History

• Brass Garden Statue from http://www.teakwickerandmore.com
  
  Brass is made of a combination of bronze and zinc. The percentage of one metal verses the other dictates what the brass will be used for. Brass was first recognized in China in about 200 B.C., but it was not until 1746 A.D. that a process was developed that made making brass easy. Before that, brass was usually made only by accident.
  
  

Types

• Lost wax casting is the way most sculptors cast their brass works. It is one of the simplest. A model is made out of wax and coated in plaster. The plaster hardens and forms a mold. The hot metal is poured into the mold, melting the wax and filling the mold to make a perfect copy of the model.
  
  Spinning can be done all by hand, but you get a much better effect if you use a lathe. A form of the product to be made is mounted on the lathe, and an brass disk is clamped around it. Then, it is spun at high rates of speed while tools are used to press the disk around the form.
  
  

Function

• Each method has a different function. Casting will make a solid object such as a piece of sculpture or jewelry. Spinning is used to make hollow objects such as candlesticks or drinking mugs. Both are relatively easy to do and do ot require a lot of expensive equipment.
  
  

Features

• The lost wax casting process produces brass pieces with very exact details. The metal will fill all the intricately carved places that were on the model. The wax will flow out of an opening called a sprue, leaving the mold entirely empty. The only negative is that it can only be used once, so it is best for objects that are meant to be one of a kind.
  
  Spinning will make an object that is perfectly symmetrical, the same all the way around. More complicated objects can require the use of more than one mold.
  
  

Significance

• Both of the methods can be used by the home craftsman for a small business or hobby. They are not complicated, but the pieces they produce will look like they took a lot of time and expense to turn out. If the piece does not turn out right the first time , you can melt it and try again. There is no waste at all.