How do brass crafts actually get made? A peek into the casting process

Bronze figurines, ornaments, custom hardware - their production methods are all the same. Many people think that these tasks are all done by machines, but a considerable portion still require genuine manual skills and practical operations. Here is the actual production process.

It begins with a pattern or design

Before casting the metal, a physical model of the part must be made - usually using wax, resin or clay. This model will serve as the reference shape for the final bronze component. For complex or delicate parts, more attention is paid to the model because any defect in it will show up in every cast piece. Nowadays, some workshops have adopted 3D printing technology to make models, but a large number of workshops still insist on completing this step by hand.

Making molds

The model is surrounded by sand or plaster to form a mold. After it solidifies and the model is removed, a cavity exactly matching the shape of the cast piece will be left inside. For the commonly used sand casting of bronze, the mold is usually filled in two halves tightly and then joined together before pouring. Although the principle is not complex, it takes experience to obtain a clean mold without air holes or gaps.

Pouring molten bronze

Bronze melts at approximately 900°C. Workers pour the molten metal directly into the mold and pour it in while it is still liquid. This process is quick - the metal cools rapidly and any problems cannot be repeated. Once the metal solidifies and cools, the mold is removed and the rough cast piece can be seen inside.

Manual polishing

The surface of the cast piece looks rough, with seams, tiny protrusions, and sometimes even minor surface defects caused by the mold. Workers will polish, file, and polish by hand to make the final shape smoother. Ornaments usually require multiple rounds of polishing before surface treatment such as painting, patination or coating. This final processing stage is the key that truly brings the product to the effect shown in the photos.