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Hi - Those are all very good questions. These are important steps to do correctly and safely, more than I can cover in a reply. Our school covers lost wax casting in our Lost Wax Casting 1 - the Basics workshop. It's available in person and online. Check it out at silverajewelry.com/classes/w/c/30/Casting for more info and upcoming dates. Thanks for watching. Joe

Hi! That is a common first reaction. However, this method has been used for decades and is carefully engineered. The well or box around the casting machine catches any metal because if any is released it is thrown in the same plane as the centrifuge or lower. There are other methods of casting, too, like vacuum assisted casting. Thanks for watching!

Great to hear! Thanks, Joe

Hi Sharon! Yes, a flex shaft is superior to a Dremel, especially the handheld models. And once you've tricked out a Dremel to be like a flex shaft, the money spent would have purchased an entry level flex shaft. Dremel holders (do you mean a hanger?) tend to be too lightweight for flexshafts. Here's a link to an inexpensive one. You can screw it to a board and clamp that to your table with a c-clamp until you're ready to screw it into your bench. www.silverajewelry.com/store/w/id/1405/c/416/t/Flex-Shaft-Accessories/n/Flex-Shaft-Hanger-Screw-Mount/details.asp Thanks for watching!

Hi @catherinemartina6469 - Dust sucks. Sounds like there's a lot of dust that is not from you but rather just from the space? Or maybe you're making the dust while making jewelry? In any case, I agree with using drawers to protect tools, etc. Covering your bench between work times is a good idea too, but be careful to make sure that your soldering surfaces and anything else hot like torch tips have cooled completely first. I would also suggest boxes with lids to keep dust off of your other materials. Let me know if you have any other questions. Thanks for watching!

True! But when we add them to the environment through poor stewardship, they're not going back to the mines or into the earth where they were found. They're accumulating in areas that are sensitive to added amounts of copper, like the ocean, rivers, near landfills, etc. Thanks for your comment!

@@SilveraJewelrySchool you can pour poison into the earth and the earth will convert it back into minerals and other elements. I've seen acid turn soil into carbonates.... Even poisoned water eventually is cleaned by being filtered through clay underground. We have pleaty of water on earth and water. Anyway, you have your way of seeing it.

Hi - Thanks for your question. Every metal alloy as a specific gravity number associated with it. You can google it. Multiply the weight of the wax model the the SG of the alloy you're casting. Wax models are very light, so for accuracy, make sure your scale can measure to 1/10th (.1) of a gram. Thanks for watching!

Glad it was helpful!

Great question! For a beginner setup using butane torches and infrequent soldering, it's okay to start with simple ventilation, like an open window. It can be easily upgraded with an exhaust fan that connects with ducting to over your soldering space. Or a dedicated bench fume extractor. Just in case, please note that a fume extractor is for gases, and a dust collector (different) collects dust, like from polishing. Thanks for watching!

@@joesilvera8853Awesome. Thanks!

Hi! It's like a small planishing punch used for chasing. Thanks for watching! Joe

Hi! It's hard to quiet the sound completely, but if you put something under your steel block it can make the sound not quite so sharp. I used to put a mouse pad underneath it. You can also use some leather, cloth or a sandbag. Also, try moving your block so that it is over something solid like a table leg. That should reduce extra sound from hammering, because it's not hollow underneath it. You'll still hear hammering.

Hi! Casting started 6000 years ago with simple gravity pours into clay molds. This is the least amount of force you can use to help your metal fill the mold. A lot has changed. A vacuum table helps to pull trapped air and gas out of the way and pulls the metal into the mold for a good fill. You can also use a centrifugal casting machine to apply greater force to fill the mold. You can just pour the metal into the mold, but your chances of a full casting are reduced. Somethings you can do to assist the casting are to make sure that the sprues aren't too narrow. Add vent sprues on the to the models to keep trapped gas out of the way. Don't try to cast too many models at the same time. Don't overheat the mold! Use the same normal casting temperature as a normal casting, from 900 - 1050°F. If the mold is too hot, the metal may take too long to cool and can cause porosity or other defects in the models. You can add force in simple and very interesting ways: look up steam casting and sling casting. :^) Thanks for watching! Joe

