< CASTING FAULTS 3
RECONSTRUCTING CAST SECTIONS 1
Founders will normally try to cast an artist’s design in one piece if at all possible. Though obviously desirable, casting a given design in one piece is not always either possible or practical. Larger sculptures often exceed crucible capacity and complex forms may be more easily and reliably cast if broken down into smaller, more convenient sections. Dividing a work for casting inevitably requires a later reconstruction of the metal sections, this task is carried out during FINE FINISHING.
The CHASER working on a reconstruction is assisted in the accurate alignment of the separately cast sections by registration marks. These marks would have been incised across the joints when the MASTER PATTERN was originally divided. Before any refitting begins, the chaser first works each separately cast element to a near finish – filling core pin holes, removing sightings and repairing any minor faults. Once the chaser has prepared all of the sections, they effectively have to hand a complete ‘kit’ of cast parts which allows a straightforward assembly of the sculpture.
The manner in which separately cast sections are fabricated depends partly upon the individual chaser, and partly upon the unique demands of each job. The following pages describe a typical cast reconstruction.
RECONSTRUCTING CAST SECTIONS 2 >
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