casting alginate and other materials

ruimar

Hello

I was wondering does anyone know where I can purchase chromatic alginate at a relatively cheap price in Ireland? I want to use it for lifecasting. Also, does anyone know of any courses on lifecasting in the south east? Any information would be welcomed as I am a complete novice.

Thanks Ruimar

pertinax

You could try some local dental laboratories and ask if theyd sellyou some alginate. Theres a supplier in Dublin Ill find the website later..
I have some experience in life casting myself. Where in the south east are you. I don't know of any classes anywhere but Im in kilkenny. Depends on what your casting? foot, face or parts other?:eek:

ruimar

hi pertinax, thanks for the reply! I am based in Tramore. I would like to learn how to cast everything you mentioned , feet, hands, face. What kind of stuff have you casted? Did you pruchase the alginate from a dentist?

foamcutter

I found GRS from Cork very helpful with coating and casting materials.

pertinax

Hows it going. The way I see it you need alginate for face casting certainly though not unnecessarily for hands and feet. I myself have done face and hand casting. With varying success . If you were going to take a cast of a baby or childs hand say then you'd need to use alginate and be careful of course.
I had bought some alginate from a dental technicians lab. Not a dentist but a maker false teeth and that.

Things to watch out for are that the alginate contracts quickly once it sets so you have to be quick pouring in the plaster. Also the plaster support made over the alginate has to be strong. Strong enough to with stand the presure of he plaster being poured into it.

No wait a minute actually there was a group in Kilkenny that did life casting with a friend of my sisters as model. She German and shes out of the country at the moment so I can easily ask her. I'll try and find out about the group anyway though you'd think these groups were secret societies for the lack of ads. :)I'd don't think they do classes regularly it was just a group lesson. I'll check back here anyway.;)

ruimar

Thanks for the info people, much appreciated I am willing to travel to kilkenny to take some classes. Maybe the German lady would do private classes or something? You're so right, its impossible to find any info on classes.

DentalGuy

You could buy dental alginate oline at http://www.dentaleq.com/DentalMaterialDentalEquipment.php?Page=3 . There are an Irish company based in Monaghan. €9.99 for 1/2 kg.

ruimar

excellent stuff. I knew if I posted here, someone knowledgable would help!

livingsculpture

try rpm supplies in south dublin , 01 456 4277, edward can help you with any enquiries, they have slow set , normal set , you will need it for larger work , dental stuff is great for hands tho as it sets quick , you could get a face done but thats about it , the thicker you make it quicker it goes of , they also have the plaster and resins ,

i bought in bulk from a dental supplier , worked out about 7 euro a bag ,

i am thinking of setting up a class in dublin , just on the basics initialy , and possibly providing kits for small work , as the plaster has to be bought in 25 kilo bags , it can be off putting for a beginner to purchase,
in the process of putting together a business idea for the casting and this would be one side of it

good luck ,

flying _squirl

yea, ive used RPM before, there quite good. got a crap load of silicone, fiberglass and other materials of them a while back

artieanna

I am really interested in this thread as I have purchased Alginate on ebay from the uk worked out pricy enough around €25 for about six 454g bags. I am planning to cast my mothers hands.

I wonder would a large round plastic jug work for casting, its large enough for one hand with some to spare. I think If I line it with clingfilm I might be able to slide out the full cast without having to break the jug up.

Any thoughts?? please share

Check out youtube some really helpful videos on casting hands, feet etc

flying _squirl

well to be honest you wont need the jug. algenate is fairly strongin its self. what ide do is get some plaster (quite cheap in hobbie stores) and mix it up good and thick just after the algenate has set and make a shell about 2-4inches thick.

also you wont have any trouble cleaning up the algenate of surfaces, it comes off realy easly but a word of warning, if you let it dry (takes a day or two in open air) it will shrink conciderably and go rock solid and becomes impossible to remove from cloathing and hair. even soaking it after it has dryed wont soften it.

oh and remember for both agenate and plaster you need to add the powder to the water, not the other way

artieanna

I don't need the jug:eek:
but sur I have to mix up the alginate and let my mam put her hand in until it sets- surely I need a jug to hold it when its liquid?
or am I wrong

flying _squirl

oh, heh, well yea you'd need it to mix it.

ohhhhh, hang on, are you trying to make a cast of her entire hands or just her palms? if you wanted to do her whole hands then yea, your totally right in using the bowl to stick her hands in but make sure their at an angle where by there's less chance of air bubbles being trapped. with this method you wouldn't need the plaster shell. but if you were just doing her palms id say get her to lay her hands out flat on clingfilm on a table with her palms up and then just cover them in the stuff and keep scooping it back onto them until it sets. but with this method it would be better to make a rough shell, not necessary really but it would make sure their flat when you flip em over to pour in whatever your using to make the replicas.

oh and i forgot to say eirlier that its also good to add the powder through a sieve, that way theres no large dry lumps that might ruin it.

livingsculpture

i find using an orange juice carton is good for one hand , just cut the top of and pour it in
, alternatively line the bowl with a bag, oiling the bowl first , a bit like baking , pour in the alginate , and place the hands in , use some hand cream to aid release , and try to brush on the alginate to the hands , it helps stop air bubbles as well , go for the full hand , they look great , best of luck

artieanna

Sorry I hope I haven't hijacked your thread op

Yep I'm doing each full hand. Thanks for the tips on keeping lumps out and the air bubbles. I'll see how I go. Will post back to let ye know how I get on when I get around to doing the casts.

flying _squirl

oh just a few quick tips, if you can, try get your hands on crystacal. its like plaster but stronger and will keep the detail better.
when youve got the plaster in the molds keep tapping the side to try jiggle any air bubbles out.
and don't forget, after using the plaster, thoroughly wash it out from around you nails and cuticles, it can really dry them out fast which can lead to the skin splitting, not very pleasant.

mardybum

This is a really interesting thread! I want to cast my whole arm and hand, or possible someone elses so I have 2 hands free. I tried talking to my art teacher about it, and he did mention RMP, but he was so vague I just went about it my own way (and tbh I always have to do things my own way without help until I fail and realise that actually help is good!)

I want the final piece to be made from silicone or latex or something similar. I did make a mould of my hand with plaster paris and then poured in the latex, which gave a good final effect, but little bits of plaster got stuck in the latex, and it took forever to dry! Like 2 weeks or something.

I'm completely fumbling in the dark on this one, so any tips on how to go about getting a rubber arm and hand would be bleedin deadl

aclusk

Has anyone bought a casting kit for babies hands and feet??

I bought one off Ebay, great kit but they give you bags to pour the Alginate into and put the babies foot into, I tried it twice and was unsuccessful, as the baby was moving around a bit the bag was all over the place.

When I cast the plaster, there was holes all over it and the plaster leaked out. Its hard to keep the baby still at only 6months old!!

Is it better to use a Jug or mixing bowl to cast the feet of a baby does anyone have any experience with this.

Luckily enough I contact the people I bought the set from on ebay and they send me another free bag of Alginate to try again.

They suggested I double the mixture and put the baby in a highchair and get someone to entertain them.