FOUN 
iron grate, ftrong enough to fuftain it, and is (Lengthened 
within by feveral bars of iron. It is generally made either 
of potter’s clay mixed with hair and horfe-dung, or of 
plafter of Paris mixed with briclc-duft. The u(e of the 
core is to fupport the wax, or tliell, and leften the weight 
of the metal. The iron bars and the core are taken out 
of the brafs figure through an aperture left for that pur. 
pofe, which is foldered up afterwards. The wax is made 
to form a reprefentation of the intended ftatue. If it be 
a piece of fculpture, the wax fliould be all of the fculp- 
tor’s own hand, who ufually moulds it on the core: 
though it may be wrought feparately in cavities, moulded 
on a model, and afterwards arranged on the ribs of 
iron over the grate, filling the vacant fpace in the middle 
with liquid plafter and brick-duft, whereby the inner core 
is proportioned as the fulptor carries on the wax. When 
the wax, which is the intended thicknefs of the metal, 
is finiftied, they fill fmall waxen tubes perpendicular to it 
from top to bottom, to ferve both as canals for the con¬ 
veyance of the metal to all parts of the work; and as 
vent-holes, to give paftage to the air, which would other- 
wife occafion great diforder when the hot metal came to 
encompafs it. 
The work brought thus far is covered with its ftiell, 
which is a kind of cruft laid over the wax, and which, 
being of a foft matter, eafily receives the impreflion of 
every part, which is afterwards communicated to the me¬ 
tal upon its taking the place of the wax, between the 
fhell and the mould. The matter of this outer mould is 
varied, according as different layers are applied. The 
firft is generally a compofition of clay, and old white cru¬ 
cibles well ground and lifted, and mixed up with water 
to the confiftence of a colour fit for painting : accordingly 
they apply it with a pencil, laying it feven or eight times 
over, and letting it dry between the intervals. For the 
fecond imrpefiion, they add horfe-dung and common earth 
to the former compofition. The third impreftion is only 
horfe-dung and earth. Laftly, the fhell is finiftied by 
laying on feveral more impreflions of this laft matter, 
made very thick with the hand. The fhell, thus finiftied, 
is fecured by feveral iron girths, bound round it, at 
about half a foot diftance from each other, and faftened 
at the bottom to the grate under the ftatue, and at the 
top to a circle of iron where they all terminate. 
If the ftatue be fo large that it would not be eafy to 
move the moulds with fafety, they muft be wrought on 
the fpot where it is to be caff. This is performed two 
ways: in the firft, a fquare hole is dug under ground, 
much bigger than the mould to be made therein, and its 
infide lined with walls of free-ftone or brick. At the bot¬ 
tom is made a hole of the fame materials, with a kind of 
furnace, having its aperture outwards: in this a fire is 
made to dry the mould, and afterwards melt the wax. 
Over this furnace is placed the grate, and upon this the 
mould formed as above. At one of the edges of the 
fquare pit is made another large furnace to melt the me¬ 
tal. In the other way, it is fuflicient to work the mould 
above ground, but with the like precaution of a furnace 
and grate underneath. When finiftied, four walls are to 
be run round it, and by the fide thereof a maflive made 
for a melting-furnace. For the reft, the method is the 
fame in both. The mould being finiftied, and inclofed as 
defcribed, whether under ground or above it, a moderate 
fire is lighted in the furnace under, andThe whole covered 
with planks, that the wax may melt gently down, and 
run out at pipes contrived for that purgofe, at the foot 
of the mould, which are afterwards exactly clofed with 
earth, fo foon as the wax is carried off. This done, the 
hole is filled up with bricks thrown in at random, and the 
fire in the furnace augmented, till fuch time as both the 
bricks and mould become red-hot. After this, the fire 
being extinguifhed, and every thing cool, they take out 
the bricks, and fill up their place with earth moiftened, 
and a little beaten to the top of the mould, in order to 
D E R Y, 6(2.3 
make it the more firm and fteady. Thefe preparatory 
meafures being duly taken, there remains nothing hut to 
melt the metal, and run it into the mould. This is the 
office of the furnace above defcribed, which is commonly 
made in the form of an oven with three apertures, one to 
put in the wood, another for a vent, and a third to run 
the metal out. From this laft aperture, which is kept 
very clofe while the metal is in fufion, a fmall tube is 
laid, whereby the melted metal is conveyed into a large 
earthen bafon, over the mould, into the bottom of which 
all the large branches of the jets or calls, which are to 
convey the metal into all the parts of the mould, are in- 
ferted. 
