Moreover, when making plaster casting, make sure that you use pure water. Moreover, you cannot use plaster of Paris to make miniature pieces. The first thing that you need to do is to prepare the mix. 10 replies. They use a two-part chemical resin that sets up very well but can actually be softened later with a hair dryer to allow the castings to be bent around curves later. The next step is to pour the mixture. It might be Scenic Express. The Woodland Scenics brand is wider, it's 8 inches x 15 feet, if memory serves me right, and the medical type was 6 inches but still it's a whole lot cheaper. Densite is the name. Check out the video to learn more about the topic. The difference is that hydrostone is considerably harder and lacks the period of plasticity in the setting curve which enables the plaster to be worked directly. Hydrocal is mainly composed of plaster of Paris and a small amount of Portland cement. What I like to do w/ that huge bag of Hydrcal is to rebag in smaller more managable amounts. Let us learn more about this below. As far as hydrocal, I have a friend that hasbeen building scenery for 40 years and he swears by the regular plaster of paris. On the other hand, it is still a plaster that is heavy, dense, and can shatter when dropped. Do not worry much because it will eventually combine into the mixture. Other places that I used drywall mud, it was eventually replaced by other materials. Yes.. that is the weakest part of a mold.. a thin mold approach that I use. I don't really recommend trying to cut a master for your own use but Making molds of existing origionals is easily done w/ the RTV. and the numbers and prices.. $15.. $18 and $25. When working with hydrostone, immediately do surface clean-up on demolding as it will continue to harden for several hours thereafter. If you think you have it right, your standards are too low. It is also a quick setting which is ideal for arts and crafts. Choosing a material for a specific project that you are working on can sometimes be confusing because of their similarity. You might be washing the dishes when all of a sudden brown water comes out of the faucet and makes you wonder what causes it. It is also an extremely wear-resistant material. We hope to inspire you. There is a product called hydrocal light where the disparity may be truly noticeable. Add cup of white glue into the water. The plaster of Paris is used since ancient times and is used in many applications. my photos. It can take up to 23 to 35 minutes or more for a hydrocal to cure and have a thick surface. Moreover, warm water is used to speed up the setting time. To help you get started, we will discuss the differences between both materials below. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account. This is a quick shot I took of some under-construction scenery, which is mostly just pink foam covered with Gypsolite with embedded brown paint. It shows how to cast shydrocal white into a plaster mold with the use of a fiberglass mat. Fast-setting alpha gypsum cement designed for strong, resilient glass-reinforced product fabrication. Alternatives that you can choose from if you do not want to use plaster of Paris includes mixing lime and water, soy powder and water, chalk and water, and acrylic undercoat. You need to use water at temperatures between 70 and 100 Fahrenheit. like a sponge. Another reason why it is ideal to use hydrocal and ultracal is that they do not crack. Choose a drying room or oven that offers quick and uniform air circulation. Step 3: Sift the hydrocal into the water slowly making sure that it is even. They have the lowest setting expansion as compared to any gypsum cement. This gave very nice results, too. Just pick up anything.. and tape it to your mold. Step 6: Allow the hydrocal to dry. Unless you have a portable layout,I don't see where weight would be a problem unless I'm overlooking somethingcomments? Our supplier has the plaster in 99# bags. You can use free water in the mold to have a higher drying temperature. This will prevent air bubbles and will also create a uniform and smooth surface. Regardless of how hard to try to create a strong and hard cast from the plaster of Paris, it is still plaster that is brittle and vulnerable to breakage. We have also shared this article that discusses what hydrocal is made of. Ultracal is stringer and harder as compared to hydrocal. On ballast.. So that makes the P-of-P 66 cents a pound and the H-Lite $4.25 a pound. Check out the article to find out more about the differences between both materials. They Think about the casting.. its clean with no 'Pam' or whatever on it.. keeping you from painting it correctly. Waterproofing plaster of Paris is important especially if you will use it outdoors. What is the difference with Plaste of paris? After thoroughly mixing the ingredients, you can proceed to the drying. Hydrocal White is versatile gypsum cement that is an excellent choice for making solid and hollow castings. Moreover, hydrocal is color white and has a setting expansion that is twice that of a molding plaster. Leaving the shower curtain open or closed has long been a debate for a lot of people. link to Why is My Well Water Brown All of a Sudden? a rock and gravel company maybe? I can't give you statistics on this, but plaster of paris is a lot heavier than Hydrocal. It has a similar formula as hydrostone, duracal, and ultracal. Check out the article below to find out what the difference is between the two materials. Take note that variations in slurry temperature result in variations in setting time, it is vital to keep both hydrocal and water at a stable temperature before use. I can only tell you what I know.. and what I do. You might be washing the