Salvaged Nautical Foundry Pattern, Industrial Shipbuilding Mold Huge 48" Wheel

This industrial, wooden foundry pattern was designed and manufactured by Sun Shipbuilding & Drydock Company in Pennsylvania. We later salvaged it from a nautical collector's warehouse in New Jersey. The solid wood mold is a whopping 48 inches in diameter and features a spoke pattern on one side with the other side framed. Stamped and hand painted markings show the manufacturer, as well as other hand painted details. This is the perfect, authentic decorative piece from the American industrial machine era.

Weight: 74 lbs.
Measurements: 48(L) x 48(W) x 7(H)

Condition: Very good condition. Solid body with surface scuffs, paint loss, fading and patina as expected with age and use.

Salvage History: In 2017, this foundry pattern was salvaged from a nautical warehouse in New Jersey. The pick was featured in Season 9, Episode 8 of the DIY Network show, "Salvage Dawgs".

Manufacturer's History:
Sun Shipbuilding & Drydock Company was a major shipbuilding company in operation from 1917–1989 in Chester, Pennsylvania on the Delaware River. The first ship was launched in 1917, just as the United States was entering World War I. By the start of World War II Sun Shipbuilding was among the country's five largest shipyards, with eight slipways. At its peak the company employed more than 40,000 workers at four shipyards and was the largest private-sector employer of African-Americans in the United States. During the war Sun built tankers, hospital ships, cargo ships, and escort carriers for the United States Maritime Commission

About the use of Nautical Foundry Molds:
This wooden pattern was used in the process of sand casting. Molding material, such as sand, would be packed around this pattern inside of a casting flask. The sand is then compressed in a process known as ramming. When the molding material reaches the proper density, the pattern is removed. Molten metal is then poured into the cavity created by the positive mold. Once the metal has cooled and hardened, the sand is then broken away and the metal casting is removed. This pattern was used to cast a part of a ship or nautical component.