Hi Matt - There are two reasons a rubber button former base will have a hole, in my experience. 1) it's a hole to fit a large main sprue wax rod (this is a partial hole at the top of the button former), 2) a hole in the base and no rubber button former (this is to screw in a NeuTec style main sprue that includes the button shape. www.riogrande.com/knowledge-hub/articles/why-use-the-neusprue-sprue-and-base-system/ Thanks for watching!

Hi! Thanks for your question. Plaster is different from investment. Investment can withstand the process of high temperature burnout. I have a bad habit of calling investment plaster (I don't think that I'm alone in this), so sorry for any confusion. Thanks for watching! Joe

Hi! We have some kits of basic tools for making jewelry that you can check out. Go to www.silverajewelry.com/store/w/c/309/t/Kits/browse.asp Thanks for watching!

Hi! Thanks for watching our video. :^) Yeah, you mostly see jewelers using flex shafts and micro motors. I hope that you continue to enjoy working with lost wax casting! Joe

Hi Peter - Thanks for your comment. I did add flux, just in case you missed it. The crucible was prepared with a coat of flux, and I added a bit of flux during the first part of the melt. Thanks for watching! Joe

Hi - Thanks for your comment and question. The butane torch is self contained. It holds the butane fuel and draws in its own air to modify the flame for soldering, etc. Butane is a home studio friendly gas. The Little Torch, which is shown with a disposable propane bottle and an oxygen concentrator, mixes the two gasses into a flame. By adjusting the mix with the knobs on the torch, you can make big and small flames, focused and fluffy. You can also change torch tips from tiny to large. The butane torch doesn't offer the same flame adjustment or exchange of tip sizes. In a sense, the butane torch could be seen as a starter torch, while the Smith Little Torch is a more professional and robust torch system. :^) Thanks for watching. Joe

I see. Thank you for your reply. May I know the difference between butane and propane besides portable or not? May I use propane at home? I dont know if the container is allowed at most condos? One more question still, my teacher uses white gas oil for his work, but I joined a online chat group of goldsmithing, people there tell me white gas oil is harmful for the immune system, and they use gasoline. I wonder how no one uses gasoline as fuel as I find out these goldsmithing videos on youtube? All of these goldsmiths use gas, but gas has a minor chance of explosion right? Will gasoline be a safer and healthier choice?@@SilveraJewelrySchool

@@IgalinaoAvolkovv Hi - You'll need to check with your local zoning and HOA re: fuels allowed in your condo. Most places are fine with butane. And a lot of places are fine with a 14 oz. disposable propane bottle or a 1 gallon small refillable propane tank. I'm not familiar with goldsmiths using white oil or gasoline. But I would think that would have a lot more fumes and explosive issues than butane or propane. Thanks again! Joe

thank you so much for your detailed reply!@@SilveraJewelrySchool

Hi! It took about 4-5 hours, not including burnout time in the kiln. Thanks for watching!

Hi! The exact method to loosen the arm for balancing may vary. Read any instructions that came with your centrifuge. But basically you release the arm so that it can move like a balance. Load the flask in the cradle, the crucible and the metal weighed for casting. Move the weights on the other and add or subtract weights until the arm is balanced. Thanks for watching!

@@SilveraJewelrySchool Thank you for the clear explanation! I started silversmithing in 1969 but had to quit about 9 years later because I couldn't have little kids running around the flames, etc. I just started doing custom leather instead. But, I still have my bench, tools and equipment and am setting it all up again..The instructions that came with my centrifugal casting machine are long gone by now so I am thankful you answered my question and reminded me! Your video has such a clear explanation. Thank you so much!

You can absolutely reuse it, which is amazing. Just scrape off the crusty burnt edges and mix in a little water if it has dried out.