Wax Porosity

When we invest a piece of wax, we apply a vacuum and vibration to the investment to insure that the investment fills every detail of the wax. During this process any pores in the wax absorb a tiny amount of investment which later "floats" in the molten metal during casting leaving either a rough surface, or discrete holes, depending on the size and number of the original pores. Each type of wax presents its own issues.

Shot Wax
Overly hot wax will show a milky surface. Surface should be smooth and clear.	A badly vented mold or too cold wax can leave bubbles under the surface
Printed Wax Printing wax is complicated process requiring careful control of a large number of variables to produce a solid piece of wax from what starts out as dust. Faulty wax can sometimes show a rough surface or visible lines between layers. Unfortunately, a solid looking piece can contain tiny air pockets fill with investment.

Hand or Machine-Carved Wax Carved wax, whether by hand or machine, presents very few issues. The main problem we see is when carved wax is "soldered" to another piece. Sometimes the difference in melting temperatures makes it difficult to obtain an air-free joint.

Wax Porosity

Shot Wax

Printed Wax

Hand or Machine-Carved Wax