Last time out I was gushing “nostalgia” whereas, today I’m striking a slightly different chord with a bit of “sentimentality”!    After a couple of false starts, I eventually got my first re-castings done and I’m a very happy camper – (steady now!).  As you can see they are still embedded in the rubber so I’ll pop them out and clean them off before basing and priming them.  Initially I found the process somewhat daunting, but in the end very satisfying.    I say “daunting” because I remember well the very first time I saw molten metal poured by my late father (he was a master silversmith serving over 60 years) and it was in the kitchen of the family’s small two bedroomed terraced house over 50 years ago.   As a cheaper alternative to making items in solid silver (such as candlesticks), there were the “silver plated” options which were usually first cast in a white metal before being plated.   My father would sometimes work in the evening time casting these items in large plaster of Paris moulds. The quantity of white metal he had to pour in one go (in some cases must have been a pound or two in weight when combined with the weight of the huge pouring ladle) made the whole procedure look a bit terrifying to a youngster like myself looking on.  The heat and smell really “assaulted” the senses of a youngster like myself standing a couple of feet from (what was essentially a mini foundry) clad in 1950’s short trousers and long socks!   This was all taking place on the gas stove with the kitchen floor covered with a thick sheet of plywood (which sported many scorch marks!).   So armed with these memories, I cranked up my own little casting operation and eventually produced castings of Messers: McQueen, Ecclestone and Briatore.  Many years after my father passed away I found a small Prince August casting set in his personal effects unopened.  As a devoted grandfather he was forever making dolls houses and wooden forts, and if I remember rightly he intended casting some metal soldiers (to use with the forts) but sadly he never got round to it.  So Dad (wherever you are), I think it’s only fitting that I should say; “these castings are for you”!