It’s a bit of an odd question (surprise, surprise) but…say I have a small sculpture, about 3" x 3" x 3". How much, ballpark, would it cost to have a small copy cast in steel? Or, really, any “grayish” metal. Aluminum or Iron would do just as well.
Lead, of course, would be relatively easy, and I could probably do Lead casting “at home.” But I’d prefer the metal casting to be of a non poisonous metal. And a relatively “sturdy” one, too. Not a “soft” metal like Lead.
And where exactly would I go to have such a casting made? I mean, it’s a free-market country, I’m sure there are places that could do it…but I’m damned if I know what they are.
So, can anyone give me some advice? “Is there a metallurgist in the house?”
You might also inquire with the local art community. Although most metal sculpturers work with either cast bronze or welded steel, they could probably steer to where you could get a piece cast in steel. It probably is very expensive though.
That’s why I suggested pewter. Iron and steel casting is usually only done for commercial items on a large scale. Cast pewter art objects are fairly common. Modern pewter is usually lead-free, as pewter dishes, tableware, etc, are popular. Here’s a guy that does custom pewter casting:
I typed “art casting” into MSN search and found several places that do specialty casting. I have no idea where you are located so can’t point at specific one, but I think you can find a suitable casting house on the internet.
You can cast a sculpture in bronze for roughly $10-11/pound. This includes (AFAIK) all chasing and patinas. You can get a bronze sculpture with a silver-looking patina relativly easily at any halfway decent foundary.
Casting in steel or iron is much more difficult due to the high temperatures involved… Can the sculpture be fabricated or must it be cast?
This information based upon past conversation with a friend of mine who owns a bronze foundary in AZ… YMMV.
You know, the more I think about this, the more I think this may be low for your application. These prices are for multiple castings of the same bronze, a one-off may be more expensive. It will also depend on the intricacy of the piece.
If you tell me what state you are in, I may be able to recommend a foundry for you. I know several reputable foundries in different regions of the country and I’m sure my friend knows of many more.
I’m in California, and the sculpture itself—if one’s generous enough to call it that—isn’t too intricate. It’s basically a Cuirass, for a 6" tall figurine.
I could use a polymer-clay Cuirass for the finished figurine, but I kind of like the idea of having this particular piece being made out of actual metal…Y’know, as long as it wouldn’t end up costling like $500, or something.
I have done a fair amount of casting work. Aluminum and soft bronze are pretty cheap. We use Leerock Casting out there in Riverside county.
A much greater consideration is the shape of the casting. We tend to make our work one sided or with a decent amount of draft. If you have an intricate piece to be cast look for investment casting with a sizeable increase in cost.
I don’t know of any foundries in Cali, but I will mention it to my friend this weekend and see if he knows of any.
A cuirass could probably be fabbed out of plate steel without to much difficulty (again depending on the complexity). The steel, while difficult to cast, can be bent and molded to a shape use the heat of a blow torch.
Again, I must state that this information is based upon conversations with my friend and from seeing his work (he is also, actually primarily, an artist, exclusivly bronze and steel sculpture. He bought the foundary to fund his art since it has never been a great living for him.).
If you want I can send you his email address and you can write him and send him a rough sketch of what you want. He could, at least, give you advice and a quote, though he may turn you away. He has a small foundry in Tucson, AZ and likes it small so he only takes on clients that do work he likes.
I’m getting off line now, but I’ll check this thread in the morning…
The most common silver-colored metal for casting sculpture is a zinc alloy called spelter. Most art casting studios that cast in bronze also cast in spelter, for lower cost copies of artwork. They could probably quote you a price for spelter casting.
If you live near any larger colleges, call up the art department and ask if you can have them do it, partly as a “demo” for their classes. All they do is one-offs, and they don’t have to turn a profit!
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