SNAG NEWS Volume 20 Number 2 March 2012
Metalsmith of approximately $50,000. The net cash flow from Metalsmith for 2011 was about $73,000. We are
budgeting it down $23,000 predominantly due to a loss of about 40% of the newsstand venues and entry fees, as
this is not a juried Exhibition in Print year.
Our total office and administrative costs are budgeted at approximately $205,000. $75,000 of this is will be
allocated to the areas of Metalsmith (both print and digital) and the conference. The balance must be covered by
our membership dues and the positive cash flow from our other program areas of Metalsmith and the conference.
As indicated a few paragraphs earlier, we are projecting membership revenue to be approximately $95,000 with
direct expenses of only about $8,000. Direct expenses are those that are incurred for a specific area or reason
and can be directly attributable to a specific revenue stream. In this case, most of the $8,000 of direct expenses
are those incurred to produce SNAG News and weekly announcements. The difference of $87,000 is part of what
will be used to help cover administrative costs.
We have included $20,500 for the development of the website to begin the programming of the upgrades that the
membership requested in the member survey you completed last summer in anticipation of the board’s strategic
planning retreat in September 2011. We will be writing grants and fundraising to support additional website
upgrade phases. Hopefully more to report on this soon.
These are the foundation blocks used to build the budget, as well as the highlights. Build the program areas and
the administrative costs. Hope that helps you to understand the budgeting process a little more clearly. See you at
the conference!
(The 2012 budget can be found at the end of this issue of SNAG News.)
TECHNICAL ARTICLE
Susan Zeiss contacted me about publishing an article on mitsuro-hikime after her very successful workshop prior
to the SNAG 2011 Seattle conference. This article joins other articles that have adapted and built upon a range of
techniques and approaches from a variety of traditions and even other professional industries. Since SNAG
News has gone digital, we have been able to occasionally publish more detailed articles without incurring
additional publishing or mailing costs. I hope you consider experimenting with this approach and
sharing your experiences with Susan and myself. – James Thurman
Mitsuro-hikime: A Casting Wax
By Susan Zeiss
Mitsu(honey) ro(wax)-hiki(drawing) me(texture)
Several years ago I became interested in jewelry pieces with a distinctive grooved design. At
first glance they appear to be engraved or constructed of multiple wires, but on closer examination, they are cast.
The grooves are actually achieved in the wax, not the metal. I set out to research waxes and develop a formula.
If you have a light touch, some patience, and are willing to dedicate some time to practicing, this wax will allow
you to design in a completely creative and enjoyable fashion.
Mitsuro-hikime is a pliable wax, which behaves like taffy and during processing develops a unique linear pattern.
Most effective in simple designs, Mitsuro-hikime will fold, curl, intertwine and give surface detail. Along with these
interesting properties come some technical challenges. When warm enough to work, the wax attracts dirt, lint and
fingerprints. When cool enough to hold shape, it is very brittle and will crack with the slightest shock. Dropping a
Mitsuro-hikime piece even a short distance to a work surface will result in a shattered piece. With these
considerations, the finished model will be fragile and should be cast on site.
In this article I will provide the wax formula and the process for designing Mitsuro-hikime, how to prepare the wax
from its ingredients, and give the names of suppliers for purchasing the ingredients.
When working Mitsuro-hikime set up a CLEAN workspace with the following materials close at hand: wax paper, a
container of cool water, a lamp to provide heat, a towel, a roll of paper towels, an X-acto knife, manicure type
scissors, a cutting surface, and any forming mandrels along with tools needed for designing. A hot wax tool
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SNAG NEWS Volume 20 Number 2 March 2012
should be nearby in a safe, dry place, well away from the drips and puddles that will result from the wax forming
process.
To form the wax, warm a small piece with your hands or on a
piece of wax paper under a lamp. Warm it until the temperature
is consistent throughout. Dampen your fingers with water to
prevent sticking and shape the wax into a starting bar [Figure 1].
Figure 1
In pulling lengthwise the bar will begin to flatten. Fold it in half,
offsetting the edges, thus, creating a parallel ridge and a slightly
wider strip [Figure 2].
Figure 2
Take the strip ends and pull until the strip has doubled or tripled
in length [Figure 3].
