Process

So you want to make cast glass sculpture and you have an idea for a killer piece. Let’s get started.

First get some wax, I almost always start with wax, and make this killer piece in wax. You will need to melt the wax and not get it too hot. If you don’t know how to work with wax remember practice makes perfect. Everything about the wax shape will be in the mould, so take your time.

Once the wax model is perfect it is time to make your mould. Now I do not usually make multiples so I do not make an intermediate mould I go straight to a mould that will stand up to 1550 deg. F. and hold the weight of the melted glass. This mould is made of multiple layers of a plaster silica, silica flour and grog recipe. Once you have completed the mould it is time to steam out the wax and to inspect the mould for perfection.

After the mould has time to dry it is ready to melt the glass. Put everything into a kiln and run the appropriate program to melt the glass and allow it to fill the mould. Once the mould is filled and the bubbles are gone you can cool the glass to room temperature. If that killer piece is 4” thick this process will take about 10 days and must be carefully controlled to allow the piece to arrive with out any cracks.

Now it is time to remove the mould material and see how your piece looks in glass. Not quite the perfection that you were hopping to see? Well now it time to finish the piece. Most likely there are only a few hours (days) of handwork and polishing between you and the final piece that you will treasure forever. Oh, just one more thing, don’t drop it!

Good luck.