[TheForge] Bronze casting

[Doug Ayen]

Quoth Peter Fels And Phoebe Palmer (artgawk@thegrid.net):
> Rich M, Doug A;
> Since you put the question to us at a blacksmithing site...
> I'd recommend forgetting all that nasty casting stuff and advise forging.
> Bronze forges beautifully, much less work than steel and you won't end 
> up with something all rough and nasty looking.
> The trick is to heat it untill you can first detect a dull red glow, no 
> hotter, then forge untill it begins to stiffen up again and reheat.
> Casting is nearly uncouth and   forging was done in the bronze age.
> Besides crucibles are expensive......Pete F
> 
> 

Well, I usually cast to a rough approximation, then forge to final
shape before grinding. The forging step does a great deal to remove
the little bubbles I tend to get in my castings. As for crucibles being
expensive, I've been using the same couple of crucibles for years now,
and they only show a bit of wear. Besides, molten metal is fun to
play with :)

--doug