So we left our hero in the wax at Polich/Tallix.  After doing that work and returning home, I waited while the foundry began to process the individual pieces by coating the sections with a slurry of ceramic material, called a shell. This coating covered all surfaces, including all the gates and vents that had to be created in order to allow the bronze to flow in and the wax and air to flow out.  A burnout process heats the shells to a temperature that makes them ready for the arduous task of accepting the molten bronze.

     I next visited the foundry when the time came to patina the piece.  I knew what I wanted for this sculpture, and so a patineur was assigned to me and we made decisions as we went.  A little brown with green highlights in the shadows only. Coats of wax were applied to protect the piece.  We deeded not to use lacquer or similar material as sealer because of the aging of that material over time.

Arrival of the piece at Rogers Island.  Mason John Abrahamson did the work on the 7 ton stone.

With my good friend the writer and sculptor Walter Lape.  I miss him every day.

The maquette of the piece in bronze.  I had one made for Frank Nastasi, who was pleased to get his Christmas present from me that year. A second copy is here in my home to remind me of the excitement of this very important project.  A friend of Mr. Nastasi's called a few years back to say that since Frank had not in fact left him the model in his will, he would need to buy one himself.  He did.  My friend and former Army Ranger Thomas Nichols is handling all sales of the maquette on his website at rangerring.com.  Thomas' website is the official site for the purchase of US Army Ranger Rings and memorabilia.