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How to Pour Bronze

Bronze statues can be gorgeous, and those who sculpt them make the work seem effortless. But there is a lot of time and effort that goes into making bronze figures. The artist has to first create an original sculpture in another medium and then a cast must be created around the sculpture. This cast will be the mold in which to pour the bronze to duplicate the original statue. In order for the pour to work with the bronze, the temperatures have to be exactly right as the bronze starts to set as soon as it hits cooler temperatures.

Things You'll Need

  • Kiln
  • Ceramic mold
  • Large graphite crucible
  • Gas furnace
  • Large tongs
  • Flame-retardant clothing
  • Eye protection
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Instructions

    • 1

      Heat the furnace to 1,700 to 2,000 degrees and the kiln to 1,100 degrees. Place the graphite crucible into the furnace to melt the bronze. Heat the ceramic shell in the kiln at the same time.

    • 2

      Set up your equipment so that the pour proceeds in a methodical manner. Designate a pouring area. Amass your tools such as a crane or pulley system to lift the bronze out of the furnace and tongs to hold the ceramic casts to be filled with bronze. Ask several people to assist you and delegate who will lift the bronze, who will help pour the bronze, who will manage the molds and who will manage the sludge at the top of the bronze.

    • 3

      Lift the melted bronze out of the furnace. Remove the molds from the kilns.

    • 4

      Remove the thin, top layer of sludge from the melted bronze. Immediately begin to pour the bronze into the molds over the pouring spot. Move as quickly as possible.

    • 5

      Remove the casting after about an hour. Chisel the molding away carefully to ensure you do not harm the bronze sculpture.

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