FOUNDER!'. 



While the moulds are thus preparing, 

 the metal is fusing in a crucible, of'a size 

 proportionate to the quantity of metal 

 intended to be cast. 



Some of these small work founders' 

 furnaces are like a smith's forge, others 

 stand a few feet underground, for the 

 more easily and safely taking out a weigh- 

 ty pot of metal ; which is done by means 

 of a circular tongs, that grasps round the 

 top of the crucible. When the metal is 

 melted, the workman pours it through 

 the chief canal of each mould, which con- 

 veys it to every distinct pattern. 



When the moulds are cool, the frames 

 are unscrewed, or unwedged, and the 

 cast-work taken out of the sand, which 

 sand is worked over again for other cast- 

 ings. 



FOUNDER* of statues. The casting of 

 statues depends on the due preparation 

 of the pit, the core, the wax, the outer 

 mould, the inferior furnace to melt of}' the 

 wax, and the upper to fuse the metal. 

 The pit is a hole dug in a dry place, 

 something deeper than the intended fi- 

 gure, and made according to the promi- 

 nence of certain parts thereof. The inside 

 of the pit is commonly lined with stone or 

 brick ; or, when the figure is very large, 

 they sometimes work on the ground, and 

 raise a proper fence to resist the impul- 

 sion of the melted metal. 



The inner mould, or core, is a rude 

 mass, to which is given the intended at- 

 titude and contours. It is raised on an 

 iron grate, strong enough to sustain it, 

 and is strengthened within by several bars 

 of iron. It is generally made either of 

 potter's clay> mixed with hair and horse- 

 dung, or of plaster of Paris, mixed with 

 brick-dust. The use of the core is to 

 support the wax, the shell, and lessen the 

 weight of the metal. The iron bars and 

 the core are taken out of the brass figure 

 through an aperture left in it for that 

 purpose, which is soldered up afterwards. 

 It is necessary to leave some of the iron 

 bars ol the core, that contribute to the 

 steadiness of the projecting part, within 

 the brass figure. 



The wax is a representation of the in- 

 tended statue. If it be a piece of sculp- 

 ture, the wax should be all of the sculp- 

 tor's own hand who usually forms it on 

 the core ; though it may be wrought se- 

 parately, in cavities moulded on a model, 

 and afterwards arranged on the ribs of 

 iron over the grate ; filling the vacant 

 space in the middle with liquid plaster 

 and brick-dust, whereby the inner core, 

 is proportioned as the sculptor carries on 

 the wax. 



When the wax, which is the intended 

 thickness of the metal, is finished, they 

 fill small waxen tubes perpendicular to it 

 from top to bottom, to serve both as ca- 

 nals for the conveyance of the metal to 

 all parts of the work, and as vent-holes 

 to give passage to the air, which would 

 otherwise occasion great disorder when 

 the hot metal came to encompass it. 



The work being broughttlms far, must 

 be covered with its shell, which is a kind 

 of crust laid over the wax, and which, be- 

 ing of a soft matter, easily receives the 

 impression of every part, which is after- 

 wards communicated to the metal, upon 

 its taking the place of the wax, between 

 the shell and the mould. The matter of 

 this outer mould is varied, according as 

 different layers are applied. The first is 

 generally a composition of clay and old 

 white crucibles, well ground and sifted, 

 and mixed up with water to the consist, 

 ence of a colour fit for painting : accord- 

 ingly they apply it with a pencil, laying 

 it seven or eight times over, and letting 

 it dry between whiles. For the second 

 impression, they add horse-dung and 

 natural earth to the former composition. 

 The third impression is only horse-dung 

 and earth. Lastly, the shell is finished 

 by laying on several more impressions of 

 this last matter, made very thick with the 

 hand. 



The shell, thus finished, is secured by 

 several iron girts bound round it, at about 

 half a foot distance from each other, and 

 fastened at the bottom to the grate under 

 the statue, and at the top to a circle of 

 iren, where they all terminate. 



If the statue be so big, that it would 

 not be easy to move the moulds with safe- 

 ty, they must be wrought on the spot 

 where it is to be cast. This is performed 

 two ways : in the first, a square hole is 

 dug under ground, much bigger than the 

 mould to be made therein, and its inside 

 lined with walls of free-stone or brick. 

 At the bottom is made a hole of the same 

 materials, with a kind of furnace, having 

 its aperture outwards : in this is a fire . 

 made to dry the mould, and afterwards 

 melt the wax. Over this furnace is placed 

 the grate, and upon this the mould, &c. 

 formed as above. Lastly, at one of the 

 edges of the square pit is made another 

 large furnace, to melt the metal. In the 

 other way it is sufficient to work the 

 mould above ground, but with the like 

 precaution of a furnace and grate under- 

 neath. When finished, four walls are to 

 be run around it, and by the side thereof 

 a massive made for a melting furnace. 

 For the rest, the method is the same in 



