Hydrocal/Casting Plaster Advice, Tips
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Steve Pilon
Sep 17, 2012, 6:15:42 PM9/17/12
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Has anyone in the group ever worked with Hydrocal or any casting
plasters?
What are some tips and tricks that a complete beginner should be aware
of?
I am not actually casting anything, just making forms out of the
Hydrocal/casting plaster.
Any advice is greatly appreciated!
plasters?
What are some tips and tricks that a complete beginner should be aware
of?
I am not actually casting anything, just making forms out of the
Hydrocal/casting plaster.
Any advice is greatly appreciated!
Dont let google be evil
Sep 17, 2012, 9:00:50 PM9/17/12
to milwaukee...@googlegroups.com
Try not to eat too much of it!
If you can buy plaster from a materials dealer and not a bldg. supply it will probably have been stored better, and may be significantly cheaper.
I've recently gone to a place on the north side called Prince/IGC Materials/Technologies or something like that.
http://www.igctechnologies.com/about.php
There's a lot of different engineered plasters for different applications, and if you can get ahold of some manufacturer docs- you might be able to make some better choices. Georgia Pacific and US Gypsum are big producers with specs online.
Find manuf. mixing guidelines regarding plaster/water ratios, recommended mix/set times etc.
use clean tools and containers as mixing with stuff that has "hardened" plaster on it will risk greatly accelerated (early) cure
mix plaster INTO the water gradually -dumping all yer plaster into your water at one time will give you a sad, unmixed, lump of matzo which will block your colon- and make you sad.
Plaster shrinks -pouring onto a rigid (hard plastic/steel) item and expecting to be able to remove it leaving you a female mold of the item might not work out well -if your positive is not easily replaced, maybe avoid pouring plaster on it.
I've recently heard of an expanding plaster which might let go of rigid items easier, but I have never worked w/ this stuff.
I've actually got a two bags of USG Casting Plaster that I have no plans for.
Matzo Ball Soup
If you can buy plaster from a materials dealer and not a bldg. supply it will probably have been stored better, and may be significantly cheaper.
I've recently gone to a place on the north side called Prince/IGC Materials/Technologies or something like that.
http://www.igctechnologies.com/about.php
There's a lot of different engineered plasters for different applications, and if you can get ahold of some manufacturer docs- you might be able to make some better choices. Georgia Pacific and US Gypsum are big producers with specs online.
Find manuf. mixing guidelines regarding plaster/water ratios, recommended mix/set times etc.
use clean tools and containers as mixing with stuff that has "hardened" plaster on it will risk greatly accelerated (early) cure
mix plaster INTO the water gradually -dumping all yer plaster into your water at one time will give you a sad, unmixed, lump of matzo which will block your colon- and make you sad.
Plaster shrinks -pouring onto a rigid (hard plastic/steel) item and expecting to be able to remove it leaving you a female mold of the item might not work out well -if your positive is not easily replaced, maybe avoid pouring plaster on it.
I've recently heard of an expanding plaster which might let go of rigid items easier, but I have never worked w/ this stuff.
I've actually got a two bags of USG Casting Plaster that I have no plans for.
Matzo Ball Soup
Steve Pilon
Sep 19, 2012, 3:08:05 PM9/19/12
to milwaukeemakerspace
Thanks for the tips. This is actually for school so they have provided
some plaster, but thanks for the offer.
This should help out alot.
They told us we would mess up like 8 times, from what i gather this
shouldnt be tooooooo hard :)
On Sep 17, 8:00 pm, Dont let google be evil
some plaster, but thanks for the offer.
This should help out alot.
They told us we would mess up like 8 times, from what i gather this
shouldnt be tooooooo hard :)
On Sep 17, 8:00 pm, Dont let google be evil
<mp3galenaope...@robbyworld.com> wrote:
> Try not to eat too much of it!
>
> If you can buy plaster from a materials dealer and not a bldg. supply it
> will probably have been stored better, and may be significantly cheaper.
>
> I've recently gone to a place on the north side called Prince/IGC
> Materials/Technologies or something like that.http://www.igctechnologies.com/about.php
> Try not to eat too much of it!
>
> If you can buy plaster from a materials dealer and not a bldg. supply it
> will probably have been stored better, and may be significantly cheaper.
>
> I've recently gone to a place on the north side called Prince/IGC
Kevin Crowley
Sep 19, 2012, 3:30:31 PM9/19/12
to milwaukee...@googlegroups.com
It shouldn't be. Just never do a casting 10 minutes before it is due. It will always fail.
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