Very fresh and brief and to the point, Jim. No messin' around, or long, dull silences while your audience watches you do mundane things. You get it done! I learned some things. Thank you!
Thank you Jim. Great video. I have a few coffee shops and looking at making my own cups and saucers for the shop. I've bee looking for plaster mold recipe and your one is the best I've see so far. Thank you.
Thank god - have spent whole morning working out plaster to water ratios using a (helpful) mix of imperial and metric charts, having always used your more feel-y method. I mean, I don't want to be a gold medal plaster caster, I just need a couple of moulds. You have rescued my confidence levels, thank you!
Glad I could help! I do think that measuring plaster is better but it has diminishing returns the more precise you try to be in my opinion. I don’t need to be a plaster master. Maybe just a bronze medalist ;)
This worked out awesome! I have always used or tried to use "precise measurements", and it has taken so much time that I rarely want to do. Not now! Thanks for the tips and tricks and easy to follow steps.
About a year ago I actually did a precise measurement and the island method side by side just to see and I kid you not it was within one handful give or take.
I re-did my classroom wedging table and a couple of portable ones for my AP students a while ago and spent so much time with measurements, I wished I would have seen your method. Came out just the same a way easier! instagram.com/p/BVdhMA_nxHB/?igshid=1f42rq2j6643r
It's nice to have an instruction video that doesn't digress. You get straight to the point. I often lose interest if instruction videos become too convoluted.
Informative video I was searching for plaster videos for making vase your video help me a lot I will try to make vases to make a perfect vase video on my channel thanks a ton
Jim this was the easiest plaster mixing and pouring and even trimming video ever, thank you! Question, I made various molds in different thickness from 1” up to 5” thick. How long will this take to dry? Thank you!
bialtawfiq walnajah aldaayim fi alhayaat kuliha Good day, hello, great work, good content. I wish you good luck and lasting success in all of life ❤️❤️❤️👍👍👍
Thanks man!! I followed your clay extruder video and found it very enjoyable. I was so excited to see that you made a video on making a drying plaster, since that's my next project. I've been so worried that I would mess it up, but with Jim at my side, how can I go wrong??
Good work Jim. How about making a better shaped mould out of wood, and produce a slab thats large enough, such as 900 x 600? , A recessed dish shaped side is great for just pouring in really liquid recycled clay.
There are all kinds of guides online that have worked for me. Honestly I use the island method in this video most often though. I've compared that to weighing it out and it's near identical. If I make a set of molds I measure/weigh but I can't recall off hand what worked best the last time.
Thanks. To be clear though, there are people out there who are much more exact with their plaster mixing. Molds for drying out clay are different than molds for slip casting and you can complicate things as much as you want. For people for working 50/60 hours in a studio each week those small changes for exactness do make a difference and do matter. but for a beginner or even a casual multi maker the island method works really well.
Hi! Thank you for all your videos! I have a beautiful pumpkin that I’d love to reproduce. Could you tell me if I should apply Vaseline on it and if it is possible to make an entire mold in one container or if I have to do one side first and then the other separate? Thank you!
Vaseline or even dish soap will help release. And you’ll need a two part mold. Obviously a little trickier than a drop mold. Depending on how deep the grooves are you might want to make it 3 parts.
Is the reason that people use plaster for molds (as opposed to clay bisque molds) because it is cheaper and less work? Or is it because it is more absorbant?
Could this plaster be used to create a mother mold for a latex statue mold? I use the latex molds for concrete statues/figures and they usually have a fiberglass mother mold to help keep the proper shape when the latex mold is filled with wet concrete until it hardens. Without the mother mold, some of the larger pieces wind up misshapen, as in my mermaid has a hunchback. Nothing against hunchbacks, but I can not sell it like that.
If it was thick enough I suppose it could serve as a mother mold depending on how large of a cast you’re making. But plaster can chip and there’s dust which I feel like could easily get into your casting material
Hey Jim. Quick question. I made one plaster mould roughly 2 inches thick and it set to dry very quickly in one day. No problems. I bought another BIG bag and this time it''s taking days to dry It's a mushy mess. Don't know what I'm doing different. Is this plaster old? It was all clumpy and I did have to break it down? My studio isn't too humid either. I'd love your input on this. All the best.
