OH MY GOD, I AM SO COOL!

Today goes down in history as one of the most awesome days ever. I arrived at Eligius Bronze around 10am and was taken to their foundry, where Steve was talking to Jeff, the guy who would be showing us how to pour the mold. First, he showed us how to create the negative mold out of sand, hence, sand-casting. He put the pieces I made out of Trupan in the bottom of the molding plate, and covered it with a fine layer of sand. The sand they use is actually from the river bed just outside of the city.



After packing the sand in to the brim, I helped him turn over the plate. This is what it looks like at the bottom of the plate. The white powder is actually a resin, although I'm not quite sure what it does.



Then he attached another molding plate and again packed it full of sand.



When he was done, we took the top off and removed the Trupan pieces. Then he created little grooves in the sand as pathways for the liquid metal to travel through.



Then Jeff and Steve put the plates back together again, with the mold-shaped void in the center.



After securing the two plates and placing them on the floor, they were ready for molding!



Here I am, pouring 2200 degree liquid bronze into the mold. It was like harnessing the sun and making it do my bidding.



I also did a couple other pieces of mine.



After only a half hour, even though they were still smoldering, they were ready to be taken out and looked over. Perfect!



Rick says that after grinding the pieces down, welding them together, and sanding them, I get to take over and finish them how I like. I'm thinking of blackening the metal with a petina.

While I was in Kansas City, I stopped by Schutte Lumber and picked up wood for the desk. I had planned on genuine mahogany, but didn't realize that I'd have to fork over a kidney and my first born for it, so I went with birch instead. It's a pretty birch, though. A "glad I have both kidneys and my hypothetical child" kind of birch.