Fettling & Finishing Auckland · Post-Cast · NZ-Wide
Casting Fettling & Finishing Auckland — Glendene, NZ
Full suite of fettling and finishing equipment in Glendene, Auckland. Sprue and runner removal, grinding, linishing, shot blasting and welded assembly — every post-cast process your casting needs, all under one roof. Heat treating with certified report available on request.
All Post-Cast Processes
Heat Treat Jobs Certified
One Roof
Our Finishing Processes
Post-Cast Finishing & Fettling
Auckland, NZ.
A casting straight from the mould is not a finished product. Runners, risers and feeders need removing, surfaces need grinding and the part needs to meet your requirements before it leaves our foundry. Our experienced team has the equipment and the willingness to meet your exact expectations — every time.
01 · Post-Cast Removal
Fettling · Runner Removal · Grinding
Fettling & Runner Removal
Fettling is the process of removing the unwanted metal from your casting — the sprues, runners, risers and feeders that were necessary during the pour but have no place in the finished part. A full suite of equipment ensures this is done efficiently and accurately, without damaging the casting itself.
Our team has the experience and attention to detail to fettle everything from delicate bronze artworks to heavy industrial iron castings. If the job requires welded assembly before fettling, our team can handle everything onsite — one job, one contact, one foundry.
- Sprue, runner and riser removal — clean and accurate
- Grinding and linishing to your required finish
- Shot blasting for consistent surface preparation
- Welded assembly onsite before fettling where required
- Suitable for aluminium, bronze, copper-base and iron castings
02 · Certified Treatment
Heat Treating · All Alloys · Certificate Available
Heat Treating
Heat treating improves the mechanical properties of your casting — increasing strength, hardness or ductility depending on the alloy and treatment applied. We offer heat treating for all relevant alloys across aluminium, copper-base and iron castings, with a certified report available on request.
If your application requires heat treating, discuss this prior to quoting so it can be factored into scheduling and pricing accurately. Heat treating with certification is particularly important for structural, marine and engineering applications where material properties need to be verified and documented.
- All relevant aluminium, copper-base and iron alloys
- Certified report available on request
- Discuss requirements prior to quoting for accurate scheduling
- Improves strength, hardness or ductility to specification
- Essential for structural, marine and engineering applications
03 · Gallery Standard
Art Finishing · Patination · Installation
Art Department & Patination
Molten Manufacturing operates a complete art department capable of taking your bronze or other alloy casting from raw metal through to a patinated, gallery-ready finished work. Skilled artisans weld, fettle and patinate to a high standard — fit for permanent installation in galleries, public spaces and private collections.
A large range of patination finishes is available. Structural armatures can be manufactured onsite to design. Installation and ongoing maintenance services are also offered — making us a true end-to-end partner for sculptors, architects and public art commissioners across New Zealand.
- Large range of patination finishes available
- Skilled artisans — gallery-quality standard
- Structural armatures manufactured to design onsite
- Installation and maintenance services offered
- Repair and full replacement from lost or damaged works
Why It Matters
Why Finish with Molten Manufacturing
Most foundries outsource their core making to third-party suppliers. We don’t. Here’s why that matters for your job.
Experience That Shows
Our fettling team has handled everything from intricate gallery bronzes to heavy industrial iron castings. That breadth of experience means we know exactly how much to take off — and when to stop.
All Onsite, No Outsourcing
Fettling, grinding, shot blasting, welded assembly, heat treating and art finishing — all handled under one roof in Glendene, Auckland. No third-party delays, no quality inconsistencies between suppliers.
Standards Don't Change
Whether it’s a single art piece or a long production run, our finishing standards don’t slip. You’ll always know exactly where your job is at — and Shaun will tell you straight if there’s an issue.
The Finishing Process
How Your Casting Gets Finished
From the mould to a finished, delivery-ready casting — here’s how post-cast finishing flows through our Glendene foundry.
01
Knock Out & Inspection
Your casting is removed from the mould and inspected. Dimensional checks, surface condition and any assembly requirements are noted before fettling begins.
02
Runner & Riser Removal
Sprues, runners, risers and feeders are cut and ground away using the appropriate equipment for the alloy and casting geometry. Welded assembly is completed at this stage if required before finishing.
03
Grinding & Surface Finish
Grinding, linishing and shot blasting bring the casting to your required surface finish. For art department work, patination is applied at this stage by our skilled artisans.
04
Heat Treating & Delivery
If heat treating is specified, it is completed with a certified report if required. Final inspection is carried out and your casting is delivered production-ready or gallery-ready.
Casting Fettling Auckland
Auckland's Casting Fettling & Finishing Specialists
Molten Manufacturing provides professional casting fettling, grinding, shot blasting and finishing services from our Glendene, Auckland foundry. We finish castings in aluminium, bronze, copper-base alloys and iron — for clients across New Zealand and internationally.
Our post-cast finishing capability covers everything from sprue and runner removal through to heat treating with certified report, welded assembly and a complete art department offering patination, installation and maintenance for bronze sculpture and architectural metalwork.
All finishing is handled onsite at our Glendene facility — no outsourcing, no third-party delays, and a single point of contact for your entire casting project from pattern to finished part.
Heat Treating & Certification
When Do You Need Heat Treating?
Heat treating is required when your casting needs to meet specific mechanical property requirements — typically for structural, marine, engineering or safety-critical applications. Common examples include CC601 aluminium for strength, marine-grade alloys for corrosion resistance, and SG iron for ductility.
If your application requires heat treating, this must be discussed prior to quoting so it can be factored into scheduling and pricing. A certified report is available on request — essential for traceability in regulated industries.
Not sure if your casting needs heat treating? Call Shaun on 022 088 2040 — we have a metallurgist available for technical advice.
Common Questions
Fettling & Finishing FAQs
What is fettling?
Fettling is the post-cast process of removing the unwanted metal from a casting — the sprues, runners, risers and feeders that are part of the casting system but not part of the finished product. It also includes grinding, linishing and shot blasting to bring the casting to its required surface finish. Every casting we produce goes through a fettling process before leaving our foundry.
Can you do welded assembly before fettling?
Yes — if your job requires welded assembly (for example, joining multiple cast sections before final finishing), our team can handle this onsite before fettling. This keeps your job under one roof and ensures the assembly and finish are done in the correct sequence by the same team who cast the parts.
What patination finishes are available?
We offer a large range of patination finishes for bronze and other copper-base alloy castings. The specific finishes available depend on the alloy and the desired effect — from natural liver of sulphur browns and blacks through to greens, blues and custom blended finishes. Our art department team will discuss the options and provide samples where appropriate.
Do you offer heat treating with certification?
Yes — heat treating with a certified report is available on request for all relevant alloys. This must be discussed and agreed prior to quoting so it can be factored into scheduling and pricing accurately. Certification is particularly important for structural, marine and engineering applications.
Do you finish castings produced by other foundries?
Our finishing and fettling services are primarily offered as part of our complete casting service. If you have a specific finishing requirement for castings produced elsewhere, contact Shaun to discuss — we'll give you a straight answer on whether we can help and what it will cost.
Need Your Casting Finished?
Fettling, grinding, heat treating, patination — all onsite in Glendene, Auckland. Call Shaun for a straight answer.