METAL PROCESSES > REPRODUCTION PROCESS


Many people have the notion that anything that is reproduced is just stamped out in a one step magical process. That is not so!

There are many steps and stages still required to reproduce a design using the lost wax casting process. The only step I get to skip is the hand carving of the wax, but many steps and processes done by hand are still required to see the multiple pieces to the delivery stage.

This gallery shows the master, mold, and wax injection processes. Explanations of each step are described with each photo.

about my production processes...
As my business began to grow, I tried many different avenues of meeting production demands as there is only so much one artist can make in a week, month, year, or lifetime. Hiring employees to work in my studio never seemed to be a happy option for me as I choose to work alone. I want to be an artist, not a manager of people. I tried jobbing out some of the more rote and laborious aspects of the jewelry making process but was rarely satisfied with the results. Eventually I decided I needed to do those tedious jobs myself and found it to be a humbling experience.