Yudokobuki (water casting)

Yudokobuki is a traditioinal Japanese technique for melting and creating metal alloys. It is believed to give a better quality alloy than when cast in iron molds. You cast the melted metal into hot water, which reduces the formation of surface oxides and slows down the cooling speed of the metal, which is believed to contribute to good working characteristics in the cast ingot.

What to prepare:

Fill a large commercial-use pot with hot water at around 80°C.

At the bottom, put a sieve with a dome of denim fabric on it.

Melt the metal alloy.

Pour the metal into the bucket of water. You will notice that the metal does not cool down straight away, but takes its time.

You can see some bubbles while the metal slowly return to its original color.

In additional to being a good technique for creating  a high-quality bullion, it’s also a lot of fun to watch!

Come try it out at out studio!

Blue Dove Jessica

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