| As well as
working metal, we also need to be able to
work in other materials to make the
necessary patternwork for production. Some
examples are shown here.
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| (click on the images to
get more information on the project) |
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| Sometimes it is straightforward to make a
mould from an existing piece where all the
tapers run in the same direction, as in
these balusters for a church. |
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| The
pieces can be small or large like these
patterns for portlights used in the
Liverpool Tate. |
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| Or sometimes so large that once made, the
pattern has to be cut into pieces to enable
casting. This pattern is 3m tall by 1.5m
wide and needed to be cast in 10 panels |
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| At the other extreme, sometimes we let
nature make the patterns! |
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| Life
gets more complex when you need
to have truly parallel surfaces, for example
where an aperture needs to be moulded in, or
where some of the shape runs in a different
direction. In these cases “cores” are
used. These are shapes made from sand which
are placed into the mould after the main
pattern is extracted. This then modifies the
shape which the metal assumes when poured
in, allowing undercuts or parallel shapes to
be formed. 2 examples are shown here, the
black marking indicating where the core is
laid into the mould |
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For
more complex shapes or one-off pieces like
sculpture, making a mould would be nearly
impossible, so another technique is used:
lost wax or investment casting, or fabrication. |