dishes when all of a sudden brown water comes out of the faucet and makes you wonder what causes it. Plaster that sloughs off can lead to dusting and chipping. Should You Leave Your Shower Curtain Open or Closed? It costs me about Cdn$19/bag, and I am on my third already doing hardshell. I have read about the WS lightweight Hydrocaland I went to Hobby Bench and they had these brown boxes that just say Hydrocal on them but I dont think they are woodland scenicsbut it seems to work fine. how about ballast? Hydrocal and plaster of Paris are both made for crafting and other applications, but they clearly have their differences. For a lot of info dealing with home vacuum forming, check out I buy somebody else's Hydrocal in a big jar. Upload or insert images from URL. On the other hand, when you use less plaster, it creates more porous as well as brittle molds. I stopped using much plaster cloth after I discovered foam scenery. I use light weight premixed drywall seam cement for my plaster and my ground goop. I wanted its superior strength. Thank you for reading! Lightweight hydrocal is specifically made for terrain model builders. What is hydrocal? Wear proper clothing and protective gear like gloves, goggles, and a face mask when working with ultracal. Step 3: Add Plaster to the Mixture. I'd stick with the Hydrocal if I were you. Always do your own research before making important decisions. Ultracal can be used in a wide array of applications. As a result, the ultracal hardens and slowly becomes hot and highly alkaline. Mix the plaster into the water before adding the glue. Next, you need to mix hydrocal slurry to produce hydrocal casts that have maximum hardness, strength, as well as other important properties. This is the plaster that is used for skim coating blue board. Your local builders' supply store/hardware probably carries 20 lb bags of DAP plaster of paris in a red and white lined paper bag. Posted 11 May 2017 - 09:42 AM. Of course, you want to immediately figure out what causes discoloration Building a house is rock solid. It discusses what ultracal is. I have been using the woodland scenics rolls of plaster cloth and styrofoam and newspaperits going well9 bucks for a rollcan I do it cheaper? NEVER clean plaster tools in the sink, it will ruin the drain. The longer you take to clean your latex mold.. the harder the plaster becomes.. and the harder to clean.. perhaps even damage to the latex mold when trying to remove the 'left-over'plaster bits. Example: I had poured a tunnel portal using the dental plaster. It is half the weight of hydrocal plaster and goes twice as far. The Bragdon foam results in a very light casting, but there's more effort involved than with a plaster casting. How do you prepare hydrocal? Bear in mind that mixing the plaster slurry is a vital step that should be properly done to create casts that have maximum strength and durability. We have shared an in-depth discussion about the topic. We have shared helpful tips and ideas that you can refer to. If I waited until the next day.. For easy and convenient shopping, you can look at online stores for a wide array of products that you can choose from. Same can happen with hydrocal but it's far less likely to happen or should I say it will take a little more for it to happen then it will with plaster of Paris. You can post now and register later. Stop when the powder is almost covering the surface of the water. If you pick the wrong type of bowl.. you'll have problems cleaning it. I am happy with the detail.. and this is the best shot I can show you. It is extremely non-chip, and molds well. Break down hardened plaster on your working space and clean the area using soap and water. Hydrocal is stronger as compared to plaster of Paris. Smack it on the table. You just need to experim,ent as to the water amount. We have also shared tips and ideas for both materials. When it comes to plaster of Paris, the ideal mixing ratio is two parts plaster powder and one part water. You should use some kind of tiles regardless of the type of plaster, ceramic or glass tiles. Shake off the excess water and lay the molds on the table to the floor. Hydrocal white is my preferred casting medium, mostly because I know how it "works." What is hydrocal? Kc Bodycasting shared the video below on YouTube. Ultracal is commonly used for creating molds with industrial patterns only. All that you need to do is to follow the instructions written on the package on how to properly mix and handle both materials. Falling in Art 1lb Plaster of Paris Powder - Plaster Hand Mold Casting Kit Powder, Gypsum Cement, Pottery & Ceramic Plaster Powder for Crafts, Sculpture, Diorama and Home Decor. In my last case, I had to do a full cast of the cello back attached to ribs and table. Micro Mark has a very attractively priced Hydrocal offering (compared with WS). a 10 pound box of this hydrocal was I think 10 bucks..so 1 dollar a pound. Both are plaster but have their differences. Mar 12, 2006. Once they are clean, prepare them for casting by wetting them with a 50/50 mix of laundry detergent. Pour 2 cups of plaster of Paris into the mixture. In this article, we will have an in-depth discussion about hydrocal. Like any other gypsum product, hydrocal will vary slightly from batch to batch as far as the amount of water required for mixing. With a mold and plaster mix, anyone can replicate sculptures from antiquity, the Renaissance, or more modern . Is there a difference between hydrocal and ultracal? Check out the rest of the article below for more tips and ideas. You need to be careful in pouring the slurry to prevent air entrainment and also to have a uniform and smooth surface. 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