What is the technological process of lost wax casting?

Mold making → mold turning → wax mold turning → gypsum slurry preparation → vacuum grouting → hardening, drying → dewaxing and roasting → copper melting → vacuum casting → gypsum frying → cleaning → mouth cutting → grinding, polishing and coloring → finished product warehousing.

In ancient times, wet clay was carefully coated on the outside of wax mold, and then thick clay was coated on it layer by layer to prepare for the next step to form a cavity for pouring bronze melt. The modern method is to soak the wax pattern in the water glass solution, which is also called sodium silicate, and the chemical name is sodium metasilicate, which is a kind of adhesive. 5-6 layers of refractory are hung outside, and 8-9 layers are even hung on slightly larger objects.

Characteristics of lost wax casting process

The pedestal of the Zunpan of the tomb of Zeng Houyi is a number of intertwined dragons, which are connected end to end and staggered up and down, forming a multi-layer moire pattern with a hollow center. These patterns are difficult to manufacture by ordinary precision casting technology, while lost wax precision casting technology can take advantage of the characteristics of paraffin wax that has no strength and is easy to carve.

With ordinary tools, we can carve wax artworks like Zeng Houyi's tomb tablet, and with the addition of gating system, painting, dewaxing and pouring, we can get the exquisite Zeng Houyi's tomb tablet.