Continuation of Bighorn (waxes and molds)

This is a continuation of the work done to develop my Rocky Mountain Bighorn piece.

This is following the pouring of the waxes and molding process and cleaning up the waxes to prepare them for the foundry.

This is showing the mold involving the legs and horns which are molded separate from the body

This is just showing the empty mold just before you spray it with separation material where your waxes will come out perfect. I then put the molds together and band them with huge rubber bands bought at Home Depot and pour two coats with 240 degree and two coats of 170 degree, give it a few days then un-mold and clean.

This shows the bodies of the rams after you have removed the pour spot and are ready to begin re-assembling the rams to where you can return them to the foundry.

This shows the pour hole that must be repaired and also shows that the limbs where cut off needing to be cleaned out and made where the metal will flow continuously.

Now this shows where I have cut the holes in the ends of the limbs where the legs can be rejoined and the flow will be uninterrupted.

Notice the horns are the same I must clean out the seal where the metal will flow into the tip when it is welded back on.

See the little mark that shows where the tip is to be welded back onto the base of the horn, it is wise to score any where that must be welded onto another matching piece.

This looks terrible because the glue I used (sticky glue) is the color of honey and also the wax leg was poured in another color of wax rather than the dark almost black (such is life). Notice the slash mark to match objects.

This just shows where I have put legs on and also sealed the bottom pour hole so that it must look just like it was intended to look in the clay.
After all is re-assembled you need to go over the entire piece for any imperfections such as bubbles, cracks, holes or bumps and remove...this is important and saves money on the metal side when you have to remove them or correct them in metal (which is harder). Always check ears, eyes and noses because a tiny bubble is easily formed in these areas.

Next stage is the trip to the foundry