Clumpy plaster is a sign of old or older plaster. Those clumps are small parts that have already activities from moisture over time. In my experience I’ve always had old plaster dry to quickly. But if it had a lot of clumps it’s possible so much of it was already activated that it won’t set. Assuming you used the same water method/measuring it must be the old plaster.
why would you need to put the plaster in a kiln/oven? but your tips are useful I often worry about the consistency of the plaster when I pour it, its not always an exact science when to pour it.
I don’t think it would hold up in the kiln. Usually those glass slump molds are made out of ceramic and then coated with some kind of white “non stick” material. I have limited experience with slumping though.
A couple of ways. We usually have a lot of paper towels in the trash from class. If there’s not a ton of water I’ll pour it in there and towels absorb it. If the water isn’t too “plastery” I’ll pour it in the sink but we have bins that catch solids so when we clean them the plaster gets cleaned out too. The trick is not to have too much extra water so you avoid that problem in the first place.
Well when you use plaster for ceramics and pottery it’s strong enough. You also wouldn’t want that stuff on the surface of plaster because it wouldn’t be smooth. If you’re talking about plaster for walls it’s different
Even with a fan I usually give a plaster mold a week to dry. A few days seems to quick. If it’s more than 3 inches thick anywhere it may take longer. I don’t have any experience painting on plaster but when it doubt let it dry for longer.
@@CeramicJim Thank you so much for your videos Jim :) I live in the Dominican Republic, located in the Caribbean. Do you think since there is ALOT of sunlight here, that it helps to just put them out beneath the noon sun? Many thanks.
You can use normal plaster but it’s not as durable. It will chip more or in the case of molds, especially pretty molds, it’s more likely to crack/break. I honestly thought it didn’t matter so I made a mold with normal plaster and broke it on the first try.
I have used plaster molds for one time uses for making glass sculptures but they crumble after. I’m not sure how high you can bake before it deteriorates.
Fully? For what I made in the video, a few days in dry weather with a fan. If it’s in a humid basement, in our current Midwest humidity it could take a week or more.
I’m not familiar with that kind of crab. Complex 3-D creatures are hard because it usually required 2 or more parts. The more parts the more complex. I haven’t made a video for multiparty molds but I think that’s what you should search for. 2 part molds
Hey Jim thanks for taking the ridiculousness out of mixing plaster I watch each other channels and they're using all these formulas and it just is nauseating. For one thing plaster x exactly like flower if it's a humid day or if you live in a humid area you can throw any kind of recipes read out the window because they're not going to work. I mix it using a message that's even perhaps simpler than yours I simply whisk it if it's a small amount until it's like pancake batter a little thinner pancake batterand that's it I'm done I can literally mix up a gallon of the stuff then 3 minutes. I really hate when people over complicate things and hang charts all over the place complicating their lives. If I had to use measurements and formulas for everything I did it would no longer be a hobby it would be homework. I worked after school when I was a kid in a small shop it was called little Tim's plaster Arts in a suburb of Detroit. it doesn't take long to glance over the molds that you have to fill an estimate how much plaster you have to mix up. And let's face it it's dirt-cheap if you mix too much you can literally throw it in the garbage and not really worried about it
You’re welcome! I recently tried weighing out plaster for the first time and when I was done it was exactly when I would stop for the island method 🤣. Don’t overthink your plaster.
2:48 That "sponge" isn't a sponge, it's "Scotchbrite". It is VERY abrasive. There are different grades of Scotchbrite, ranging from very soft to very aggressive.
Well the brand name is “Scotchbrite”. What is its title if not a sponge? You need that aggressive “grit” in order to make any progress smoothing your mold.
How do you know what final volume you are going to end up with if you just put water randomly in a bucket? Will a "1/4" bucket of final plaster fill your mold? Is it too much and you just waste the rest? Your "island method" is just as arbitrary... and pardon me - ridiculous. It only works for you because you have a feel for it. Doing this blindly is just a recipe for wasting plaster.
This was an awful tutorial. He didn't even measure anything. I tried it the way he showed and the plaster set up before I could even pour it. For reference, it's supposed to be 10:7 plaster to water. USE A SCALE if you want to do this properly.
These are terrible suggestions and will result in bad plaster molds AND bad for your health. Don't get plaster on your hands and don't get Vaseline in your plaster. For slipcasting, your plaster must be more precise and consistent than the results you will get with either the island or dry lake method. Precisely measure your water and plaster in a 7 to 10 ratio, sprinkling the plaster into the water evenly instead of just in the middle. Stop thinking you're smarter than the tens of thousands of plaster users who came before you.
