Has anyone ever used HydroCal before?
Ken Gilbert
Hi,
A while back I picked up a bag of a plaster type material called HydroCal in a mainly railway hoppy shop to do some landscaping with. I'm still finding it difficult to work with because it dries so fast. But it is incredible how hard it dries and how well you can sculpt fine detail out of it.
If anyone has used it can you give me a good water-to-powder ratio to work with it. Also does anyone
know if it's toxic. I'm thinking of using it to make a cave for my pet gecko, but I know nothing of the
products contents, is the "Cal" for Calcium?
thanks for your time,
Ken
Eric & Heidi
Hydrocal is a gypsum cement manufactured by US Gypsum (their website is
http://www.usgcorp.com ). They don't describe the chemical composition
on their website, but gypsum is made up of hydrous calcium sulfate, and
I believe plasters or cements also usually contain lime (calcium
carbonate). People and pets have been living in houses with plaster
walls for hundred of years. I would think it's safe as long as it
doesn't crumble into bite-sized pieces that might tempt your gecko.
The usual mixing ratio is two parts plaster to one part water. Add the
plaster slowly to the water.
Eric
Tony Burzio
Ken Gilbert wrote:
> A while back I picked up a bag of a plaster type material called HydroCal
Hydrocal is a mixture of plaster of paris and portland cement.
> If anyone has used it can you give me a good water-to-powder ratio to work with it.
I just get a cup of water and add plaster until you can
just barely feel a bit of grit in the soup (this works out
to about 4 to 1, but this will vary wildly). Fingers work
best for mixing, because you can feel and remove the lumps
easily. If you use very cold water you can slow the set
process. If you use water that has some plaster already
in it (like you use it to clean your hands between batches),
your plaster will set much faster...
If you make a 2 to 1 batch, you can make a Playdoh(tm)-
like mixture that make great boulders. Just roll
between your palms like you were making cookies...
To make a neat cave, crumple up some newspaper
and tape in the shape of the hole you want to
create. Dunk newspaper strips in hydrocal
and cris-cross. Cover this layer with about
an inch of plaster. Add boulders and other
decorations using the doh. Remove the crumpled
newspaper and inhabit with gekkos! :-)
>Also does anyone know if it's toxic
It's a rock, so you shouldn't eat it :-)
Tony Burzio Closed for Construction
San Diego Society of N Scale Sorry!
San Diego, CA
Jonny Barnstorf
If you are casting rock molds and are worried about lumps you might try
using a sifter to add the plaster to the water as you mix it in.
F. DABNEY
Ken Gilbert <kg...@atc-1s.hac.com> wrote:
: Hi,
: A while back I picked up a bag of a plaster type material called
HydroCal in a mainly railway hoppy shop to do some landscaping with. I'm
still finding it difficult to work with because it dries so fast. But it
is incredible how hard it dries and how w ell you can sculpt fine detail
out of it.
"Hydrocal" is a trade name of a whole family of plaster products marketed
by US Guypsum. These are harder than almost any other similar product.
They have had nearly all the "water of crystalization" baked out of the
gypsum from which all plasters are made.
: If anyone has used it can you give me a good water-to-powder ratio to
work with it. Also does anyone know if it's toxic. I'm thinking of using
it to make a cave for my pet gecko, but I know nothing of the products
contents, is the "Cal" for Calcium?
At least one of the Kalmbach scenery books should have the directions for
mixing Hydrocal, and also check with a local US Gypsum dealer. They have
spec sheets describing the different versions, mixing ratios, etc.
Fred D.
Watching the action from BNSF MP 1112, El Paso sub
sharff
Ken Gilbert wrote:
>
> Hi,
>
> A while back I picked up a bag of a plaster type material called HydroCal in a mainly railway hoppy shop to do some landscaping with. I'm still finding it difficult to work with because it dries so fast. But it is incredible how hard it dries and how well you can sculpt fine detail out of it.
>
> If anyone has used it can you give me a good water-to-powder ratio to work with it. Also does anyone
> know if it's toxic.
If you really want answers call US Gypsum at 800-487-4431. Along with
the answers you're interested in ask them for a dealer in your area
where you'll be able to buy a 100 pound bag for about $20.00.
