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experimenting with plaster casts

updated sun 30 jul 00

 

Kevin H. Miller on wed 26 jul 00


for those of you presently getting all jazzed up about casting faces, etc.
this may be a little early to be getting real excited (seeing as i have yet
to experiment) but i can't wait to try out this stuff my podiatrist gave
me. it's a roll of "fast setting plaster bandage" -- they use it to make
casts with. he dipped a long strip of this stuff into warm water and
wrapped around my tootsies (i'm having special shoe inserts made) and just
kind of smoothed it and patted it and left me alone for about twenty
minutes. they slipped right off and the white residue rinsed off easily
(unlike regular plaster which can be horrible on your skin). the two casts
look like twin empty peanut shells and feel pretty durable. when i got
excited about it he just laughed and went and got me a roll. of course the
nurse got real huffy and tried to take it away with her when she came to
check how i was setting up.

anyway -- this is how i figure to try this stuff out. cut it into smaller
strips, dip it, and kind of apply it like paper mache. maybe i wont even
have to go the straws up the nose route.

all this is contingent on if my feet stop hurting long enough for me to
stop being so cranky.

all the "below-the-mason-dixonisms" are starting to make me cranky too, i
guess because they make some of us sound kind of stupid. here are two
though, that are pure southern poetry to me -- "let me carry you a plate
over" (translate: we just had a great meal, i'm sending you some
leftovers) and "a gracious plenty" which surely needs no translation.

roberta miller
from the progressively soggy flatlands of eastern nc
(but don't go telling nobody that i got chatauqua co. ny on my birth
certificate)

Brenda Beeley on fri 28 jul 00


>for those of you presently getting all jazzed up about casting faces, etc.
>this may be a little early to be getting real excited (seeing as i have yet
>to experiment) but i can't wait to try out this stuff my podiatrist gave
>me. it's a roll of "fast setting plaster bandage" -- they use it to make
>casts with. he dipped a long strip of this stuff into warm water and
>wrapped around my tootsies

Dear Roberta,

I use this plaster wraps all the time to make models. You can buy them at
medical supply stores - they are sometimes discounted for art teachers
where I live. But you still MUST put vaseline on the face or body part
being cast before applying the strips.
Much nicer for the person being wrapped - it's not like anyone really
enjoys the process anyway.

Have fun,
Brenda
in Suquamish, WA