Need help setting up casting equipment by Disneyland

I need help with setting up lost wax casting. I have a vacuum caster, kiln and oxy acetylene. Anyone know anyone who knows how to set this up? I can pay or exchange the use of casting equipment.

Thanks!
Annie

Hi Annie,
And welcome back to the forum! I think we need a little more info. It isn’t clear whether you are wanting in person or email or video help. Or what exactly you are needing help with. If you are wanting in person help, we’d need your location. If you haven’t already, I’d watch some youtube videos or read up on the process in some good jewelry texts. Then you would know more about what questions you still have. You might find a local jeweler who was willing to teach you or at least let you watch while they work. Another possibility would be to contact your local gem and mineral society, as they would know of members who do jewelry casting…I am sure that there are some and they might be willing to teach you for nothing…-royjohn

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Thank you royjohn! I need help in person. (by Disneyland. Downtown Anaheim, CA). I am NOT good with step by step instructions…probably some kind of dyslexia or something.

I have collected the equipment over the years and want to cast in my garage. I have contacted quite a few jewelers asking if they know of anyone but didn’t hear back. I realized most bench jewelers don’t cast their own wax. Local city art class workshops aren’t much help either. I know welders but I need someone who casts jewelry to help with what kind/size torches and what gases for solder and melting larger quantities of bronze. I cast silver, high karat gold and bronze.

Hi Annie, I’m local; near West Covina. Can you email me at: DLEngleSculpture@earthlink.net ? I can show you how I do it. Debbie

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Hi Annie,
It looks like you have found a teacher. Props to D L Engle for offering to help! If this does not work out or if you need more help, you might try contacting the Searchers Gem and Mineral Society, which is based in Anaheim. I am in Tennessee but have visited their who and still get their newsletter. It is an active club with about 40 members attending the monthly meetings. They also do some killer field trips, if you are interested in that. More to the point, they do have a lapidary shop, altho’ IDK whether they have casting equipment there. Surely some members do vac casting. You can get in touch with their President, Kim Strange at: (818-497-0519) or email (kimstrange01@gmail.com). She was accepting calls about the lapidary shop per the last newsletter, so I don’t think calling will be an imposition. Good luck! -royjohn

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Thank you Debbie and Royjohn for the info and suggestions. I will look into them.

I had contacted many at Metal Arts Society of Southern California without getting replies. I never thought of lapidary clubs as possibly doing casting. Searchers are down the street from me and I had visited them a few years ago when I was actively collecting minerals. They were kind and helpful. I will contact Kim and see if they or any members are familiar with equipment set up.