Figure 3
Continue to pull and fold the wax a total of four or five times and
with each fold offsetting the long side edge. You will note by the
third fold, the wax will begin to develop many more ridges, giving
the wax a striated pattern [Figure 4].
Figure 4
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SNAG NEWS Volume 20 Number 2 March 2012
To take advantage of this look, be careful not to over-handle the
strip. Also watch that the edges do not become too thin, as this
will affect the appearance and wearability of the finished piece.
You can thicken these by running the strip along the work
surface or between your fingers [Figure 5].
Figure 5
Beware of fingerprints. These cannot be polished off without destroying the fine textures that make Mitsuro-
hikime so lovely. Practicing this pull and fold technique with several bars will quickly show you how this wax can
be tapered, twisted, and shaped into rings, pendants and bracelets.
Support your piece during the design process to
keep it from slumping. Mandrels, dowels, rods
and tubes are helpful. Metal supports will cool the
wax. Wood and tagboard are options. Cover
mandrels with wax paper to prevent the wax from
sticking. Keep the work surface CLEAN. Have
dipping water at hand and a hot wax tool ready
[Figure 6].
Figure 6
Models that have snapped are hard to repair. Super glue can be run into a crack using a jeweler’s saw blade.
The small teeth will hold just enough glue to do the job. “Just a touch” is the rule. Too much glue will dissolve the
wax. White glue can be used to seal or thicken a section. Allow it to dry. Glued repairs will dry clear, then turn
whitish upon washing and investing, but will be fine. If using glues for repair, do not use room temperature mold
material. The contact point will turn gooey. Blue inlay or Perfect Purple repair waxes will flow well, but retain heat
and distort the Mitsuro-hikime.
Preparing a piece for casting can be tricky. Lay the piece flat or in a supported position on a suspended mandrel,
dowel or piece of foam covered with wax paper so both of your hands are free. Prepare all of the sprues before
attaching to the Mitsuro-hikime wax model. Altering sprue wires after welding will cause tension, resulting in a
snapped piece. Plan for findings at this point.
Pink wax sprue wires bend easily and hold up to some handling. They are low temperature and good for joining
and flow. Choose a joining wax that has a low congeal (set-up) temperature, as higher temperatures will melt or
warp the surrounding Mitsuro-hikime. Sticky wax, first melted in a ball at the end of a sprue wire, then remelted
onto the model when in position, is a simple technique. Drop the joining wax into the void between the piece
and the sprue instead of touching the hot tool to the piece itself. Don’t overwork! Run fillets with wax or
white glue. Be sure to allow the sprue wire to set up completely before removing the support.
Use a diameter wire larger than the thickness of the model where it will be joined (the “gate”) and where possible,
connect to a ridge of the Mitsuro-hikime that will feed the metal into the design, serving as a duct. This is
especially helpful in pieces that are longer and a distance from the sprue base.
Surface textures are beautiful in this work and need to be preserved. Attach sprues to the backside and to edges
whenever possible. Placing rings on a tilt will facilitate metal flow and reduce the chance of trapping air beneath
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SNAG NEWS Volume 20 Number 2 March 2012
the shank. Position the crown side up, so the metal reaches it first, although often theory says to place the crown
down and shank up for shrinkage reasons. Plan for enough metal to bulky sections. It is important to design for
controlled shrinkage - supplying the model with liquid metal while cooling.
Use as low a temperature on your hot tool as
possible. A temperature adjustable wax tool is ideal,
as it maintains a constant temperature. An alcohol
lamp will suffice, used with a needle or fine wax tool.
Perfect for Mitsuro-hikime work is a battery pen, and it
is a small cost compared to electric varieties. It is
ideal for spot welding and reaching into tight areas.
Fine wire tips of all types can leave tiny air bubbles
behind when inserted into the wax. Check for this as
you learn to insert the needle into the join [Figure 7].
Figure 7
The Mitsuro wax will fuse to itself easily, but at overlaps be sure to check for trapped air bubbles and sharp
corners that may require a fillet. Trapped air could blow out in the vacuuming process leaving a pit in the finished
casting. Small pieces of the Mitsuro-hikime can flake off. If pits appear on curves, the wax was too cool, did not
stretch in bending and cracked. Portions break free in vacuuming and fill with investment, causing voids in the
metal.
