An aluminium ingot is loaded to the furnace.

A view of the system with top seal in place.

Metal ready for pouring.

Pouring with vacuum system on. Note the absence of fume that usually accompanies direct polystyrene burn-out. This is one of the system's chief advantages.

The poured piece being extracted from the sand. The polystyrene has ended up as a ring of hardened sand around the casting rather than polluting the surroundings.

A close-up showing the thin ceramic paint coat still in place but cracking away from the cooled metal.

The casting was a complete success, giving a surface finish equal to lost wax. It also fed well, despite the small gate, and showed no shrinkage defects even though the metal used was almost pure aluminium.

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