Mounting Vibrating Laps and Centrifugal Casting Machines
Q: I need to install a vibrating lap in a fixed location, so it won’t walk all over the place. Short of bolting it to the concrete floor, any ideas on how to stabilize the base?
Labeling Rubber Molds
Q: I make a lot of rubber molds, and I’d like to mark them for identification, but there doesn’t seem to be anything I can write on the outside of them with that is permanent. Any ideas?
Cast Concrete Sculpture
Q: How do you go about making concrete sculpture like the kind you can buy for your garden?
Cast Marble
Q: How does one go about making sculpture in “cast marble” or “bonded marble?”
Alternative Casting Materials
Q: I would like to cast something into molds (besides plaster of Paris) that would end up looking like white marble. Should I use polyester resin or what?
Concrete—How to Use It?
Q: I am casting simple forms in concrete, mostly using holes in the ground for molds, and I’m looking for ways to generate different interesting forms and surfaces. Any ideas?
Concrete Textures
Q: I’m interested in experimenting with concrete to get different surface effects than the usual boring cast concrete look. Any suggestions?
Direct Concrete without Casting
Q: How could I make sculpture directly in concrete, without having to go through modeling a form, making a mold, and casting the concrete?
Forton MG Plaster
Q: What is this Forton MG plaster you mentioned, and where do you get it?
Cheapest Mold Material for Clay Models
Q: I’m making models in clay that have lots of undercuts, and would like to take molds of them so I can make permanent sculptures in plaster or polyester resin. What is the cheapest thing I can use that won’t tear up the originals too badly?
Mosaic-surfaced Stepping Stones
Q: I want to make some concrete stepping stones with a mosaic surface. What kind of mold, concrete/aggregate mix, and setting technique should I use?
Making Sculpture in Papier Mache
Q: How do you make the paste for papier mache? Is it just flour and water? What can you build it on besides balloons?
Smooth Surfaces in Plastiline Clay
Q: I want to make a small sculpture in plastiline (oil-based) clay. I want to create extremely smooth flowing curves, with no tooling marks. What is the best way to achieve this result?
Air Bubbles in Plaster
Q: When I cast plaster into a rubber mold, how can I prevent bubbles from sticking to the mould and making holes in the casting?
Making Clay Pipes
Q: I want to make some clay pipes for smoking. What clays are best for resisting heat? How do you get that long tunnel to go down the stem? And how do you sculpt on them without mashing them up?
Life-casting
Q: Where can I find information on life-casting? What are the best materials to use? What about plaster bandages, do they work?
Plaster Modeling
Q: Can I model directly in plaster of Paris, or do I have to make a mold?
Molding My Own Face
Q: I want to make a mold of my face, but I don’t know how. Do you use plaster?