Thank you! I am getting back into plaster mold making after 20 years and this video reminded me how to do it properly :)
Aww thanks! I was taught well. Thank you again!
Very fresh and brief and to the point, Jim. No messin' around, or long, dull silences while your audience watches you do mundane things. You get it done! I learned some things. Thank you!
Thank you Jim. Great video. I have a few coffee shops and looking at making my own cups and saucers for the shop. I've bee looking for plaster mold recipe and your one is the best I've see so far. Thank you.
Happy to help! I try to keep it simple.
Thanks Jim, terrific set of videos you’ve made! Super helpful 😊
Thanks Cynthia!
Thank-you!! I finally got mixing plaster right! That drain the extra water off top did the trick! Yay!!
I'm sorry I missed this comment. Thanks for sharing your success. I'm glad my video helped!
Hey Jim! I`m watching from Brazil and I`m a begginer on molds... Thank you!
You’re welcome. Plaster molds are so much fun to work with. Enjoy!
Thank god - have spent whole morning working out plaster to water ratios using a (helpful) mix of imperial and metric charts, having always used your more feel-y method. I mean, I don't want to be a gold medal plaster caster, I just need a couple of moulds. You have rescued my confidence levels, thank you!
Glad I could help! I do think that measuring plaster is better but it has diminishing returns the more precise you try to be in my opinion. I don’t need to be a plaster master. Maybe just a bronze medalist ;)
wow, this is amazing! Thank you for making this video, it opened my eyes, so much useful information here! Really helpful :)
Happy to help. It’s not the precise way. But it’s darn close and MUCH easier.
This worked out awesome! I have always used or tried to use "precise measurements", and it has taken so much time that I rarely want to do. Not now! Thanks for the tips and tricks and easy to follow steps.
About a year ago I actually did a precise measurement and the island method side by side just to see and I kid you not it was within one handful give or take.
I re-did my classroom wedging table and a couple of portable ones for my AP students a while ago and spent so much time with measurements, I wished I would have seen your method. Came out just the same a way easier! instagram.com/p/BVdhMA_nxHB/?igshid=1f42rq2j6643r
Hi Jim ... Thank you how wonderful you are
Great instructions. Thank You. 3 Thumbs Up
Thanks a bunch! Happy plastering!
great video!
Awesome stuff!
Thanks!
It's nice to have an instruction video that doesn't digress.
You get straight to the point.
I often lose interest if instruction videos become too convoluted.
Thank you! This really helped
I'm so glad, Tanja!
Informative video I was searching for plaster videos for making vase your video help me a lot I will try to make vases to make a perfect vase video on my channel thanks a ton
happy to help!
Very informative.
Thank you!
Tried it, loved it! Instead of hot oil I used water and agar-agar powder, boiled the veggies for 2 minutes. Kneading the dough was so much fun!
Jim this was the easiest plaster mixing and pouring and even trimming video ever, thank you! Question, I made various molds in different thickness from 1” up to 5” thick. How long will this take to dry? Thank you!
bialtawfiq walnajah aldaayim fi alhayaat kuliha
Good day, hello, great work, good content. I wish you good luck and lasting success in all of life
❤️❤️❤️👍👍👍
Thanks man!! I followed your clay extruder video and found it very enjoyable. I was so excited to see that you made a video on making a drying plaster, since that's my next project. I've been so worried that I would mess it up, but with Jim at my side, how can I go wrong??
Clearly you have your priorities straight 👍
Thanks so much!!
Happy to help!
Good work Jim. How about making a better shaped mould out of wood, and produce a slab
thats large enough, such as 900 x 600? , A recessed dish shaped side is great for just pouring in really liquid recycled clay.
Never thought of that, honestly. I think I’ll give a try for the next one. Thx Rod!
Thank you for these tips, btw what is your water to plaster ratio? Thank you
There are all kinds of guides online that have worked for me. Honestly I use the island method in this video most often though. I've compared that to weighing it out and it's near identical. If I make a set of molds I measure/weigh but I can't recall off hand what worked best the last time.
Oh gooossshhhh so helpful thank u
I want to use my backing pan as a form for my plaster. If I’m using plastic to cover the backing pan, my backing pan will still be okay?
Honestly this is an old video. Just use dish soap and a brush and coat your pan. Make sure there aren’t any undercuts or it won’t release.
