A short video on my experiments with plaster and different materials. No real surprises here, but maybe you will find something useful. If you like this video, please hit "Like" and subscribe to my channel. Thanks, Capt Mike
I've looked all over to see whether I needed to use a mold release on wood molds, and this is the only place I found the answer. Plus a lot more materials, which is great. Thanks!
I'm so grateful for creators like you. I was trying to see if I could mitigate bubbles in plaster molds by doing a skim coat first and then a second pour but was worried that the plaster wouldn't stick to cured parts. Looks like it's a go. Thank you so much for this thorough demonstration.
When I started out training as a fibrous plasterer in the 1950s we always varnished our moulds (molds - us) with a shellac varnish. Before casting, we would lubricate the mould with tallow. Your casting should come out clean, but you may find small air holes that will need filling. For plain face moulding we used similar techniques to pouring except the first coat was always a brush coat of plaster followed by a splash coat and a dusting of powdered plaster. After that came the hemp scrim for strengthening. then lathes for stabilising, another brush coat and a final splash coat. The company I worked for made ceilings for Cinemas, Theatres, Factory canteens etc. Some pretty heavy duty castings. Eventually we made our own vinyl moulds which could be reused.
This is such a helpful video thanks so much! I'm experimenting with some sculptures and this saved me lots of time/materials. I'm really surprised it stuck to steel too, that's super interesting and has given me lots of ideas : )
That answers a lot of questions, thanks for that. But I was wondering about plaster sticking to cardboard or parchment/wax paper? May have to try it myself.
If you are trying to use the plastic pot as a mold make sure you use somekind of a mold release on the plastic and there are no undercuts on the pot that will hamper removal.
ThiIS Wuuz PERFECT! Now it’s on to gathering things of shape and spraying Pam on em. I’ve gotta prepare a canvas art project with P o P tomorrow...I’m thinking it gonna be something abstract. Thanks!
I don't know if this will help anyone but dish soap is a great release. I have gotten plaster out of a plaster mold when first coating the mold in liquid dish soap.
Beth, look at this page. I don't know where you live in Ga, but maybe you can send them a message and they can put you on to someone close to you. www.theengineerguy.com/Products_2/Plaster/
I’m trying to form a shape over a face plastic mask, would plaster work with forming a new shape on the mask and would it harden? I’m a noob too all of this stuff haha 😅 I was also wondering if it would stick to the plastic because it’s a smooth plastic finish im trying to put the plaster over. A lady at a hardware store I talked to said it may not stick and will be difficult to do so.
The plaster will harden, however if you are going to leave the plaster on the mask and there is any flex to the mask the plaster will turn loose or crack. Plaster does not bend.
Are you refering about sticking wet plaster to wire lathe? If you have a frame with a backer in it, say wood. you could pour the plaster directly onto the wood . It might come loose when dry, but you couyld glue it back on. Hope this helps.
@@CaptMike Thank you for the feedback. I do plaster castings and I wanted to pour the wet plaster into the final hanging frame. So do you mean I should attach wire lathe to the inner sides of the frame? Thank you
@@nhw8906 The plaster will need something to attach to, so if I had a frame I would at least have lathe (and backing board if possible) for the plaster to attach to. Let me know how it comes out.
KT, I'm not sure, but do a test by taking a piece of cardstock and rubbing one or both sides with vasolione, place a couple of dollops of plaster on each side and see if it sticks.....inquiring minds want to know!
This was amazingly helpful. It looks as though the wood to which it slid off was MDF is that correct? Need a mould making for a mini set of stairs for my project so I was thinking wood
Hi Capt Mike. I have found grated laundry soap made to a paste with a little water until creamy and applied with a paint brush has been a helpful solution as a releasing agent on many surfaces. Have you tried that yourself?
Great video. I want to make a relief wall sculpture with a back panel of wood, plaster or similar but it has to be fairly light. I then want a raised 3d plaster design on top so would pour the plaster directly onto material and sculpt. I need a work time of approx 20 min. I think a large plaster backboard would be too heavy and wood wouldn't stick. What other types of backboard are readily available on the market and could be cut to size and allow plaster to stick to it once poured? Also, whenever I've had plaster splash onto finished pieces before it was always very easy to pick the plaster off even when dry so I never thought plaster could completely stick to plaster. I used crystacal r plaster. If you could give some advice as I could consider using small plaster backboards for some designs but it depends on size and weight of overall piece.
Plaster will stick to plaster if both are fully hydrated. Fot weight reduction you might try foam board. You might have to cover the board with chicken wire or a similar matrerial and then apply your plaster. After you have made you sculpture, even if it comes loose, you can always glue it back on. Hope this helps.
Many thanks for you last reply. I'm finding plaster on plaster too heavy for some of my relief sculptures. I originally wanted to wall mount a plaster plaque with a plaster embossed relief design. I pour the plaster o to the plaque then have a short window to work before the plaster dries. I just wondered if there was anything else I could use thst was far lighter than a plaster base, whereby. I could pour a small amount of plaster onto it and sculpt, and it would dry hard after a short time so I could then hang it up.
