I was wondering about this idea after helping my son-in-law hang sheetrock and mudding the seams. Do not worry much because it will eventually combine into the mixture. Bugs love plaster of paris. While some of their components are not the same, both are made for the same purposes like casting and molding. 2. What are the main features of hydrocal? On the other hand, hydrocal is a casting plaster that does an excellent job when it comes to holding detail. Why?> When you're done.. and the plaster is dried to your bowl.. just add water.. look closely at the bow.. you'll see a thin film of plaster.. that just slides up and off the rim of the bow. what is the difference between hydrocal and plaster of Paris. Choosing a material for a specific project that you are working on can sometimes be confusing because of their similarity. On the other hand, you should add drops of lemon juice if you want to slow the drying time. You first need to tap the side of the container to disperse the powder and also to remove air bubbles. Avoid pouring all the powder into the water. 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. The process of heating the powder is called calcining. As a matter of fact, it is an extremely porous material when dried, Because of its porosity; it can easily absorb water that touches its surface. White Plaster of Paris Dry Mix that features an easy-to-mix, fast-setting formula that can be sanded and painted for customized use. I tried use of colors mixed in the Hydrocal, and found that enough color to make any appreciable difference weakened the mixture after set-up, and any lesser amount resulted in pastel, not colored, rocks. It is water-soluble so it is easier to clean. Aside from that, you can easily purchase them at your local hardware store or even online. To avoid splashing the mixture, use the stirring stick as a guide when pouring the hydrocal into the molds. If you are wondering how hydrocal is used to create casts, you can check out the video below for the process. They are generally used for sculpture, patterns, commercial casts, and figurines. Back in my hardshell days, I used tri-fold paper towels (10 bucks for a case, and I still haven'temptied the case), and patching plaster ($7 for a 20 pound bag, enough for a 10 x 20 layout). 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. I would still use real ballast. Dilute the detergent by spraying the mold with straight tap water. Once you have measured the ingredients, you need to soak them. Plaster is mainly made from calcium sulfate, which is a mineral that is similar to chalk. If you find you like rock face and stone wall castings, you might also look at Bragdon Enterprises. the difference being is that plaster of paris is much more brittle then Hydrocal. I wanted its superior strength. What is the difference between Hydrocal and Ultracal? I had to chisel some off the sides to remove the cast. It's natural tendency is to suck up stains or washes etc. What is plaster of Paris? Hydrocal is my preference for molded outcrops, since it is tough. After I was done.. Hydrocal is made for making solid and hollow castings. You can mechanically mix hydrocal by batch and continuous processes. I usePofP now only for rock castings. Choose an ingredient that you are most comfortable working with. I'm also a hydrocal fan for plaster casting. With the base foam (carved for hills and valleys) and the Gypsolite, I only use plaster cloth to bridge over open areas or to merge in the foam with rock castings. Generally, the crystals form a structure in the plaster that provides it strength. How Long Does it Take for Hydrocal to Cure? Leaving the shower curtain open or closed has long been a debate for a lot of people. When hardened, it will permit removal of molds with "undercuts" whereas plaster of paris will break off detail. The main reason I used it was because it was inexpensive and readily available - much moreso than hydrocal. The next step that you need to do is to measure the ingredients. Pick a smooth bowl. End result is less air bubbles. Aside from that, hydrocal also takes more detail and does not slough off. Nasher Sculpture Center shared the video below on YouTube. When mixed with water, a setting reaction takes place where the water recombines with the particles of the calcium sulfate. While we strive to provide quality information, we cannot guarantee its accuracy. The difference between hydrocal and ultracal is that ultracal is harder and denser. Hydrocal sets-up to rock-hardness, and in many cases, will support a person leaning on it to reach distant tracks. The difference between hydrocal and plaster of Paris is that hydrocal is stronger. Is Hydrocal Better than Plaster of Paris? Decorating is poetry. Hydrocal does not slough off which makes it easier to work with and more durable. Hydrocal FGR-95. 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? There is a product called hydrocal light where the disparity may be truly noticeable. They produce less heat as compared to other products. Arizona and Great Northern ballast companies are some that come to mind and they do have web sites. 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. Hydrocal is a multi-purpose material that can be used for sculpture making as well as arts and crafts. Side note: I can even break this casting a bit.. remove certain areas.. it breaks nicely.. and the plaster cloth on the backholds everything together..so I can go back.. add plaster to the areas.. to seal them up.. and I guess its a mild re-glueing with plaster. Cuts easily, pulls away from the castwell, and you can get a very nice, tight, outline of the instrument every time. Description. Generally, the maximum temperature at Ultracal molds can be heated safely is 120 Fahrenheit. I agree with A. Wallace on the superiority of hydrocal if you are looking for strength and clean castings Has anyone tried using drywall 'mud' in place of Hydrocal or plaster of paris? With the many plaster materials that are available on the market, it is vital that you know what you are working with. Sounds to me like you are buying the WS pre-packaged Hydrocal. We hope to inspire you. 