About
Spend a weekend learning the process of lost wax casting focusing on a ring with a stone settings. Students will learn the entire process of lost wax casting, including, wax carving, model making, investing, centrifugal casting and finishing. Topics will cover the proper use of tools and equipment to carve stone settings in waxes to create successful ring models for casting. Design elements that relate to better cast objects and how to work with the jewelry industry will also be discussed. The primary focus on day one will be on how to quickly create models, use wax working tools and investing. Day two will be concentrated on casting and finishing tricks with stones,.
Prerequisite: Students should have basic jewelry skills, including how to saw, file, solder, and finishing. Also, having previously carving wax models helpful .
Materials recommended
Students will be provided with some bronze to cast, tools and equipment to do the lessons in the studio, but students have to provide fearless creativity, the design ideas and put in some work to complete them! Students are also encouraged to bring clean scrap Sterling or Sterling casting grain. Students also like to pick up a fine silver ounce coin from a coin shop to alloy to sterling while casting.
The tools listed below are helpful for working in the studio to create the wax models. If students have their own jewelry tools, they are encouraged to bring them and some of the tools listed below. Bring ‘em if you've got ‘em! If you don't, we've got you covered!
Dental wax carving tools
Box for supplies
Water tight container
Exacto knife/tools
Alcohol lamp (denatured)
Nylon hose, fabric
Wax files
Wax burs
Hot tools
Spiral wax blades
400 grit sandpaper
Polishing tools
Scrap Sterling to cast
Stones to set
Additional materials fee of $25 for casting supplies will be applied to the class fee when you register.
You can buy sterling silver for casting from the Jewelry Studio or bring your own.
Bring a bag lunch if you would like. BARN has a refrigerator to store your lunch in.
Contact Jane Martin at: Jewelry.Lead@BainbrigeBARN.org with any questions.
Instructor: Jennifer Stenhouse is a jewelry maker and sculptor living and working in Seattle. She has been teaching Metalsmithing and casting since 1992. She developed the Metalsmithing program at Savannah College of Art and Design, taught at the Vermont Art Exchange, and currently teaches in the Seattle area.
