Abstract: A method and apparatus for continuously casting a filament within a region of preselected vacuum and passing the filament to ambient region of higher pressure include a rotating casting wheel which has an annular peripheral quench surface. A guide housing encloses the casting wheel to separate the wheel from the ambient region and to delimit a guide region which is adapted to pass the filament therethrough to an exit region communicating into the ambient region. An extrusion housing delimits an extrusion chamber which communicates with the guide housing and has a portion of the quench surface disposed therein. An extrusion mechanism located in the extrusion chamber extrudes molten metal onto the quench surface to form the filament, and an extrusion vacuum mechanism provides a preselected vacuum in the extrusion chamber. A fluid jet mechanism disposed in the guide housing reduces the pressure in the extrusion chamber and directs the filament through the guide region.