Pits occurring at joins are where the hot needle left an air bubble, or wax did not flow into the space completely. A
fine wire tip that will hold a drop of wax is helpful. A “dry” needle will often pick up wax rather than deposit it.
These flaws usually don’t show on the model, but may blow out in vacuuming, fill with investment and
consequently, restrict metal flow through this duct and gate location.
Angular voids on the surface of the model opposite a duct gate are usually from small pieces of investment
breaking off and floating on the molten metal into the surface. (The metal is CLEAN, right?) Vacuum casting is
preferred.
It is best to work the wax bar, form the design, sprue and invest all at the same location. Pieces can be
transported floating in cool water, on a piece of wax paper in a standard wax model box (placing it in the foam
packing will mar the wax), or already on a sprue base. The container should be kept upright, well cushioned and
not subjected to heat or cold. Prolonged storage in water will create a white film on the piece, which may affect
the cast surface.
Even with a clean work area, Mitsuro-hikime will pick up dust during designing. Before investing, wash the sprued
model with a soft brush using equal amounts of a mild soap and hydrogen peroxide. Rinse in COOL water and
allow to dry completely. A lot of effort has gone into your piece at this point. Handle with care!
When choosing a flask it is important to remember that investment insulates. When baked, it will maintain the
casting temperature of your piece, now a cavity in the center. Leave a main sprue duct (or ducts) of ½-
3/4”between the sprue base (button) and the model; 1/2’ between the model and sides of the flask; or rods, if
used; and ½-1” covering the model. When in doubt, select a larger flask. Use a regular ratio of investment to
water, and ALWAYS do a 4-5 minute mix (stir).
In general, both gold and silver casting is successful. Thin, long sections in silver fill using higher flask
temperatures and additional sprues. Polishing is best achieved with tumbling. I use a magnetic tumbler with fine
pins that reach into the surface detail and corners of the piece. When casting with new gold alloy it is possible to
burnish or hard felt buff the highlights and leave remaining areas untouched.
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SNAG NEWS Volume 20 Number 2 March 2012
For further information:
Practical Wax Modeling
Advance Techniques for Wax Modelers
Hiroshi Tsuyuki and Yoko Ohba
ASQ Corporation
17356 West 12 Mile Road
Southfield, MI 48076
ISBN: 0-9637463-0-8
Mitsuro-hikime Wax Formula
Susan Zeiss
Weight in grams:
245 2U28 J.F.McCaughin wax
-or- Kerr Sticky Wax
215 284120003 Daniel Smith lump pine resin
50-75 2-U7 J.F. McCaughin red, soft industrial wax
454 grams per pound
Suppliers:
Ball Consulting Ltd. West - supplier for McCaughin waxes in small amounts
4665 S. Ash Ave. G-15
Tempe AZ 85282-6766
480-967-7727
J.F. McCaughin Co. (now M.Argueso & Co. Inc.)
2628 River Ave.
Rosemead CA 91770-3302
626-573-3000
KerrLab/Jewelry (Kerr Corporation)
714-516-7650
Sticky Wax 03416 bulk/slab
00623 12 sticks
00625 120 sticks
Daniel Smith
4150 First Avenue South
P.O. Box 84268
Seattle WA 98124-5568
800-426-6740
pine resin is used in printmaking listed with “grounds”, varnishes
also at your local gymnastics center in powder form
Melt the waxes in a wax pot, starting with the higher temperature pine resin,
stirring in the sticky wax. Turn off the heat, then add the 2-U7. Smooth
aluminum foil into a shallow pan and stretch a nylon stocking over an embroidery hoop. Strain the wax through
the nylon into the pan. Cool, score and break the wax into pieces and store them wrapped in wax paper. The
finished Mitsuro-hikime has a shelf life of several months.
Adjustments can be made to the formula to suit your room temperature. To soften, add red #2-U7; to harden, add
sticky wax. Pine resin adds sheen, but also brittleness and seems to vary most from batch to batch.
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SNAG NEWS Volume 20 Number 2 March 2012
Sticky wax 2U28 is made to go to high temperatures. Patch wax 2-U7 is soft and volatile. In storing, it is the 2-U7
that tends to evaporate and the formula becomes brittle. Melt and add fresh 2-U7 to revive. Scraps of Mitsuro-
hikime may be re-melted as long as they are clean. Treat re-melts separately from a new batch of wax.