Ahh thank u! When i use soap. Is the mold Stil available to absorb the water from the clay?
Yes. I use Murphy’s oil soap for my releases and the mold still works great.
Thank you.
Happy to help!
Thanks with this video i was able to perfect my plaster. ..tho is plaster can be waterproof?
Plaster absorbs water. That’s kind of what it’s supposed to do. I suppose you could seal it.
Thank you for this! Everything I find is from a British person with different plaster and different rules and it was so confusing!
Thanks. To be clear though, there are people out there who are much more exact with their plaster mixing. Molds for drying out clay are different than molds for slip casting and you can complicate things as much as you want. For people for working 50/60 hours in a studio each week those small changes for exactness do make a difference and do matter. but for a beginner or even a casual multi maker the island method works really well.
Can make wall art with this mixture?
Hi! Thank you for all your videos! I have a beautiful pumpkin that I’d love to reproduce. Could you tell me if I should apply Vaseline on it and if it is possible to make an entire mold in one container or if I have to do one side first and then the other separate? Thank you!
Vaseline or even dish soap will help release. And you’ll need a two part mold. Obviously a little trickier than a drop mold. Depending on how deep the grooves are you might want to make it 3 parts.
Thank you. I’ll try with a two part mold.
Is the reason that people use plaster for molds (as opposed to clay bisque molds) because it is cheaper and less work? Or is it because it is more absorbant?
Could this plaster be used to create a mother mold for a latex statue mold? I use the latex molds for concrete statues/figures and they usually have a fiberglass mother mold to help keep the proper shape when the latex mold is filled with wet concrete until it hardens. Without the mother mold, some of the larger pieces wind up misshapen, as in my mermaid has a hunchback. Nothing against hunchbacks, but I can not sell it like that.
If it was thick enough I suppose it could serve as a mother mold depending on how large of a cast you’re making. But plaster can chip and there’s dust which I feel like could easily get into your casting material
Hey Jim. Quick question. I made one plaster mould roughly 2 inches thick and it set to dry very quickly in one day. No problems. I bought another BIG bag and this time it''s taking days to dry It's a mushy mess. Don't know what I'm doing different. Is this plaster old? It was all clumpy and I did have to break it down? My studio isn't too humid either. I'd love your input on this. All the best.
Clumpy plaster is a sign of old or older plaster. Those clumps are small parts that have already activities from moisture over time. In my experience I’ve always had old plaster dry to quickly. But if it had a lot of clumps it’s possible so much of it was already activated that it won’t set. Assuming you used the same water method/measuring it must be the old plaster.
omg I figured it out. They sold me plaster from 2011..... well..... mystery solved
im in mexico can i use construction plaster they call it yeso
why would you need to put the plaster in a kiln/oven?
but your tips are useful I often worry about the consistency of the plaster when I pour it, its not always an exact science when to pour it.
Hi. Is this a suitable mold to use for glass dumping or forming?
I don’t think it would hold up in the kiln. Usually those glass slump molds are made out of ceramic and then coated with some kind of white “non stick” material. I have limited experience with slumping though.
Using a rasp to clean up your edges will make a cleaner mould.🙂
Thanks Pam!
pour on glass for a perfect smooth finish
Noted ;) Thanks!
Thank you 🙏 the "top layer of water" That you adding at mix..what is it?? It's just a top for plaster and you just put it in? Where did they find it?
? I’m sorry I’m not sure what you mean.
@@CeramicJim at 0.57' you add a liquid that is white.. What it is?
@@CeramicJim sorry, now I understand 😌 is the water that it is more and you get it off
Right. I’m pouring off the extra water
Jim, your face vignette looks like your alter ego Mister Hyde.
It commands respect... and a little fear.
Ha. I’m not going to lie, I really like that photo I took for my icon. Same as the insta. Colorful and serious.
@@CeramicJim I like it too. The color switch from left to right is primo. I did not mean to suggest it was not acceptable.
@@rr7firefly oh I know. We’re on the same page 👍😁
How/ where do you dispose of the excess water?
A couple of ways. We usually have a lot of paper towels in the trash from class. If there’s not a ton of water I’ll pour it in there and towels absorb it. If the water isn’t too “plastery” I’ll pour it in the sink but we have bins that catch solids so when we clean them the plaster gets cleaned out too. The trick is not to have too much extra water so you avoid that problem in the first place.