Al Sharff
sha...@sierra.net
Gary Morgenstern
small plastic bowl and put about an inch of Hydrocal in it. I then add
about a fifth of its measure of water and stir. Depending on how much
plaster you need determines how much more mix to add. You want to
achieve an easy to stir mixture that's thick and smooth. More water is
better than too little. Simply keep adding mix and water until your
satisfied with the result. Pour your mold and let cure at least 2-3
hours before attempting to take out of the mold. If I pour them at
night, I wait until morning to remove. The longer you can afford to
wait the better, but if you get the mixture right a couple of hours is
enough so that you can make more rocks, etc. Just set the curing
castings aside to stay dry and untouched.
Good luck!
-Gary
Steven Stern
F. DABNEY <fda...@NMSU.Edu> wrote:
>
>: If anyone has used it can you give me a good water-to-powder ratio to
>work with it.
1-part powder to 2-parts water. Mix and will start to harden in about
15 mins. Using cold water will delay hardening...
Steve
~~~
(o o)
----------------------------------------------------------ooO--U--Ooo-----
Steven Stern email: st...@sterns.com
URL: http://www.sterns.com/sterns/
bu...@kuhub.cc.ukans.edu
In article <334EFC...@worldnet.att.net>, Gary Morgenstern <gar...@worldnet.att.net> writes:
> sharff wrote:
>>
>> Ken Gilbert wrote:
>> >
>> > Hi,
>> >
>> > A while back I picked up a bag of a plaster type material called HydroCal in a mainly railway hoppy shop to do some landscaping with. I'm still finding it difficult to work with because it dries so fast. But it is incredible how hard it dries and how well you can sculpt fine detail out of it.
>> >
>> > If anyone has used it can you give me a good water-to-powder ratio to work with it. Also does anyone
>> > know if it's toxic.
>>
I really like Hydrocall and am using it extensively on the K SF & P. As
suggested below, work with it wet. You can keep it from setting up by
adding water and stiring.
Make an armature of screen or styrofoam. I use screen and a hot glue gun.
Lay a drop cloth on the floor. Cover the screen with towels dipped in a
wet solution of Hydorocal. A role of the old commercial brown towels work
quite well.
After the Hydorcal starts to set up, just poor a wet mixture directly on top.
Use a spray bottle to make it settle or smooth out as you like.
I basically carve all of my own rocks because they are sandstone--like those
found in Kansas. This is done by using a spatula to put dryer Hydrocall along
the walls on the side of the right of way. I draw horizontal lines with a
putty knife in the fresh coat and then finish the carving with an modeling
knife. You have to work fast at this point. You might try some trials on a
model before you try on your layout. I believe you can also cut the drying
time by adding vinegar or joint compound. I have not tried this. You can also
build parts of your surface with joint compound, shape it by sanding, and then
add Hydorcal for the finished coat.
Pour you finish coat over the top and let it flow down naturally over parts of
the rock. If you use a mold, pour a coat on and put the rock in right away.
You can pour Hydrocal around the rock, but I have found the other works best.
One final tip. Keep the pieces you carve or let they lay. You can't find a
better substitute.
Jim Budde
K SF & P RR
John T. M. Pryke
In article <3350363b...@samba.rahul.net>,
st...@sterns.com (Steven Stern) wrote:
>F. DABNEY <fda...@NMSU.Edu> wrote:
>
>
>>
>>: If anyone has used it can you give me a good water-to-powder ratio to
>>work with it.
>
>1-part powder to 2-parts water. Mix and will start to harden in about
>15 mins. Using cold water will delay hardening...
>
>Steve
> ~~~
> (o o)
>
----------------------------------------------------------ooO--U--Ooo-----
> Steven Stern email: st...@sterns.com
> URL: http://www.sterns.com/sterns/
The good news about Hydrocal is that it is cheap and good for hardwhel
scenery. The bad news is that you only get about 10-15 minutes working
time before it suddenly hardens up and you chip it out of the bowel and
start over. There are several alternates on the market which have working
times 3-4 times longer. Once is Sculptamold which admittedly costs more
(about 3X) but gives you a working time of 45 minutes. It can be "carved"
afterwards since it is a mix of wood flour and portland cement. I gave up
on Hydrocal about 6 years ago, bit the bullet and have used sculptamold
(very happily) ever since. Another alternative is Gypsalite (which Dave
Frary mentions in his Scenery Videos). I have not used it personally, but
have talked to Dave about it and it has a longer working time than
Hydrocal. A third alternate is Gauze coated with Portland Cement (used in
the medical industry and sold by Woodland Scenics. Since you dip it in
water and layer it, the short workign time is lessened as you only use what
is on the gauze strip.
