Frequently Asked Questions

How to pack wax models- After years of experience we have found that the best way to ship wax models is as follows:

Place the wax model in a zip type bag that’s the smallest size it will comfortably fit into. Squeeze out most of the air and seal the zip. Cover the bottom ¼ of a box that is larger than the bag(s) with cotton balls or shredded paper from a paper shredder.

Place the bag(s) so that they are separated from each other and away from the sides of the box. Loosely cover the bag(s) with more of the packing material until the box is filled. Be sure not to overfill it with the packing material and compress the contents. Now using a box that has at least 2” clearance on all sides of the first box, repeat the packing process, making sure that the center box is completely surrounded with loose packed material.

The idea here is to protect the wax from shock that might occur when shipping and loosely packed material absorbs shock much better than tightly packed material.

Casting

Types of metal cast- We work in sterling silver, karat gold, bronze, brass and aluminum.

Sterling silver- We prefer to cast in de-oxidized sterling silver, which has no fire scale when cast or when components are later solder assembled, but also will cast in traditional .925 silver/.075 copper alloy on request.

Karat gold- We routinely cast in 10k, 14k, and 18k yellow and white alloys.

In the near future we will be adding fancy colors.

Bronze- We use Belmont silicon bronze and manganese bronze.

Aluminum- Call for info.

Cost of casting: Cost is derived from metal cost, size of piece, quantity of waxes that will fit in a flask, and difficulty factor. Contact us for an estimate.

Molds

Molds made from metal models- For flat pieces such as buckles, pins, and pendants, we recommend vulcanized silicone rubber. It is a firmer rubber and has a very smooth surface, which makes for a smoother injected wax pattern. For more convoluted pieces such as fashion rings, complex bracelets, and any piece that has serious draft or undercuts, we use a latex based rubber that is more flexible while still having good memory. This means that the mold will fit together properly and allow the injected wax pattern to be removed without breaking it.

Molds made from wax, organic, or large patterns- Since the heat required for the above type of molds will damage wax or organic patterns, we would use a liquid room temperature vulcanized (RTV) silicone rubber mold. We would also select this type of mold for very large pieces. It is a more labor intensive process, requiring the use of a vacuum chamber and if necessary, the fabrication of a custom built mold frame.

Mold making lead time- Usually 1 week for vulcanized latex and silicone molds and a little longer for silicone RTV

Cost to make molds- Mold cost begins at $25 for a small mold made of either latex or vulcanized silicone rubber and go up in price depending on size. RTV molds start at $50.

Finishing

Mechanical finishing- Mechanical finishing will achieve a bright smooth finish and is well suited for pieces that are antiqued and shiny. It is close to a hand buffed finish but not as mirrored. There is a minimum order of 100 pieces.

Hand finishing- We also do an exquisite hand finish. We have a complete finishing department which includes, split lap, tripoli, rouge, bead blast, and texturing. Minimums depend on size of piece