: I learned bronze casting from sculptors and a professional casting artisan in
: college.

: . . . Not only must you learn casting, you must learn how to sculpt your master
: pattern, how to copy it, mold making, casting plumbing and if 70% of you
: castings work you then must clean, chase and polish the hardware. AND
: unless you can chrome plate the hardware, or coat and recoat it with
: lacquer, it will corrode.

Rob, I second your remarks on safety and education, but there are a few here who are committed to trying things like this. For their benefit I offer this additional advice:

Signing up for an art class at the local junior college can get you safe access to the tools and techniques needed for this. You can take advantage of the instructor's advice on how to create the necessary molds, and you can get college credit for making your kayak parts.

In some junior colleges and trade schools there are foundry classes as part of the machine and metalworking areas, too.

If you have carved a design in wax that you are interested in having cast, the teacher of these courses may be able to put you in touch with a student who does good work and would do the casting for you. Or, such teachers frequently have contacts with people in the trade who would do such work on a commercial basis. A few phone calls can yield a lot of additional information.

PGJ