Suggest you try some of these alternatives before you go buy 100 bags of
Hydrocal (I still have 90 lbs left over somewhere in the basement).
John Pryke
------------------------------------------------------------
John Pryke
jpr...@ma.ultranet.com
Loren Davidson
>The good news about Hydrocal is that it is cheap and good for hardwhel
>scenery. The bad news is that you only get about 10-15 minutes working
>time before it suddenly hardens up and you chip it out of the bowel and
>start over.
Ow....that sounds exceptionally painful....:)
Loren
--
Loren Davidson
lo...@wombat.net http://www.batnet.com/beauty/
The 3 in the header is silent...and a SPAM filter
"The future isn't what it used to be" -- Amb. G'Kar
Lester D. Shubin
I think you can slow down the set time by adding a little vinegar.
Lester
J. Mika
Has anyone ever tried water putty? Seems promising as a alternative to plaster
with some of the advantages of sculptamold. JM
In article <5iuq9l$ms4...@ma.ultranet.com>, jpr...@ma.ultranet.com says...
>
>In article <3350363b...@samba.rahul.net>,
> st...@sterns.com (Steven Stern) wrote:
>>F. DABNEY <fda...@NMSU.Edu> wrote:
>>
>>
>>>
>>>: If anyone has used it can you give me a good water-to-powder ratio to
>>>work with it.
>>
>>1-part powder to 2-parts water. Mix and will start to harden in about
>>15 mins. Using cold water will delay hardening...
>>
>>Steve
>> ~~~
>> (o o)
>>
>----------------------------------------------------------ooO--U--Ooo-----
>> Steven Stern email: st...@sterns.com
>> URL: http://www.sterns.com/sterns/
>
>
>The good news about Hydrocal is that it is cheap and good for hardwhel
>scenery. The bad news is that you only get about 10-15 minutes working
>time before it suddenly hardens up and you chip it out of the bowel and
bu...@kuhub.cc.ukans.edu
In article <335422...@erols.com>, "Lester D. Shubin" <lsh...@erols.com> writes:
>
> Loren Davidson wrote:
>>
>> In article <5iuq9l$ms4...@ma.ultranet.com>, jpr...@ma.ultranet.com (John T. M. Pryke) wrote:
>>
>> >scenery. The bad news is that you only get about 10-15 minutes working
>> >time before it suddenly hardens up and you chip it out of the bowel and
>> >start over.
>>
>>
>> Loren
>>
>> --
>> Loren Davidson
>> lo...@wombat.net http://www.batnet.com/beauty/
>> The 3 in the header is silent...and a SPAM filter
>> "The future isn't what it used to be" -- Amb. G'Kar
>
>
> I think you can slow down the set time by adding a little vinegar.
> Lester
When you learn to work with it, hardening is not a problem but a benefit. It
is kind of like learning to use Modelflex, Accuflex, or whatever.
Unless I mix a dry mix for fast use, it does not seem to harden if you use
plenty of water and stir frequently. When it does start to set up in the
container, you can often scrape it off with a putty knife and make small rocks.
Finding a mixing container can also be a problem. I use old plastic Blue Bunny
icecream containers. They are flexible enough to break dryed Hydrocall loose
and can be reused.
Shane Lambert
On Fri, 11 Apr 1997 23:07:53 -0400, Gary Morgenstern
<gar...@worldnet.att.net> wrote:
>I use Hydrocal all the time. It's rather easy. Basically, I take a
>small plastic bowl and put about an inch of Hydrocal in it. I then add
>about a fifth of its measure of water and stir. Depending on how much
>plaster you need determines how much more mix to add. You want to
>achieve an easy to stir mixture that's thick and smooth. More water is
>better than too little. Simply keep adding mix and water until your
>satisfied with the result. Pour your mold and let cure at least 2-3
>hours before attempting to take out of the mold. If I pour them at
>night, I wait until morning to remove. The longer you can afford to
>wait the better, but if you get the mixture right a couple of hours is
>enough so that you can make more rocks, etc. Just set the curing
>castings aside to stay dry and untouched.
