Casting
JUNE 2-8, 2024 WILLIAM HOLLAND
BILL HARR - CASTING
This class will teach silver casting for beginner and intermediate silversmithing. The emphasis will be on production centrifugal casting, meaning techniques for high reliability. The class will teach centrifugal and vacuum casting, wax modeling, sprueing, investing, burnout, casting, finishing and polishing, rubber mold making and wax injection. Steam casting will be covered if there is interest. Waxes will be available, and students will learn to inject their own. We will not spend much time on wax model making, but students will have that opportunity. Students will learn to make cast silver embellishments for their silversmith pieces. Students may bring items they wish to make molds of.
Lab fee is $100. This covers waxes, investment, molding rubber, and incidentals and teaching materials. Casting silver will be available at $1.50/gram. Students are encouraged to bring their own silver. Students should expect to use up to approximately 3 troy ounces of silver for each cast, but much of that will be reusable on subsequent casts(buttons and sprues are reusable). We aim for 2 castings each day for 5 days. Students have cast as much as 4 POUNDS of silver items, most much less. Students need only to keep the castings they want. Students are recommended to bring their own eye protection and face mask. Optivisors are handy for waxes. Old clothes, aprons, and no open toe shoes. Be sure to go to https://gardenofsilverdelights.wordpress.com to see many, many photos and videos of previous classes.
Lab Fee: $100
Estimated Materials Cost: $100-Wow
Consumable Fee: $15
Prerequisites: None
Bio:
Bill Harr - Casting
Bill Harr got started in metals and gems around the turn of the millennium, after several trips to Australia left him with rough opal and no idea what to do with it. He joined the Canaveral Mineral and Gem Society, and the Central Brevard Rock and Gem Society, and took a lot of classes. He was the president of CM&GS for three years. He has taken casting classes from John Almasi of CM&GS, and Don Norris of the Colorado Academy of Silversmithing.
He has produced approximately 200 rubber molds for wax injection. He is currently casting 8 flasks twice a week, primarily orchids, for his business GardenofSilverDelights.com.
william.h.harr@gmail.com