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The purpose of this step is to create an exact copy of the wax
model that was created in the first step within an earthen casing. The wax
model of the figure and the wax model of the base are molded separately.
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Wax model of Ganesh |
The first step is to pour sand onto a small stool. Then a small
towel is placed over the sand with the edges of the towel being pushed beneath
the sand. This acts as a stand for the wax mold. Then the wax model is placed
face up on the towel. The wax model is ready for the earthen mold to be
applied.
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The first layer of the mold is composed of fine, wet river silt.
The river silt is fine enough to fit into every detail of the wax mold.
It is carefully pressed into every area of the front of the wax model.
The piece is then placed in the sun to dry.
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Ganesh is being covered in
fine wet river silt |
After the first layer is dry iron rods are placed
vertically over the river silt. Then a layer of wet sand and clay are
placed over the first layer and the iron rods. The iron rods give vertical
support to the mold. The front side is then left to dry.
A large wax rod is then joined to the base of the piece by
heating both sides with a hot file. This is for the metal to be poured
into during the pouring of the liquid metal into the mold. They are called
“pouring spouts”.
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The process of applying the earthen mold is then repeated on the
backside. First a fine layer of river silt is applied then left to dry. Then
the iron rods and another layer of sand and clay are applied and allowed to dry.
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Completed earthen molds
drying in the south Indian sun |
The next step is to reinforce the entire piece horizontally.
Because the mold is actually made of two separate pieces of earthen mold they
must be held together so that they do not come apart during casting. Thus an
iron wire is wrapped around the entire piece. The wire must be wrapped very
tightly to hold the two earth sides together. This is done by using a pair of
pliers to twist the wire decreasing the over length of the wire and making it
tight.
A final layer of very wet sand and clay is the smoothed over the
iron wire to insulate the iron against the extreme heat of the casting of the
mold. The final mold is a very hard and strong ball of earth with two pouring
spouts on one side of the mold.
Approximate times for the above process from start to finish is;
5 days for a 12 inch wax mold
8 days for a 24 inch wax mold
10 days for a 36 inch wax mold
12 days for a 48 inch wax mold
15 days for a 60 inch wax mold
15 days for a 72 inch wax mold
This is provided that the south Indian sun is strong as usual.
Clouds or rain will inevitably lengthen the drying process.
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