2-3 hours to set? What type of Hydrocal are you using? I usually pull
my castings within 20-30 minutes and have never had a problem. I cast
an entire 6' tunnel liner in 6 hours! I had two molds and molded 18
castings. BTW, I used a Woodland Scenics mold and I am VERY impressed
with the results!!!
Shane.
-----------------------------------------------------------
Shane Lambert, President
La Crosse & Three Rivers Railroad Club, Inc.
E-Mail: shane....@homemail.com
Model Railroading Home Page: http://www.lse.fullfeed.com/~slambert/mrhp/
La Crosse & 3 Rivers RR Club: http://www.lse.fullfeed.com/~slambert/threerivers/
Coulee Custom Computers: http://www.lse.fullfeed.com/~slambert/coulee/
Rick Vera-Burgos
Shane Lambert wrote:
> [snip]
> I cast
> an entire 6' tunnel liner in 6 hours! I had two molds and molded 18
> castings.
Why in heaven's name would you need a 6' tunnel liner? What scale do you
model in, and do you have a train-mounted video camera or something? Not
criticizing, just curious.
--
Rick Vera-Burgos (work:Ric...@e-mail.com, home:Ric...@msn.com)
Div. Supt. B&O Cumberland Division East End (under construction)
Novi, Michigan
R. Keith Heinsohn
shane....@homemail.com (Shane Lambert) wrote:
>On Fri, 11 Apr 1997 23:07:53 -0400, Gary Morgenstern
><gar...@worldnet.att.net> wrote:
>>I use Hydrocal all the time. It's rather easy. Basically, I take a
>>small plastic bowl and put about an inch of Hydrocal in it. I then add
>>about a fifth of its measure of water and stir.
Just for the record, the appropriate people at U.S. Gypsum, the
manufacturers of Hydrocal, have, in their literature and in a direct
post to me, stated unequivocally that water should never be added to
Hydrocal, but Hydrocal added to the water a little at a time, stirring
all the while. In only this way can one be more-or-less assured that no
lumps will form.
Regards,
....Keith
C.L.Zeni
Loren Davidson wrote:
>
> In article <5iuq9l$ms4...@ma.ultranet.com>, jpr...@ma.ultranet.com (John T. M. Pryke) wrote:
>
> >The good news about Hydrocal is that it is cheap and good for hardwhel
> >scenery. The bad news is that you only get about 10-15 minutes working
> >time before it suddenly hardens up and you chip it out of the bowel and
> >start over.
>
> Ow....that sounds exceptionally painful....:)
>
> Loren
>
VINEGAR. Makes me pucker a bit just thinking about it...;-)
--
*** PLEASE make certain to delete the "x" when you hit reply ***
Craig Zeni - *** REPLY TO --> clz...@earthlink.net <-- OT YLPER ***
-- SEABOARD AIR LINE RAILROAD - Through The Heart of The South --
Rick Fortin
>
> The good news about Hydrocal is that it is cheap and good for hardwhel
> scenery. The bad news is that you only get about 10-15 minutes working
> time before it suddenly hardens up and you chip it out of the bowel and
> start over.
I stopped using Hydrocal several years ago because of frustrations with
the quick drying time. Now I use Ultracal30, manufactured by the same
company. It takes at least a half hour to set, and is workable for a
good twenty plus minutes. I get it at a local dealer that sells diferent
types of plasters - the same place I used to get my Hydrocal.
Instead of a bowl, I now use disposable aluminum foil roasting pans at 2
to 3 bucks a piece. I use several in a plastering session - when empty,
I simply put the used one aside and grab a new one for the next batch of
plaster. The next morning, I flex and distort the aluminum and all the
plaster residue cracks and falls out. I need to reform the pan again
since it gets distorted when flexing, but I can get at least three uses
out of each pan before I simply toss it away.
Rick
STEVE KAIMMER
Just my two cents worth. I am new back into the hobby with a 9 year old.
