Sculpture Facilities & Equipment

Although some equipment can be used for other processes, the facilities list has been segmented into traditional uses for ease of identifying them.

The Sculpture Studio is approximately 2500 square feet with 11 foot ceilings. This is a mixed use space that houses wood and mould-making tools and equipment. The Studio includes an 8' x 13' spray booth, as well as a 300 square foot quiet/clean space with robotics equipment, a wax station and an assembly table. A well equipped metal shop is attached to the main studio that holds forming and welding equipment, as well as a small portable foundry.

The Sculpture Studio does not normally stock materials such as wood, plastic, rubber, metal, stone, paints, and stains, etc. Most of these materials can be ordered by the artist locally or from Calgary.

Woodworking

The Sculpture Studio contains a woodshop equipped to accommodate both construction and carving methods of working with wood.  The woodshop is equipped with most of the major stationary and portable power equipment for cutting and machining wood (please see equipment list below) and also a fair assortment of traditional hand tools and powered rotary equipment for carving.  There are a number of large heavy tables for laying-up projects and clamping, as well as plenty of counter space for working on smaller projects or keeping projects organized.  The layout of the studio is easily re-configured to accommodate a variety of projects and methods of working.

Stationary Power Tools:

• Two 10” Table Saws (each with 48”+ tables)
• 20” Felder Band Saw
• 14” Rockwell Band Saw
• 12” Makita Compound Mitre Saw
• Vicmarc Wood Lathe
• 20” General Drill press
• 12” Disk sander
• 6” x 18” upright belt sander
• 20” DeWalt Scroll Saw
• 13” 3hp thickness planer
• 6” Rockwell Jointer
• 10” Radial Arm Saw
• Oscillating Spindle Sander
• Biscuit Joiner

Portable Power Tools:

• Hand Drills (corded and cordless)
• Jig Saws
• Belt sanders
• Palm sanders
• Electric and pneumatic angle grinders for shaping and sanding (4”-8”)
• Dremel
• Foredome
• Pneumatic brad nailer and stapler
• Various Routers (trim, 2-1/2 hp and 3-1/2 hp) for handheld and table applications
• Skill saw
• Sawzall
• Electric chain saw
• 3” power planer
• Heat guns
• Glue guns

Hand Tools:
The Sculpture Studio has a full complement of hand tools.  Including, but not limited to: hand planes, chisels and gouges, pipe and bar clamps, hammers, screwdrivers, knives, and marking and measuring tools.

Metal Working and Casting

Artists working in metal will find most of the equipment necessary for cutting, joining, and shaping. The metal shop houses a small propane furnace capable of casting bronze, aluminum or other non-ferrous metals. The furnace uses a #4 crucible which will accommodate castings of 15lbs for bronze or 4lbs of aluminum.

The studio also has a working relationship with a local foundry. Artists can prepare a work at the Centre in virtually any medium (wood, clay, plastic, etc.). This form can then be cast in bronze, copper or aluminum. The maximum size of foundry casting is 2,200 pounds (1000 kilos) of bronze. (Please see mould making and casting below)

Welding:

• Lincoln 255 Mig Welder
• Lincoln 225 Precision Tig Welder
• 250 ampere Stick Welder
• Oxy-Acetylene (standard welding, heating, brazing and cutting torches)
• Soldering Irons and torches

Stationary Tools:

• 14” chop saw
• 7” x 12” horizontal band saw
• Sheet metal Break
• Sheet metal Roller
• 18 gage Sheet metal foot shear
• Beverly shear
• 2 grinding, polishing and sharpening bench grinders
• Drill Press with 8” of swing

Portable Power Tools:

• Electric and pneumatic angle grinders (4”-7”)
• Electric and pneumatic Die Grinders
• 8 gage sheet metal nibbler
• Foredome
• Dremel

Hand Tools:
Includes but not limited to: Taps and dies, rivet guns, anvil, vices, clamps, cold chisels and punches

Mould Making and Casting

Mould making and casting in many mediums is possible in the studio. Found objects, or objects prepared by artists, can be moulded and cast in a material of the artists choosing. A vacuum chamber with a capacity of five gallons is also available for degassing materials.

The studio has a ventilated wax working station with wax tools, heat lamps and a water jacket wax melter capable of holding approximately 60lbs of wax. This station supports our foundry and may also be utilized by artists wanting to prepare bronzes for casting at another facility.

Robotics

For those with experience with electronics the sculpture studio has an electronics station with soldering irons, testers, and other tools for wiring and building your circuits. The station is complete with a Macintosh running basic stamp programming tools for micro-controllers. This station is in very close proximity to the shop space making it easy for artists to go between working on the electronic and mechanical aspects of their projects.

Spray, Painting, and Staining

The Sculpture Studio has a spray booth with paint gun and fresh air helmet. The studio stocks all related safety equipment e.g. respirators, gloves, coveralls, and splash aprons, and has environmentally sound chemical disposal.

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For more information contact:
Matt Walker, Sculpture Facilitator
Email: matthew_walker@banffcentre.ca
Phone: 1.403.762.6393
Fax: 1.403.762.6665