The master blacksmith from Old School Crafts in Mount Vernon MO ordered these life size chimp molds to use in his foundry. The molds will enable him to create the chimps in bronze using the traditional lost wax technique. Check out his fantastic work at oldschoolcrafts.org

First, a sketch was drawn up according to his specs…

Then, some small clay sketches were made to work out the forms…

  

Next, the life sized detailed sculptures are built…

     

Monkey #2

Monkey #3

   

Next, the silicone mold is applied in multiple layers… Here it is being applied to the architectural base.

 

Next, some dams with key marks are made in several areas to allow easier mold release. Then, a resin “mother mold” is applied over the silicone to create a hard, protective and supportive shell for the soft silicone mold. 

  

After many layers are applied and cured, the hardware…