Got some foam and played around with it. It seemed to not fit my style.
Didn't want to pay the price for a half gallon milk jug of hydrocal at the
hobby store so called around and bought 100 pounds for $20! My son and I
had a great time over a couple weekends making a couple of mountains.
Really was one of the few things he has really gotten into. The models
are just frustrating enough that we build them together, but really I
build them. Same with painting. He helps, then I overpaint. The
hydrocal worked great. Put some powder in a plastic quart container,
added water while mixing til it was a paste, poured into one of those
throw-away plastic paint roller trays, used industrial paper towels, and
away we went. Set up fast, but by the time I couldn't soak the towels, we
picked up the paste with our fingers and sculpted some (we wore throwaway
plastic gloves. I used two trays. Mixed a second batch, did it all over
again. By that time, I could just hit the tray upside down on a garbage
can and all the dry plaster fell out. Really seemed to work well. Plus,
now I've got about 70 pounds of hydrocal in ziplock bags for the rest of
my life. Not too much invested in the mountains, so if I want to change
the setup it won't feel too bad to bash them (might even be fun, with my
son!). Kind of looking forward to making them over again.
In article <5iuq9l$ms4...@ma.ultranet.com>, jpr...@ma.ultranet.com
says...
>
>In article <3350363b...@samba.rahul.net>,
> st...@sterns.com (Steven Stern) wrote:
>>F. DABNEY <fda...@NMSU.Edu> wrote:
>>
>>
>>>
>>>: If anyone has used it can you give me a good water-to-powder ratio
to
>>>work with it.
>>
>>1-part powder to 2-parts water. Mix and will start to harden in about
>>15 mins. Using cold water will delay hardening...
>>
>>Steve
>> ~~~
>> (o o)
>>
>----------------------------------------------------------ooO--U--Ooo----
-
>> Steven Stern email: st...@sterns.com
>> URL: http://www.sterns.com/sterns/
>
>
>The good news about Hydrocal is that it is cheap and good for hardwhel
>scenery. The bad news is that you only get about 10-15 minutes working
>time before it suddenly hardens up and you chip it out of the bowel and
Peter King
Rick Fortin <ric...@pacbell.net> wrote:
>
>Instead of a bowl, I now use disposable aluminum foil roasting pans at
2
>to 3 bucks a piece. I use several in a plastering session - when empty,
>I simply put the used one aside and grab a new one for the next batch
of
>plaster. The next morning, I flex and distort the aluminum and all the
>plaster residue cracks and falls out. I need to reform the pan again
>since it gets distorted when flexing, but I can get at least three uses
>out of each pan before I simply toss it away.
>
box to hold it to keep it upright when filled. When the plaster dries, it
can be flexed to knock the plaster out.
I recommend buying a new ball for this purpose, instead of stealing one
from your local child!
Peter King in NY
William W. Rooke
I have used Hydrocal, but seem to get as good results with patching
plaster. Hydrocal can be hard to find, and if it is, it wil be very
expensive. I personlly think it is overrated.
Bill
-- Model Railroading really
is fun
Shane Lambert
>Shane Lambert wrote:
>> [snip]
>> I cast
>> an entire 6' tunnel liner in 6 hours! I had two molds and molded 18
>> castings.
>
>Why in heaven's name would you need a 6' tunnel liner? What scale do you
>model in, and do you have a train-mounted video camera or something? Not
>criticizing, just curious.
Well, I model in HO scale, and the 6' tunnel is not a scale 6', but
it's an actual 6', so your looking at about 522 scale feet. Kind of a
short tunnel really. Oh yeah, we do have a train mounted video camera,
the old Lionel Railscope.
Mike Dodd
>>> I cast an entire 6' tunnel liner in 6 hours!
>>Why in heaven's name would you need a 6' tunnel liner?
>Well, I model in HO scale, and the 6' tunnel is not a scale 6', but
>it's an actual 6', so your looking at about 522 scale feet.
>Kind of a short tunnel really.
I wonder what he'd say to my 11-1/2' bridge! That scales out to over 1,000
scale feet, which is less than half the actual length of 2,155'.
This is the Virginian bridge over the New River at Glen Lyn.
---Mike