I think it is the smell of having fun or maybe the kiln's heat is getting to me...

I just ordered a bunch of "stuff" needed to start cooking my own lost wax casting flasks in my shop. It seems like I could continue to add "nice to have's" to my wish list of tools and supplies almost forever. My need right now is to nail down the basics so I can stop planning and start pouring molten metal. I am very close.

There is a fairly high "hurdle" in equipment cost to gear up for "formal" lost wax casting as it is done today. I have seen a lot of very small scale workarounds like microwave kilns and very small vacuum systems. Even no vacuum systems just using a vibrator to work out air in the liquid investment.

I conclude there is no "wrong" way but a lot of alternative ways to do LWC (Lost Wax Casting) that can work. Whatever turns your crank! I have chosen a conventional process. I believe it will provide me a path to increase volume or project size with little change in technique. 

I think one of the things that attracts me to this LWC process is the huge variety of options from initial design to casting methods. I am not forgetting the finishing work after casting. I am following a very conventional  molding method as I don't know enough to experiment, which may be a good thing. But I am having fun.

I also love the wide assortment of small tools I get to play with when carving wax masters to finish polishing Sterling silver.

3D Wax carving with my Taig CNC mill w/forth axis is extremely interesting to me as well. Wow! So much to try...

I ordered a 50# box of investment powder. With the larger 3"x4" flasks I ordered it will let me make about 30 molds. No, not the fuzzy ones shown in the picture. Almost double more if I use the smaller 2.5"x3" flasks that I ordered. I will definitely be using the smaller size at first.

Lots of other detail things I don't need to list but will be seen when I start to document the process.

Life is good. Lots of one time initial investment in my studio/workshop/machine-shop that I have spread out over almost two decades. I hope to have at least equal time enjoying the dividends. No time like the present to get started.