Casting Journeys At Alloy
There’s no single “right way” to learn casting. Some people jump in with years of fabrication experience, while others pick up carving wax before they’ve ever held a jeweler’s saw. Some students want structured classes, others prefer private lessons, and a few discover they suddenly need production casting skills after landing a wholesale order.
At Alloy, we’ve designed our casting programs to support all of those paths. Build skills in ways that fit your goals, schedule, and experience level. These stories highlight just a few of the very different casting journeys happening inside our studio right now—and the many ways people grow when they have access to tools, guidance, and a supportive creative community.
Journey #1 — Tabbetha
“I was nervous about taking on this big casting job - but the support of Louise and the Alloy Studios made it a fun experience. And left me excited to do more casting! “
- TABBETHA
The “Nirvana Necklace” at Peruvian Connection.
Tabbetha had taken a casting class back in high school, but after years away from the process, she wanted a refresher. She joined our Beginning Casting for Jewelry class for fun—mostly excited to carve a signet ring and get back into the studio. Then, unexpectedly, a huge opportunity landed in her lap: a wholesale order for 20+ of the bronze pendants pictured to the left.
At first, the production process felt intimidating. Mold making, wax injection, tree building—it was a lot to tackle on a deadline. We connected her with a local caster to outsource the first batch, and the order was a success. Then came a second order… and suddenly outsourcing was no longer affordable—or available. With a little encouragement (and access to Alloy’s equipment), Tabbetha decided to take it on herself.
Step 1 — Day Pass + Wax Prep
As a Maker Member, Tabbetha gets discounts on classes, but not open studio access. She booked a 5-hour Day Pass and got to work. During that session, she used our wax injector and wax pen to pull 45 pendant waxes and build them into casting trees.
Wax injection involves a lot of waiting while each piece cools completely, so Tabbetha used the downtime to practice carving skills between pulls. She only needed 38 pendants for the order, but made extras to account for possible casting flaws or loss. By the end of the session, she had built five trees with nine pendants each—ready for casting.
Step 2 — investment appointments
Five trees meant five flasks and five investment appointments. Thanks to her Maker Member discount, Tabbetha paid $44 per flask instead of the standard $55. She brought her trees into the studio the Thursday before Foundry Friday. During the 15-minute appointments, she weighed and mounted her wax trees, then invested each flask using our setup and process checklist. Once cured, the flasks were loaded into the kiln overnight, where the wax burned away and the molds reached casting temperature.
Step 3 — foundry friday
The next afternoon, Tabbetha returned to cast her bronze. One flask at a time, we melted metal, pulled hot flasks from the kiln, and poured each cast on the vacuum table. I guided her through the process, but by the final pour, she barely needed me. By the end of the day, Tabbetha had gone from feeling overwhelmed by production casting to confidently completing a wholesale order herself. The repetition, hands-on practice, and access to the right tools made all the difference.
JOURNEY #2 — BETHANY
“Casting on Foundry Fridays at Alloy is like getting to feel the excitement of Christmas morning, once a month.”
-BETHANY MCCOLLUM
Casting Through Private Lessons
The moment Bethany heard I was developing a casting class, she was determined to learn the process. When the first group class didn’t fit her schedule, she chose to take private lessons instead—giving her one-on-one instruction and the flexibility to work at her own pace.
Private lessons move a bit faster without the wait times of a full class, so Bethany and I spent the morning carving a signet ring before breaking for lunch. In the afternoon, we moved into spruing and investment, preparing her pieces for casting the next day. By the time she poured her first cast, she was hooked. Check out the awesome reel she made of the entire process here » https://www.instagram.com/p/DQhKT3ckXsq/
Foundry Friday Frequent Flyer
Bethany started wax carving in October 2025 and has been fully immersed ever since. She’s already gathered much of the equipment needed for her home casting setup, but while her studio comes together, she’s been joining Foundry Friday every month to keep practicing with support and guidance.
Since starting, she’s experienced both exciting successes and frustrating setbacks—but she keeps showing up ready to learn. From wax carving and construction to experimenting with organics and plastics, Bethany has explored a wide range of casting techniques and continues pushing herself to discover what’s possible.
Check out some of the amazing stuff she’s made below. Better yet, go check out what she has available to purchase here » https://bethanyjojewelry.com/
Journey #3 — Kate
“I took the beginning casting class at Alloy and loved every step — I’m hooked on wax carving and the casting process is magical. Louise helped me get a great foundation, and now I’m using the Foundry Fridays sessions to keep the momentum going.”
-KATE SKORIJA
Casting as a Total Beginner
Most people begin their jewelry journey with traditional metalsmithing—learning to fabricate with sheet metal, wire, and bezel before ever touching casting. Kate took a different route. She was drawn to wax carving first, long before she seriously considered making jewelry any other way. As an instructor, I love seeing students start where their curiosity naturally leads them. That said, our casting class doesn’t spend as much time on finishing techniques like filing, sanding, and polishing, since many students already have those foundational skills. That’s why pairing casting with fabrication skills can be such a game changer.
Kate quickly realized that too. After diving into wax carving, she signed up for our Beginning Metalsmithing for Jewelry class so she can combine traditional fabrication techniques—like sawing, forming, and soldering—with her new casting skills. In the meantime, she joined as a Shared Bench Member, giving her studio access and discounts on future workshops and Foundry Friday sessions. While she waits for her metalsmithing class at the end of June, she’s been spending serious time developing her carving skills in the studio.
And honestly? Her work is already incredibly cool. Kate has created a growing collection of bold, thoughtful designs, and I can’t wait to see how her style evolves once she starts incorporating soldering and fabrication techniques into her process.
are you experienced at casting already?
You can join in the fun too! You’ll just need to book an Investment Orientation so that we can show you our equipment and walk you through our expectations while using it. Note: We do vaccum casting, which requires melting and pouring metal into the flask. If you’ve only worked with centrifugal casting, it’s a good idea to practice pouring first before investing a piece you’re really hoping turns out successfully.
One of the most exciting things about teaching casting is watching how differently each person approaches the process. Some students fall in love with wax carving immediately. Others become obsessed with the technical challenge of pouring metal. Some are building businesses, while others are simply exploring a new creative outlet for the first time.
No matter where someone starts, confidence comes through repetition, experimentation, problem solving, and community support. Alloy is here to help you build skills one cast at a time.