Hands again

 I found that if I use a gas torch from the Large propane tank, and dump a LOT of heat into the ceramic, the wax melts out without breaking the shell. So I have 2 bronze hands. There's still flaws, both have a damaged finder tip. I think this is from the way I've been resting the ceramic shell on the bottom of the pot of slurry while I've been coating the hands, I think they are probably good enough. I'll clean them up over the next day or two and decide.

I may get a small oxy-propane kit and braze some silicon bronze onto the end of the fingers and then file it to shape. See how that turns out.

I'm back casting again.

The red sand is oil bonded sand, it gives much finer detail. Mandrels are placed in the mold and for a hold in the casting, the mandrels are knocked out afterward. Then holes are drilled and tapped for grub screws. I made the patterns on a 3d printer, and I cut the negative of the patterns to make a small holder to put the handles in for drilling.

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I've also started back lost wax casting. of the three hands, I've poured 2, one failed and will be going back in the pot. The other turned out well. I did not burn out all the wax residue on the second hand. So when I poured the bronze into it, it started spitting and flaming quite a lot. The hand that came out ok, had a lot of flashing where the shell cracked, but since the shell was buried in sand, the cast was not ruined. A little work with a sharp chisel, and a dremel, and it'll be fine

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