| If you are tossing around the idea of having a piece of | | | | wax that dentists also use and it comes in solid chunks |
| custom jewelry created, there are a few things that | | | | and in sheets. |
| you need to know first. One thing that you will want to | | | | Working with wax takes time and practice and you will |
| know is that there are jewelers out there that will | | | | find it rather hard to work with. Pieces don't stick |
| work with you but it will cost you if they have to do all | | | | together easily like clay, so you have to "work" two |
| of the design work. | | | | pieces of wax together carefully. Use fine dental type |
| The design work is first done in wax, because jewelry | | | | sculpting tools to work on your wax piece and handle |
| is cast using the "lost wax" casting method. This | | | | it very carefully. |
| means that you will want to present your wax | | | | One thing that you will find is that the warmth of your |
| sculpture to the jeweler "ready to go" that is that all | | | | fingers will cause your wax piece to bend out of |
| that has to be done is to encase it in plaster, set it up | | | | shape when you handle it. The solution to this is to |
| for a pour and then pour it. | | | | keep your piece in the refrigerator and periodically dip |
| A jeweler that is going to do the casting for you will | | | | your hands in ice cold water when you are working on |
| gladly give you some sculpting wax to work with. You | | | | it. Make sure that nothing gets into the wax when you |
| can't use bees wax, because it is too soft and paraffin | | | | are working on it, because dirt won't melt out and will |
| wax is too hard and brittle. Sculpting wax is the same | | | | end up being stuck in your piece of jewelry. |