John Baymore on sat 16 may 98
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(clip)
I have become very interested in ancient Chinese ritual bronzes and the
casting techniques and technology used to make them.
..........(snip)............. Well the Chinese used to cast their bronzes
in piece molds may from clay. ............(clip)................ The
research I've done to date has showed me the basics of the process and I'm
filling in the blanks with my own practical experience. What I need is a
clay body from which to make the mold and core.
(snip)
What you are talking about here has evolved over the centuries into ceramic
shell investment casting. There is lots of information on this stuff......
it is the provence of industry. For more basic methods.....talk to the
faculty at your local art school that has a sculpture program that pours
metal. He/she can give you lots of info, I'm sure. A basic investment
body is made from a lot of bentonite and sand, if I remember correctly.
Watch out for the health risks of an unknown media. There are a quirte a
few. Do some research. Pouring molten metal has some pretty significant
hazards....... know them before you start. I've personally watched a few
pounds of molten bronze go flying into the air in big droplets from having
improperly designed venting sprues.
Yes..... those pieces are very beautiful. If you look at certain clay
pieces from slightly later periods.... they look like the bronze forms.
Best,
.......................john
John Baymore
River Bend Pottery
22 Riverbend Way
Wilton, NH 03086 USA
603-654-2752
JBaymore=40Compuserve.com
=22Who had the pleasure of working next to the Massart foundry with sculptor
George Greenamyer at the helm, watched many pourings, and designed the
burnout car kiln for the investments.=22
D. Kim Lindaberry on sun 17 may 98
John Baymore wrote:
>
> ----------------------------Original message----------------------------
> ------------------
> (snip)
>
> What you are talking about here has evolved over the centuries into ceramic
> shell investment casting....snip....For more basic methods.....talk to the
> faculty at your local art school that has a sculpture program that pours
> metal....snip....Pouring molten metal has some pretty significant
> hazards....... know them before you start. I've personally watched a few
> pounds of molten bronze go flying into the air in big droplets from having
> improperly designed venting sprues....Yes..... those pieces are very beautiful
> If you look at certain clay pieces from slightly later periods.... they look l
John,
I realize that ceramic shell is the current state of the art of for
casting. I've done regular investment castings, resin bonded sand
castings, green sand castings and also ceramic shell castings. I've
spent some time around a foundry and seen a few explosions of hot metal
from improperly prepared molds. That is one reason I am seeking advice
from the group on the proper claybody formula to do this type of
casting. While ceramic shell maybe the state of the art, the ancient
Chinese method has some artist and aesthitc possiblities not permited by
ceramic shell or the other molding processes. I'm kind of the opinion
that newer isn't always better, and I'd like to explore this old
technology.
The Chinese ritual bronzes did evolve directly from the earlier clay
forms, and my guess is that the ancient Chinese foundry men started by
using the claybody that the clay ritual pieces were made from. The
process probably developed a more specific clay formula as time passed.
My current thinking is that the claybody is an earthenware body.
Possibly it had some organic material added to it, such as rice hulls.
The mold was fired, but only a very low bisque firing.
There is a webpage I discovered, while researching this process, that
shows the basics of the molding process. Alas it doesn't talk about the
claybody itself. If you're interested go to:
http://www.easc.indiana.edu/Pages/EASC/curriculum/china/1996/EACPWorkBook/art/br
I'm still looking for a claybody if anyone has any old Chinese
earthenware body formulas I would appreciate it.
thanks
Kim
--
D. Kim Lindaberry
Johnson County Community College
12345 College Blvd.
ATB 115
Overland Park, KS 66210-1299
USA
to visit my web site go to: http://www.johnco.cc.ks.us/~klinda
to send e-mail to me use: mailto:klinda@johnco.cc.ks.us
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