Conservation

1.Care of the Icons

Tarnishing of both silver and copper will occur depending on atmospheric conditions.
It is easily removed with the gentle use of silver polish. Other types of metal polish
should not be used because they may be abrasive and damage the surface.

Tarnishing can be delayed by applying a thin coating of "Renaissance Wax" which was
developed for this purpose by the British Museum.
It can be obtained from Alec Tiranti Ltd., 27 Warren Street, London W1T 5NB

2.The bronze figures

There is a coating of Antiquax wax polish on the figures to prevent tarnishing.
Any dirt accumulating in crevices can be removed if the piece is put under running cold
water and a toothbrush used to clean out the dirt. Abrasive materials or polishes should
not be used. Just keep the work free from dust.

Techniques

1.Modelling wax recipe

Having experimented with various recipes I have found that this formula produces
a wax with the following characteristics -

1. It is easily made from freely available materials.
2. It is clean and any stickiness on the fingers can be removed with white spirit.
3. It can be softened easily and safely on a suitable electric heater as illustrated.
4. If used in an ambient temperature of 15-18 deg.C it has good ductility.
5. It can be used directly with the fingers or with wooden or metal modelling tools.
6. The work doesn't melt if exposed to the sun (in temperate zones at least).
7. It can be reused.
8. It is suitable for detailed work as well as for work on a bigger scale.

Source of materials

The materials are available from Poth Hille and Co.
If it is desired to colour the wax dyes in powder form are obtainable from
Candlemakers Supplies.

Wax heater

The heater is an inverted biscuit tin, the bottom replaced
with a copper sheet turned up at the edges and soldered to the body
of the tin. It is fitted with two 40watt lamps controlled by individual
switches and the rheostat on the right.Two wax strips can be seen on
the surface.

Equipment required

The waxes , double boiler enamel pan, wooden stirring spoon, plastic spatula for
cutting the solidifying wax into strips, a small spatula for adding the wax dye
to the molten wax,muslin or nylon stocking and a rubber band.
Have white spirit to hand for cleaning the pan whilst still warm.Also a white plate
for colour testing and a teflon coated baking tray into which the wax is poured.

Procedure

Weigh out into the pan as follows

1. Beeswax 150 grams
2. Microcrystalline wax 150 grams
3. Unrefined Carnauba wax 25 grams

The double boiler with water in the lower part is heated and the waxes stirred until
they have all melted completely at a temperature of about 80 deg.C.Then take the
pan off the heat source and add powdered wax dye with a spatula and mix very
thoroughly testing the colour by removing a drop of wax and examining the colour
on the white plate. When the colour is right cover the top of the pan with muslin or
a nylon stocking and secure it with the rubber band.
Pour out the wax into the baking tray and let it solidify to the point when it can
be cut into suitable pieces(after about 10 minutes).The wax shrinks as it hardens
and can in due course be easily removed from the tray.To accelerate the process
put the tray into a refrigerator.

2.Armatures

For the wax models made for the bronzes illustrated in this web site I
used tin covered copper wire gauges 14 and 16SWG with silver soldered joints
as shown in the accompanying photograph.
The wire inserted into holes in the bases shown for modelling should be left
when the rubber mould is being made for fixing into a suitable base.
My procedure is to make a cast in bronze resin from a rubber mould. This
enables me to judge whether the work is suitable for bronze casting.

The bronze casting is done by The Crucible Foundry,Unit 15A Parsons Green depot
32-39 Parsons Green Lane, London SW6 4HS
Tel. 0207 384 0143 and 0207 384 9705

© Copyright 2005 George Blair