Metal casting is an ancient technique where molten metal is poured into a mold and allowed to harden before being finished. Molds can be made from a variety of materials, including sand, clay, and wax. Metal smelting requires a foundry, which can handle different metals and alloys. Metal casting is still used today in various industries, including jewelry making.
Metal casting is a metalworking technique in which molten metal is poured into a mold and allowed to harden before being removed to reveal a piece of metal that can be finished with grinding, sanding and polishing before being sold. This is one of the oldest metalworking techniques in the world, with evidence of cast pieces found at archaeological sites around the world, sometimes demonstrating a very high level of skill. This technique continues to be used today in a wide range of industries.
A wide variety of materials can be used to make metal casting molds, depending on the metal being worked. The material must be strong and durable enough to withstand hot metal, while still workable enough to be carved or worked into a mold. Wood, limestone, plaster of paris, and ceramics were all used for the molds, and raw metal casting was done by pouring molten metal into molds carved out of sand or clay. Reusable metal casting dies snap together, holding the metal as it hardens and then pulling it apart.
Some molds are made by carving a shape out of wax, including a high level of detail so that the piece is as finished as possible. The wax can be placed into a wet block of ceramic or plaster of Paris and then fired, leaving the shape of the mold as the wax oozes out. This technique is known as “investment casting” and is simple enough to be taught in elementary school art classes.
To perform metal smelting, people usually need access to a foundry, a facility that has been specially equipped to process hot metals. Foundries include a very hot furnace or fireplace known as a forge which can be used to work metal directly for the blacksmith or to melt metals for metal casting. Once the metal is molten, it can also be alloyed with other metals to bring out the desired properties and then carefully poured into molds for casting.
Different metals require unique levels of skill to work as denoted by the terms “bronze age”, “iron age” and so on for different periods of human history. Some foundries are equipped to handle a wide range of metals, including metals that require very high temperatures to work with, while others are cruder and designed to work with softer, easier-to-work metals. Metal casting can also be done with fine metals such as silver and gold to make cast jewelry.
Protect your devices with Threat Protection by NordVPN