@@daveymichael6891 The foam board as a backer is all I can think of right now. I will try that mysel and see how well the plaster sticks. Sorry I could not offer more help.
On the plaster to un-rehydrated plaster, did you still brush the surface with water beforehand? I guess that would still be considered rehydrating to a certain extent. Basically, was the plaster completely dry?
I'm very interested in how to clean up equipment /tools after using pop. We don't want to put it down the drain so washing up in sink is out of question. How do people clean up? 🤔🤔
Liz, I wash off plaster and clay using a water hose outside. Since I live in the country it is no problem. If you can't use a hose get a 5 gallon bucket of water. Remember that once plaster has dried (cured) it will not wash off. Clay, on the other hand will wash off up until it is fired.
I will add plaster to a boxed canvas to make a hard surface for a foyer table top……..canvas is rough and will let the plaster stick, will paint it some color like a linen white , then gloss it with mod podge…..
Please help!!! I have a polymer clay print of my dog’s paw, who’s since passed. I want to use that as a mold to make a plaster “3D” print of her paw. The question is will plaster stick to polymer clay? Any help is appreciated as this is the only copy I have and don’t want to ruin it. It means so much to me. Thanks very much!
I would make some sort of ttrial piece from polymer clay (maybe 2 or 3) and then coat it with various mold releases. Green soap comes to mind, also vasoline or a commercial mld release. The sample cast eill give you some idea of what the plaster will stick to.
I am repairing little delicate fingers on a china/porcelain statue. Should I use plaster or epoxy putty, or do you have suggestions as to how I can accomplish this? I have four fingers to create hopefully by adding/building them on to the statute if the material I use will stick to the china break.
If the statue will not require additional heat epoxy would be a good bet. You can get it in clear, cream or white (maybe more or tint it) If you could build a mold for the fingers(a little over sized) and cast the fingers in epoxy it would be easier to attach the fingers with more epoxy then using a drimmel or something similar you could sculpt the fingers and paint to match. Hope this is helpful.
Has vegetable oil ever been used in place of water in mixing plaster as a way to add plasticity? Any chemical reason you know of that this would not work?
I wanted to connect two pieces of wood with some colored plaster to make a gift for a friend. So this is helpful to know it won't work the way I originally planned. Does anyone know, if I put a few metal pins in between two pieces of wood, would the plaster stick then?
If you are putting the plaster between the wood it would probably work to some degree,but I am sure the plaster would seperate as the wood dried. There would be shrinkage. The pins would hold it together though.
The first flat piece in the video had spray vegetable oil applied. The second had nothing. If I was going to use Styrofoam as a master to make a plaster mold I would try a test using Vaseline or something similar.
Hi mike, I wanted to cover a Formica table with plaster. Do you recommend anything to prime it? Or can I just apply the plaster on top? It will be a thin coat. Less than 1/4” hopefully.
What do you plan to do with the table? I have one product I use, a concrete sealer (not sodium silicate). I will do a test tomorrow and let you know if it works. Sodium Silicate has pealed up and flaked on me in the past.
@@CaptMike so it is a Formica coffee table. It has an odd shape “horseshoe” or “waterfall”. I am planning to use it indoors as a coffee table. It won’t be exposed to extreme heat or cold.
@@marikadominika3806 Marika, I used the product, Quikrete High Gloss Sealer www.amazon.com/Quikrete-Concrete-Masonry-Gloss-Sealer/dp/B00L3T3D24/ref=sr_1_11?dchild=1&keywords=quikrete+high+gloss+sealer&qid=1615324966&sr=8-11 on two pieces, about $34.00 US. Although the instructions say to use one coat I put three coats on. It seems to shed water, but If you use this product I would test it on a plaster lab first. Maybe a coat of pain on top of the sealer would help. I'll test that too.
No , you cannot pour plaster into a plaster mold. It will stick every time. If you have already poured plaster into a plaster mold you have probably ruined the mold. If someone has a solution, please jump in!
@@CaptMike I know its something typically done to joint compound and its premixed into the green buckets you find in home depot, but ive never seen it added to plaster so idk what the adhesion & material bond is like with plaster compared to gypsum joint compound.
@@ubacow7109 If I was using the plaster to make a mold (for use with slip clay) I would be concerned that the glue would effect the water absorbtion from the clay. What do you think?
If you have a kiln, even one designed for glass (usually fires to around 1700 F) you can bisque clay slip. If you cannot find slip to buy, make some. I think I have a video on how to do that. Anyway, just use regular ceramic clay and add water and blend it. I have even made my on clay slip using local clay processed to remove the impurities (I have a video on that too). If you need more info please let me know.
@@yolowithflo9928 I will run some tests on wood to see how well I can get POP to stick. Goes without saying that the rougher the surface of the wood (complete with holes and such) should hold better.
Spackling is very close to plaster. I would guess it would stick to duct tape. You will need some kind of mold release (vegetable oil) on the duct tape.
To be honest, I have never tried. Cement hardens chemically and plaster molds are normally used to absorb water. You could make a small mold, say a cup or something like that and use lots of vasaline or a comparable release compound and do tests. Let me know how you come out.
