After a pour, the ceramic or sand molds are broken away. Excess shell can also be cleaned away by sandblasting.
Now comes the laborious process of finishing. Sprues and gates must be cut off and their remnants ground off. Furthermore, parting lines where sand molds joined together must be removed, along with any incidental imperfections. Finally, separately cast components must be welded together, and the welding bead must be ground down and blended with the surrounding texture. The surface of the piece is smoothed and polished according to the client's specifications.
