Kathy Forer on wed 29 dec 04
On Dec 28, 2004, at 9:50 PM, Janet Kaiser wrote:
> Anyway, he did
> the water-in-bucket-first method whereby you kept heaping plaster
> in by the scoopful, until a peak pointed above water level. Then
> a slow, steady stir to make sure it was well mixed.
Also, practice! Make coffee cups or half-rubber balls of plaster mix.
See what it feels like, how it sifts, how it mixes, thickens, pours,
applies, sets up.
There are also additives for retarding and hardening. Bone emulsion* or
even Elmer's white glue hardens it. (Has anyone tried "rabbit skin"
glue?) Hot water, fast mixing, salts and some powdered pigments speed
setting. Cold water or added borax slow it. Always allow to "slake," to
sit there at the edge of your patience as the floating island peaks
become fully hydrated.
http://www.sculpt.com/catalog_98/moldingaccessories/
moldmakingtools.htm#flexibole
http://stores.ebay.com/Latex-Molds-and-Concrete-Statues
* << Short description of the limed bone process steps Fresh bones
from healthy slaughtered animals, which have been officially declared
fit for human consumption, are collected at slaughterhouses, meat
processing plants and other places and are transported in special
trucks to the degreasing plant. >> pdf:
http://www.fda.gov/ohrms/dockets/dailys/04/oct04/101304/04n-0081-
c000114-07-Appendix-01-Report-Akaline-Process-263K-Final-vol14.pdf
hmm, that and "bone liquor"... sounds like slaughterhouse gelatin.
However, there are synthetic additives such as "ACRYL 60" which also
harden, perhaps without the smell or beige tinting of the color. "RAM
pressing" as well: http://www.potters.org/subject54898.htm
Kathy Forer
NJ
Janet Kaiser on wed 29 dec 04
It is this sort of 100% practical advice which makes Clay Art
such an awesome resource for potters WORLD WIDE! Thank you very
much for passing this plaster mixing method on Lili!
I was taught by a mad Irish-American 101 sculpture professor up
in SUNY Plattsburgh... Joe something or other... Anyway, he did
the water-in-bucket-first method whereby you kept heaping plaster
in by the scoopful, until a peak pointed above water level. Then
a slow, steady stir to make sure it was well mixed. We used
bowls, not buckets and being a large department, there was never
any worry we would run out of plaster. But for studio use, I
learned (the hard way) it was always best never to think "that is
just enough plaster" to do such-and-such. Always have much more
available than you think you need, is my best advice!! How much
is "much more"? Twice a guesstimate is about right for me, but
YMMV!
I still wonder, who on earth figured out the "plaster
bucket-scale method" (below) in the first place?!? It is not an
idea which would just drop like the proverbial penny...
Sincerely
Janet Kaiser
*** IN REPLY TO THE FOLLOWING MAIL:
>Find two identical plastic buckets. (Not too big; remember you
will have
>to lift them when they are full)
>Get a piece of lath or board ( they say you can use a yardstick,
but the
>ones I find around here..advertizing freebies...are too frail)
>Drill a hole in the middle of the lath or board. Put a string
through it
>and hang it up. It should hang level. If not you will have to
adjust it.
> You may need to redrill the hole, or a thumbtack or nail driven
into the
>"lighter" side may do it.
>Now make a notch 10 inches from center on one side, and 15
inches from
>center on the other. Your plaster bucket hangs from the 10 inch
notch,
>the water bucket from the 15 inch notch. When the filled
buckets hang
>level the right proportion for normal plaster density is
reached.
*** THE MAIL FROM Lili Krakowski ENDS HERE ***
***********************************************************
The Chapel of Art : Capel Celfyddyd
8 Marine Crescent : Criccieth : Wales : UK
Home of The International Potters' Path
Tel: ++44 (01766) 523570 http://www.the-coa.org.uk
************* Virus Protection by AVG *****************
************************************************************
--
No virus found in this outgoing message.
Checked by AVG Anti-Virus.
Version: 7.0.296 / Virus Database: 265.6.5 - Release Date: 26/12/2004
| |
|
