VOL. XVI.] PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS. 347 



A Method of casting Statues of an extraordinary Thinness. By Mr. John 

 Wtichard Falvasor, of Carniola. N° 186, p. 259. 



First, I form out of good clay that will endure the fire, and not crack either 

 in drying or burning, any figure or statue desired ; when this is well dried I make 

 all over the figure small holes of no great depth, but both in size and depth 

 proportioned to the size of the statue ; into these holes I put small pieces of 

 metal, and with some of the same clay to fix them firmly in the holes ; the use 

 of these bits of metal, marked in fig. 1, pi. 10, aaaaa, is to keep the core and 

 mould from touching each other, or falling together when the wax runs out ; 

 and that they may remain constantly in the same fixed posture. This done, I 

 scrape away with some proper instrument as much of the clay in thickness as I 

 design for the thickness of the statue, and then laying it in a furnace, the core, 

 or first clay statue, is burned till it be red hot. When cold, the core is rubbed 

 all over with that sort of earth or colour, used by Grerman potters to colour the 

 joints of the tiles when they set stoves of tiles. This colour resembles black- 

 lead, and being mixed with water, it is daubed all over the core, because the 

 metal is found to run freely upon it. This done, I lay upon the core as much 

 yellow wax, mixed with pitch or rosin, as will make the thickness of the in- 

 tended statue, which I form in the wax with all the exactness possible. 



Next I put all over upon the surface of this statue of wax, little pieces of 

 wax, which I call the little channels, cccccc, all of them 'contrived so as to 

 enter into the great channels, ddd. This done, I cover the core and wax all 

 over with the same sort of clay that will endure the fire without cracking, and 

 thus the concave statue or mould is made. Upon this are laid the great chan- 

 nels dddd, both upright and transverse, formed likewise in wax, and placed 

 according to judgment, so as best to receive the ends of the little channels, 

 ccccc, for the easier distribution of the metal. The great channels must all 

 meet at the top of the statue, so as to come out by one hole, at e, where the 

 metal is to be poured in ; it is also necessary to have a channel or two to let out 

 the air as the metal enters, as those marked ff; and there must be a hole or 

 two left at the foot, as gg, where the great channels and waxen statue join ; 

 and at which, when the mould is burnt, the wax both of the statue and of the 

 channels may run out. The great channels being thus placed, the mould must 

 be again laid over with the same sort of clay, and when this mould is well dried 

 I heat the whole red hot. 



The mould being thus burnt I stop with the same clay the two holes gg ; and 

 then bury it in a pit, and proceed as is usual in casting of bells and the like ; 

 but care must be taken that the metal be very well melted. If it be a small 



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