Wax working goes hand-in-hand with casting, although the equipment is simple and inexpensive -heat and steel tools are used to build up or carve a wax specially formulated for jewelry work. Because wax models can be cast and even cleaned up and polished professionally-for a fee-you don't have to invest in the other equipment if you don't want to.rnAlcohol lamp used to heat wax working tools which are then applied to wax, melting it.rnWax several different kinds are specially formulated for lost wax: build-up wax used to add wax to a pattern; hard carving wax to be cut with a knife or burs; water soluble wax for making the armature for domed or filigree mountings (dissolves in water and is removed before casting). Wax comes in various thicknesses of sheet, and shapes and gauges of wire for "fabricating" from wax; build-up wax can be added to this, or these pieces can be added to carving wax with heat. Commercial wax patterns are available; alter them to suit your needs. Sprue wax wires are attached to the model and will, when the model is burned out, form the exit channel for the melting wax.
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