Credit to Fred Palmer, colleagues, and J.F. McCaughin Co. for specifications on waxes and recommendations in
experimenting with this formula.
Susan Zeiss began her interest in jewelry during high school, and went on to earn her Master’s Degree in metal
arts and art education from the University of Wisconsin. She has always been involved in art education and
teaching, including her development and technique of Mitsuro-Hikime wax. Susan’s design experience includes
positions such as elementary art curriculum coordinator, community playgrounds chair, college faculty, and
product development consultant. Susan currently works out of her studio in the Pacific Northwest. Her work is
shown in juried exhibitions and selected galleries. <SZ4design@comcast.net>
NEW MEMBERS
We extend a hearty welcome to the new SNAG members who joined in January 2012.
Chelsea Arthur, Graniteville, SC Robbi Omeara, Glenwood Springs, CO
Roger Braman, Brewster, NY Gretchen Otto, Ypsilanti, MI
Elizabeth Chambers, Mud Factory Art, Houston, TX Deborah Paul, Sequim, WA
I Ching Chen, Newmarket, ON, Canada C "Fritz" Pearce, Fritz and Mischell, Sonoma, CA
Tanya Crane, New Paltz, NY Aimee Petkus, Savannah, GA
Linda Creason, deepgapgems, Dana, NC Andrea Riso, Talisman Collection, Folsom, CA
Diana Crumay, StillDiana, Elizabethtown, PA Angela Sammon, Toronto, ON, Canada
Tom de Grom, Conway, AR Bernie Santen, Bentleigh Jewellers, Bentleigh,
Julie Deutschman, Canton, OH Australia
Sarah Ehle, Athens, GA Phyllis L Sayles, Longview, WA
Andrew Floyd, Mount-Royal, QC, Canada Miranda Scott, House on Hudson Designs, Kingston,
Emma Frank, Carrollton, TX ON, Canada
Karen Shein Gelbard, Montclair, NJ Yu-Hsien Shen, Athens, GA
Laurey Gilbert, Berthoud, CO Jenn Sheridan, Innisfil, ON, Canada
Clarissa Halat, Waukesha, WI Lisa Shinkan, Oshkosh, WI
Lynn Hamilton, St Louis, MO Stacie Smith, Bozeman, MT
Carey Harding, Cookeville, TN Lyndsey Snell, Urbana, IL
Carol Hettenbach, Ravens Nest, Prescott Valley, AZ Laura Stanger, Hollywood, SC
Roxanne Horvath, Saint Augustine, FL Danielle Stennett, Kent, OH
Yu Jou Hung, Toronto, ON, Canada Emlyn Strzempka, Findlay, OH
Yuka Inoue, Lake Forest, IL Nikki Thomas, Nikka Thomas Studio, Athens, GA
Andrew Jeavons, Studio REN, Cincinnati, OH Mark Thone, Rochester, NY
Paula Josef, Long Beach, CA Sarah Truett, Surprise, AZ
Jae Kim, Seoul, South Korea Keri Van Deventer, Visalia, CA
Michelle Kim, Watkinsville, GA Leighann Van Deventer, Visalia ,CA
Tamara Knappenberger, Bozeman, MT Cheryl Van Dyck, Lavender Cottage Originals,
Ava Koohbor, San Francisco, CA Greeneville, TN
Corine Lazaro, Designs in Gold, Las Cruces, NM William Vannerson, Pace, FL
Alex Lewandowski, Alex Metal Arts, Ester, AK Andy Vernacchia, Bowling Green, OH
Sue Lewis, Scottsdale, AZ Frank Wicks, Wicks Design, Sonoita, AZ
David Livingston, Niveveh, IN Jennifer Williams, Savannah, GA
David Richard Loepp, Rome, Italy Herbert Wohl, La Jolla, CA
Richard Long, Tega Cay, SC Yi-Li Yu, Toronto, ON, Canada
Anna Lukyanenko, Yekaterinburg, Russia Kayla Zatezalo, Allison Park, PA
Mary Marder, Oakland Gardens, NY Bill Zinser, Coppell, TX
Amy Newell, Bukabu Handmade Jewelry, Doswell,
VA
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