Cast Iron Vases

This cast iron vase highlights the contrast between a delicate flower and a heavy metal sphere. Each spherical vase is weighted at the base so that it will sit upright. This was an exercise in sand casting and a way to learn how to design and make a pattern board. For this project I also made a core box to make sand cores that fill the negative space inside the vases. 

Sketches

In the initial sketch phase, I explored different ways of highlighting the delicacy of the flower through a contrasting vessel. I wanted something organic-shaped that would create a strong backdrop or base to the seemingly weightless flower. 

Pattern Board

The cope, or top part or the pattern board, features all the gating (shown above in red). The yellow shows where the core pieces will go, these are all parts that will not be filled in with iron during the casting process. 

I constructed the pattern board from plywood and 3D printed pieces. For the plywood board, there was a template I needed to follow in order to ensure the pieces would fit into the tools at the foundry. For the 3D printed parts, I sanded them thoroughly and used a peg system to position them correctly so that the cope and drag sides would align. 

Photos From Cumberland Foundry in Rhode Island 

Final Casting

Above is a photo of four vases after they had been sand cast, with the gating still attached. At this point I was able to clamp the structure in a vise and use a hacksaw to separate the vases. I then used a hand file to clean up the vases along the parting line and around the gate. 

As is typical for my products, the shape is simple. There is neither superfluous surface treatment nor ornate design. The aesthetic is directly derived from the concept of a weighted sphere, with the parting line creating a sensible detail.