Frankie's Readymake: Sand-casting 3-D Prints

A few weeks ago, Scott Kildall and I collaborated on the project Readymake: Duchamp Chess Set.  As part of our experiment, we invited various artists and makers to contribute documentation of their own iterations to the project.  Many awesome and talented people have been pitching in... and I am eager to publish a post dedicated to their readymakes in the near future.

However, one in particular I couldn't wait to share - mainly because the entire process is documented and I am a process JUNKIE.



Frankie Flood, best known in Milwaukee for his super power to shape and manipulate metal with his mind, has taken his readymake to the next level.  He has employed the age-old tradition of sand casting to transform once-plastic 3-D prints into robust bronze statuettes.

For the purpose of this post, I will attempt a lay-person's run-through of his process (with photos stolen from Flood's blog.)

Step One: Obtain large metal sand-casting mold thingie.

Step Two: Obtain smelting furnace and graphite crucible.

Step Three: Play in tiny sand box.

Step Four: Half-Bury 3-D Print in tightly-packed sand.

Step Five: Apply corn starch (who knew?) as a release-agent.

Step Six: Bury 3-D print alive, pack tightly.

Step Seven: Remove 3-D print, leaving empty cavity in the shape of said 3-D print.

Step Eight: Snack Break!  Prepare sandwich as pictured above.

Step Nine: Use furnace to melt desired material (bronze, aluminum, cheese, etc)

Step Ten: Be Frankie Flood.

Step Eleven: Pour stuff in thingie.

Step Twelve: Separate.

 Step Thirteen: Receive degree in Alchemy.

For the real deal, plus way more photos, plus Flood's take on combining new technologies with old craft traditions, check out his blog posts, here, here and here!