold. The glass is coldworked and maybe even electroplated!
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