What Students Will Do

  • 🎨 Design in Foam - Carve or shape a pattern from styrofoam
  • 🏖️ Prepare the Mold - Pack the pattern in sand with proper gating
  • 🔥 Watch the Pour - See 1,200°F molten aluminum flow into the mold
  • 💨 See the Magic - Watch foam vaporize as metal takes its place
  • ❄️ Cool & Extract - Break out the mold and reveal the casting
  • ✨ Finish & Polish - File, sand, and polish to final form

What Students Will Learn

Lost Foam Casting

An industrial technique where foam patterns are vaporized by molten metal.

Metallurgy Basics

How metals melt, flow, solidify, and what affects casting quality.

Pattern Design

How to design shapes that cast well - draft angles, gating, vents.

Industrial Manufacturing

How real factories use casting to make engine parts, tools, and more.

Safety Is Critical

  • Age Requirement - Ages 14+ only - this is advanced metalworking
  • Full Safety Gear - Face shields, leather aprons, heat-resistant gloves
  • Instructor Controls Pour - Students observe pour, assist with prep
  • Clear Safety Zones - Designated areas during hot metal operations
  • Outdoor or Ventilated Space - Fumes require open-air environment
  • Perfect Safety Record - Years of workshops without incidents

Why This Workshop Is Special

  • Real Industrial Process - Same technique used in manufacturing
  • Permanent Creation - Aluminum objects last forever
  • Rare Opportunity - Few places offer this to students
  • Career Connection - Foundry work is a real profession
  • Impressive Results - Students create substantial metal objects
  • Unforgettable Experience - Pouring molten metal is unforgettable

Workshop Details

  • Format: One-time workshop with multiple phases
  • Duration: 4 hours (includes cooling time)
  • Group Size: Maximum 8 students
  • Space Needed: Outdoor area or well-ventilated workshop
  • Equipment: All included - furnace, sand, foam, safety gear
  • Takeaway: Students keep their finished castings!

Perfect For

  • High School Programs - Advanced STEM elective
  • Career Tech Education - Industrial arts connection
  • Summer Intensives - Half-day advanced workshop
  • Maker Spaces - Add metalworking capability
  • Scout Groups - Advanced metalworking badge