I work full time and cram my metalwork into the weekend. If I pour and
debubble etc. the investment over the wax setup can i let it sit for a
week before I do the burnout and casting part? Needless to say , these
will be small one at a time projects.
Thanks,
Maggie M
You can hold the flasks for up to a week if you put the flasks in a
small sealable plastic bag. You might add a damp (not wet) paper towel
and then put it in the refrigerator.
Maggie
My kiln broke down once when I was going to burn out. The investment mold
sat over the summer. I soaked the investment mold in water for a few
minutes before putting it in the kiln. Had minor crack lines but it
worked. It was a one time mold so didn’t want to lose it @CoitArt
I’ve held flasks out for several days with no problems. I make sure the
investment stays moist though. Used big ziplock baggie. did that 'cause
I was told that the steam generated as the mold heated help eliminate the
wax better. Don’t remember reading or hearing that it affected the
integrity of the investment.
When I was in college we had to do burn outs at assigned time and had to
wait for days some times so we put our flasks with the set up investments
and ready for burnout into a coffee can with a trivet on the bottom with a
little water in the bottom to keep the moist ness in the investment so it
would not dry out completely, on the other hand I have a friend that lets
them set for days sometimes and all seems to work out that way to. I like
the moist way because that instructor never sent me down a wrong road and
to him it was very important to do the water.
JB…
Hi Maggie,
Sure you can. Put the set-up casting ring complete with sprue former in a
zip lock bag with a moistened paper towel and zip it shut. Change the
paper towel every 3 days or so to avoid mold. You shouldn’t have any
problems. Good Luck.
Regards,
Skip
Skip Meister
NRA Endowment and
Instructor
@Skip_Meister
06/12/9801:40:24hi maggie,
a direct answer is: i don’t know, but…in theory, dampness of the
investment is important. steam is generated during the dewaxing phase of
burn out and helps force out wax. if the investment is completely dry, the
wax will wick up into the investment and not eliminate entirely. another
caster friend has put a wet sponge and all his flasks under a bell jar
(after gloss off) to keep them moist over night to commence burnout in the
morning. i don’t know if a week standing time would work or if there would
be detrimental affects. standing moisture in porous material can grow
things that may cause gases that aren’t helpful to burn out or injection
of metal.
best regards,
geo fox
In the studio where I use, we frequently invest 3 days to a week in
advance. We wrap the flask in plastic bags with very damp sponges
tucked into the corner ( of the bag) and folded so the damp sponge does
to touch the flask.
Stephane
My kiln broke down once when I was going to burn out. The investment
mold sat over the summer. I soaked the investment mold in water for a
few minutes before putting it in the kiln. Had minor crack lines but it
worked. It was a one time mold so didn’t want to lose it
There is an outfit in CO. that has a large line of gold jewelry. They
sprue up several rings of the same style in one flask and repeat with
every style they have. They use hardware cloth for a flask as not to tie
up money in multiple flasks. They invest with a collar to hold the
investment. They burn out all the flasks and let them cool without casting
then they library them for quick access. They take a pre-burnt out flask
throw it in the kiln and can cast in 2 hours. They store these on shelves
with a numbering system and replenish the needed flasks when things are
slow. J.A.
When I was in college we had to do burn outs at assigned time and had to
wait for days some times so we put our flasks with the set up
investments and ready for burnout into a coffee can with a trivet on the
bottom with a little water in the bottom to keep the moist ness in the
investment so it would not dry out completely, on the other hand I have
a friend that lets them set for days sometimes and all seems to work out
that way to. I like the moist way because that instructor never sent me
down a wrong road and to him it was very important to do the water.
…on the other hand, if we let an invested flask sit for more than 24
hours, we run the risk of streaking and blurring…depends on how humid
your area is, we surmise.
Tammi in Florida (humid as h*ll right now)
Many times in our 3 hour class setting there is not enough time to spru,
weigh, invest and cast (infact it’s pretty impossible!). Anyway, we place
the invested flask in a bucket with a lid and a damp sponge until the next
week when we cast. We have never had a problem with this method! Joy is a
beautiful Illinois