Process: From Foundry to Finish

Above: Images from Katrin Hanusch - Foundry

Below: A few of the processes used at the foundry including metal work and patina

Bronze sculptures will often come to us in pieces and each section will be carefully jigsawed back together and welded in place by our Chaser, Dave. The welds are then chased back so they aren’t visible which takes a lot of craftsmanship. It takes y…

Bronze sculptures will often come to us in pieces and each section will be carefully jigsawed back together and welded in place by our Chaser, Dave. The welds are then chased back so they aren’t visible which takes a lot of craftsmanship. It takes years of experience to become a ‘chaser’. Their highly skilled workmanship ensures that there is no visible trace of sprue points or joins on the sculpture remaining.

Above is an example of a fabricated brass piece by Alice Made This. Metal fabrication is the process of creating structures or objects directly from raw materials. 

Above is an example of a fabricated brass piece by Alice Made This. Metal fabrication is the process of creating structures or objects directly from raw materials. 

Molten wax in a wax room. Before a large bronze piece gets to our studio it will have usually been cast at a Brass, Aluminium or Bronze London foundry using the lostwax method or sandcast in smaller sections at a foundry.

Molten wax in a wax room. Before a large bronze piece gets to our studio it will have usually been cast at a Brass, Aluminium or Bronze London foundry using the lostwax method or sandcast in smaller sections at a foundry.

SandcastingSandcasting is thousands of years old and can be dated back to 1000 BC. In this process, the metal is poured into a pattern created void inside compacted sand. 

Sandcasting is thousands of years old and can be dated back to 1000 BC. In this process, the metal is poured into a pattern created void inside compacted sand.

 

The patina process in action. The torch is used to heat the metal up to the right temperature, ready for patinating the surface.

The patina process in action. The torch is used to heat the metal up to the right temperature, ready for patinating the surface.

Derek mike patina.jpg

Patina application on a foundry bronze cast sculpture.

We work closely with bronze, brass and aluminium casting foundries in London and throughout the UK. After the sculpture, furniture or design piece is cast it will be brought to us to be chased back together and then patinated. Each step of the casting process contributes to the overall finish which is why having master craftsmen involved at every stage is so important.