Thefe cafts or jets are all terminated with a kind of 
plugs, which are kept clofe, that, upon opening the fur¬ 
nace, the brafs, which guflies out with violence, may not 
enter any of them, till the bafon be full enough of matter 
to run into them all at once. Upon which occafion they 
pull out the plugs, which are long iron rods with a head 
at one end, capable of filling the whole diameter of each 
tube. The whole of the furnace is opened with along 
piece of iron fitted at the end of each pole, and the 
mould filled in an inftant. This completes the work in 
relation to the cafting part; the reft being the fculptor’s 
or carver’s bufinefs, who, taking the figure out of the 
mould and earth wherewith it is encompalfed, laws oft' 
the jets with which it appears covered over, and puts on 
the proper finifh with chiffels, gravers, puncheons, &c. 
FOUNDERY of BELLS. 
The metal for cafting bells is different from what is 
ufed for ftatues, there being no tin in the ftatue-metal: 
but there is a fifth, and fometimes more, in bell-metal. 
The dimenfions of the core and wax for bells, are by no- 
means left to chance, but muft be meafured on a fcale or 
diapafon, which gives the height, aperture, and thick¬ 
nefs, neceftary for the feveral tones required in a complete 
ring of bells. It is on the wax that the feveral mould¬ 
ings and other ornaments and infcriptions, to be repre- 
fented in relievo on the outfide of the bell, are formed. 
The clapper or tongue is not properly a part of the bell, 
but is furnifhed from other hands. In Europe it is ufu¬ 
ally of iron, with a large knob at the extremity ; and is 
fuf'pended in the middle of the bell. In China, it is only, 
a huge wooden mallet, (truck by force of arm again!! 
the bell; whence they can have but little of that confo- 
nancy fo much admired in fome of our rings of bells. 
The Chinefe have an extraordinary way of increafing the 
found of their bells ; viz. by leaving a hole under the 
cannon ; which our bell-founders conlider as a defeat. 
See the article Beli., vol. ii. p. 868-871. 
The ufual proportions of our bells are, to make the 
diameter fifteen times the thicknefs of the brim, and the 
height twelve times. The parts of a bell are, j. The 
founding bow,, terminated by an inferior circle, which 
grows thinner and thinner. 2. The brim, or that part of 
a bell whereon the clapper ftrikes, and which is thicker 
than the reft. 3. The outward (inking of the middle of 
the bell, or the point under which it grows wider to the 
brim. 4. The waift or furniture, and the part that, 
grows wider and thicker quite to the brim. 5. The up¬ 
per vafe, or that part which is above the waift. 6. The 
pallet, which fupports the ftaple of the clapper within. 
7. The bent and hollowed branches of metal uniting, 
with the cannons, to receive the iron keys, whereby the 
bell is hung up to the beam, which is its fupport and 
counterpoife, when rung out. 
The particulars neceftary for making the mould of a 
bell are, 1. The earth : the moft cohefive is the beft ; it 
muft be well ground and lifted, to prevent any chinks. 
2. Brick-ftone, which muft be ufed for the mine, mould, 
or core, and for the furnace. 3. Horfe-dung, hair, and 
hem^ mixed with the earth, to render the cement more 
binding. 4, The wax for infcriptions, coats of arms, &c„. 
