PURPOSE: To eliminate the need for secondary calcination of a casting mold and to reduce cooling time by igniting a casting mold formed by a molding flask while blowing compressed dry air into said mold to dry the mold then blowing further the compressed dry air to cool forcibly the mold.

CONSTITUTION: A binder and a hardener are added and mixed with a refractory material to form a slurry 1 which is cast into a molding flask 3 contg. a casting pattern 2 and is solidified to form a casting mold 4. The mold 4 is placed on an air blowing plate 6 connected to a compressed dry air source such as a compressor to ignite the combustible material evaporating and dissipating from the mold 4 and thereafter the compressed dry air is blown into the mold 4. The combustible material and moisture in the mold 4 are thus virtually thoroughly removed and the calcination is accelerated. The compressed dry air is further blown in this state upon completion of the calcination to cool forcibly the mold 4 down to a suitable temp. and thereafter a molten metal is cast therein to produce a casting.