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. | Guide for Beginners. It is enough that Jesus died and that he died for me. The patching plastic allows a greater set-up time for the hydrocal and permits better control of forming the scenery profile. Something I learned real quick about painting plaster of paris. This material is specifically designed for thin sections. They It might add up over many castings applied to a significant layout, but I'd bet it doesn't add up to more than maybe five or six pounds once it is dry and in place on most layouts. The first step is measuring. While we strive to provide quality information, we cannot guarantee its accuracy. You can use free water in the mold to have a higher drying temperature. Shake the bubbles out and level of the castings. Avoid using water that is treated. It would do so after priming. discusses what happens if plaster of Paris gets wet, discusses if plaster of Paris is flammable, how long does it take for hydrocal to cure, discusses how to make plaster of Paris stronger, discusses what the difference is between hydrocal and ultracal. They just re-package the same materials you can buy elseware in bulk. Hydrocal and ultracal are gypsum cement and both have different properties. Lightweight hydrocal is a tough, quick-setting product. You can check out to find out the difference between both materials. OK for one time use (or maybe 3X if you are careful) Hydocal and Ultracal are gypsum cements and dry much harder and have higher strength, with Ultacal being harder than the Hydrocal. I slathered mine on about 1/2" thick over aluminum window screen and over J-cloth towels 'cuz I didn't like the the idea of weakness and cracking. As compared to plaster of Paris, hydrocal takes a lot more details and they do not slough off so you do not have to deal with lots of dust and chips. This allows for much better detail carving. link to Why is My Well Water Brown All of a Sudden? Hydrocal and ultracal have high performance. As compared to plastic, plaster can easily break especially if it is dropped. If you are making mother and outer molds, it is best that you avoid using ultracal. Do not pour any leftover plaster of Paris down the drain. I sprayed the molds with wet water before pouring in the plaster. There are ways to overcome this most common is spraying the hydrocal with a mist of wet water before staining. Plaster molds can also be used to cast wax, if the mold is well-soaked beforehand. How do you prepare hydrocal? On the other hand, you can waterproof the plaster of Paris. Those using plaster, could you please tell me the ratio you are using. If you pick the wrong type of bowl.. you'll have problems cleaning it. I used latex rubber bands to hold the mold around the flashlight. We have shared tips and ideas that you can refer to. You need to use water at temperatures between 70 and 100 Fahrenheit. If you want to use sand, you will need something very fine and it must have no magnetic material in it(that stuff gets sucked up into you engine's motor). As compared to plaster of Paris, hydrocal takes a lot more details and they do not slough off so you do not have to deal with lots of dust and chips. Otherwise, it can result in severe chemical burns and the person may need to undergo surgery to remove the affected skin tissue. It has a similar formula as hydrostone, duracal, and ultracal. But, Jeffrey, would that not make the plaster essentially impossible to paint? Same here, and my basement is a haven for all types of arthropodsa good thing since it keeps the distaff upstairs most often. a rock and gravel company maybe? Let the plaster cure overnight. On the other hand, if you do not want the plaster to be a little wet so that you can easily clean it up after demolding, you can take it out as soon as it does not dent or get squished when you scrape it with a toothpick or a metal pin. Left it sitting on the edge of my work table. Thanks, Rich While searching for a substitute for plaster of Paris, you might have come across hydrocal. Let us learn more about this below. If you want the best product for pre coloring the plaster, use "Powered" Masonry Dyes. Ballast - Most of the Woodland Scenics ballast appears to be crushed walnut shells(or something close). So many choices but so little time. Hydrocal is stronger as compared to plaster of Paris. 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 easy to mix plaster of Paris, but there are vital steps that you need to consider so that you can have a solid and durable sculpture. These are some of the questions that we will talk about in this article. You can also check out this article thatdiscusses if plaster of Paris is flammable. 1 Moulding Plaster) is also easily shaped and formed but is quite weak in comparison to Pottery #1 and there-fore not a good choice for any working situation . Ultracal can be used in a wide array of applications. Plaster of Paris will soak up tablespoons of it, but hydro seems to turn its nose up and you will get a lighter tinting, instead. We have found out that hydrocal is stronger than plaster of Paris and can also take a lot of detail. Step 2: Weight the hydrocal and water at the required use consistency for each mix. bulk sand? The castings can set in about 15 to 20 minutes. Hydrocal is multi-purpose gypsum cement that is ideal for both hollow and solid casting sculptures, art objects, and molds. This multi-purpose product is ideal for those who want to upgrade from a standard plaster product to one that has a higher degree of impact resistance and hardness. Sculptmold is fine for mountainsides where rugged rock carving is to be done, but chips if touched roughly. What Can I Use Instead of Plaster of Paris? Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible. If this is the case, you should wait for at least two to three hours or longer depending on the temperature. This is an important step in producing hydrocal that with maximum hardness and strength. Let it soak for one to two minutes. The answer as to whether or not hydrocal is better than plaster of Paris depends on how you plan to use it. Is Hydrocal stronger than plaster of Paris? The plaster of Paris is used since ancient times and is used in many applications. Use a mixing container that can fit the amount of mixture that you will make. What is hydrocal? On the other hand, it is still a plaster that is heavy, dense, and can shatter when dropped. Plaster of Paris (Hilton?) #1 MOULDING PLASTER - Often referred to as "plaster of paris" or soft plaster. M. Many of the castings on our layout are his. What I like to do w/ that huge bag of Hydrcal is to rebag in smaller more managable amounts. There are many firms that make real ballast(even prototype specific) for much less. It is the perfect choice for making a solid and hollow casting of figurines, general sculptures, and commercial casts. Hydrocal vs. Plaster of Paris 50312 views. They have the lowest setting expansion as compared to any gypsum cement. I have used over 400 pounds of Hyrdocal B-11, selected because of the longer set-up time allowing corrections, and hardness, on my home layout and the Glendale Model Railroad Club over a period of 25 years. Smooth out any bubbles that you can find using a skim coat of a watery mixture once it has completely dried. Decorating is poetry. It has a similar formula as hydrostone, duracal, and ultracal. Always do your own research before making important decisions. I find Plaster of Paris too soft, and subject to scratches and breakage. I even took pics to see how much detail there was.. and how easy it was to pull Dental plaster out of the mold. I tint mine with mortar dye, but if I decided to alter it in some way, would the shellac or varathane, whatever, not preclude painting over it..or will acrylics "take"? Posted by willy6 on Tuesday, April 20, 2010 11:43 PM I have tried both. Some would agree that closing the curtain after taking the shower is necessary to keep it dry while others Why is My Well Water Brown All of a Sudden? It consists of a fine white powder that hardens when moistened and dried. We hope that you have learned more about ultracal and hydrocal after reading this article that we have shared. Stir the plaster of Paris and water mixture slowly until it forms an even and smooth consistency. Hydrocal is stronger than plaster but is as easy to use. It takes an iron man to play with a toy iron horse. I know a lot of people have used plaster of Paris to make the rocks, but I don't know what plaster to water ratio to use. Use acrylic washes to color castings, repeating until satisfied. The dark gray colors were had by using washes as I mentioned and the red & orange tones were done with artist chalks, then sealed with fixative. But in answer to your question.. Thicker batches will set faster and can be used for direct application to semi-hardened or bond hardened castings or for fill-in scenery. You can post now and register later. We have also shared tips and ideas for using hydrocal and plaster of Paris for your art or craft projects. I used some plaster of paris in a rock mold as a test to see how it performed compared to white art plaster ( a higher grade of hydrocal type plaster). You seldom need plaster of Paris to patch drywall. Otherwise, it will chip very easily. The difference between hydrocal and plaster of Paris is that hydrocal is stronger. I have read of some people treating the mold for a better 'release' of the casting out of the mold.. but I really frown on it. I have poured large faces of rocks.. using less and less dental plaster. Hydrocal White. I use shellac for this purpose. You can use various object to obtain many different rock faces.. to obtain.. a curve.. a gradual incline or what ever. We hope to inspire you. Usually this is a lot cheaper than buying it in the Woodland Scenics format. Light and strong. They are a popular choice because they are easy to use and are also flexible. Plaster of Paris is 'softer', and can be carved. CustomTerrain shared the video below on YouTube. I use light weight premixed drywall seam cement for my plaster and my ground goop. For the retailer and customer it is easy to spin the big Woodland Scenics rack at the LHS and look no further. Ideal for hollow and solid casting applications to create figurines, moldings and plaques I find Hydrocal is better for making rock castings. It takes an iron man to play with a toy iron horse. Copyright 1996 - 2022 Maestronet But it is awfully good for rock castings. Hydrostone and hydrocal are both gypsum products. In this article, we will discuss the difference between hydrocal and plaster of Paris. This website is strictly for entertainment purposes. The powdered dye is added to the dry plaster to approximate end color of choice. Ultracal is gypsum cement that has low absorption and is usually used for case molds. manage your account online and more! Ah to make this very short. What is the difference between hydrocal and plaster of Paris? 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