Recommendations needed (or instructor)

I’m bounced back from some major medical and getting back in the swing of things. So two questions :grin:

  1. It’s been many years since I did lost wax and I never got to do the actual casting. I have a centrifuge casting set up but I cannot find a class. Anyone know of any in DFW? Or, would someone be willing to teach me? Fumbling around on my own seems not very efficient.

  2. Since I’ll be able to teach again soon do we have needs? I was thinking about adding some basic sawing/piercing and maybe a bezel and tube setting class?

5 Likes

Glad to hear from you. Haven’t seen you for a while. I’d be willing to teach you to do lost wax casting when I’m there at the space, just catch me sometime. I don’t know what kind of centrifuge you have, though. Do you have a torch to melt metal?

1 Like

It’s a Kerr. If I cannot find a local class at a studio with one I am totally down to just play at the space with the casting equipment we have. Transporting my centrifuge would be a bit unwieldy and I haven’t gotten a good look at the one in the space to see if it’s running at all. I should be relatively easy to teach lol. I remember the general idea it’s just been 10 yearsish since I’ve done it

At DMS lately we’ve been vacuum casting or using the centrifugal platinum casting machine at a lower power to cast bronze or silver. The machine has the advantage of heating the metal for you and then centrifuging the flask eliminating the need to pour molten metal into the flask like when you vacuum cast. We haven’t been using a centrifugal caster at all.

I’m not sure what any of the local colleges have for courses anymore, but I took a couple of ring casting classes 15 years ago at TCC NW in Fort Worth. It was a continuing ed class. I’m sure it would be much cheaper to come to DMS and cast, though.

Sounds good. I am down for that. Lol just didn’t want to have to haul mine since I’ll likely be unable to get it back at the end of summer. I found some classes but they all outsource the casting process which seems pointless :roll_eyes: I’m more than happy to buy some bronze for our play dates and compensate. I already have some investment and ring blanks if the space needs it

Besides DMS, check with the Dallas Craft Guild, Arlington Gem and Mineral, and Dallas Gem and Mineral. I know the craft guild used to teach casting, and I think both the gem and mineral clubs also have facilities.

Craft guild does, but they send out the actual casting process which is what I need the refresher on