Imma try mold out my Rc car bodies 🤔
That would be a very cool mold
hi jim nice work .you tell us what to do , why don,t you tell what we should not do ?
Hmmm. I guess just do what I do 🤷♂️ 😆 Just make sure you use new plaster and cold clean water. Can really mess it up from there easily.
So your not adding fiber mesh or glass fibers into the mix to give it strength?
Well when you use plaster for ceramics and pottery it’s strong enough. You also wouldn’t want that stuff on the surface of plaster because it wouldn’t be smooth. If you’re talking about plaster for walls it’s different
Can you use this mold to cast steel?
Maybe. I think you need special sand/clay mix combo for steel. Maybe aluminum would work in plaster. Not sure. Go for it!
What kind of plaster do you use?
I always use USG #1 Pottery plaster when possible
sometimes my plaster still feels wet even after a couple of days and the paint doesn't adhere. is there something i'm doing wrong? thank you
Even with a fan I usually give a plaster mold a week to dry. A few days seems to quick. If it’s more than 3 inches thick anywhere it may take longer. I don’t have any experience painting on plaster but when it doubt let it dry for longer.
@@CeramicJim Thank you so much for your videos Jim :) I live in the Dominican Republic, located in the Caribbean. Do you think since there is ALOT of sunlight here, that it helps to just put them out beneath the noon sun? Many thanks.
Thanks Gus! Oh heck yeah. Use that sun. Make sure you prop it up a bit to air can get underneath.
For old or ANY plaster mix, add 1 cup liquid dish soap per 25 lb bag of plaster to make it WAY EASIER to smooth on walls and in a thin application.
Add 1 pound of what?
Are plaster and cement same?and if not can we use cement instead?
They are not the same
Does it have to be a certain kind of plaster?
USG #1 pottery plaster always. Much stronger than normal plaster.
You can use normal plaster but it’s not as durable. It will chip more or in the case of molds, especially pretty molds, it’s more likely to crack/break. I honestly thought it didn’t matter so I made a mold with normal plaster and broke it on the first try.
Hi can you bake a mold after its dry?
What would you be baking in it?
I have used plaster molds for one time uses for making glass sculptures but they crumble after. I’m not sure how high you can bake before it deteriorates.
Do you wear a mask when scraping the plaster?
Can I use lime?
Can you be more specific?
Yeah you can use lime for sure
hi whats good relase agent for plaster?
Are you making a two part plaster mold?
@@CeramicJim no,just casting ear.
How can I make gypsum not fasten?
If you use cold clean water it should set slower. Sometimes if water is hot or dirty or if plaster is old it will set really fast.
thank you sir...،🌹
Hello can u make me two moods,,big bowls 15 to 16 diameter and 6 to 7 height
Sorry. At this time I am not taking commissions.
Okay thank you
Where can I email you? I’d like your input on something
If you’d like to DM me on Instagram that’s the best way. If not lemme know.
That’s perfect! This way you can see my ‘leaky’ mold on video. Thank you!
Ha. Looking forward to it.
How long does it take to dry??
Fully? For what I made in the video, a few days in dry weather with a fan. If it’s in a humid basement, in our current Midwest humidity it could take a week or more.
@@CeramicJim oh I see. Thank you !
How do I make a mold of a small horseshoe crab?
I’m not familiar with that kind of crab. Complex 3-D creatures are hard because it usually required 2 or more parts. The more parts the more complex. I haven’t made a video for multiparty molds but I think that’s what you should search for. 2 part molds
@@CeramicJim thx
Hey Jim thanks for taking the ridiculousness out of mixing plaster I watch each other channels and they're using all these formulas and it just is nauseating. For one thing plaster x exactly like flower if it's a humid day or if you live in a humid area you can throw any kind of recipes read out the window because they're not going to work. I mix it using a message that's even perhaps simpler than yours I simply whisk it if it's a small amount until it's like pancake batter a little thinner pancake batterand that's it I'm done I can literally mix up a gallon of the stuff then 3 minutes.
I really hate when people over complicate things and hang charts all over the place complicating their lives. If I had to use measurements and formulas for everything I did it would no longer be a hobby it would be homework.
I worked after school when I was a kid in a small shop it was called little Tim's plaster Arts in a suburb of Detroit. it doesn't take long to glance over the molds that you have to fill an estimate how much plaster you have to mix up. And let's face it it's dirt-cheap if you mix too much you can literally throw it in the garbage and not really worried about it
You’re welcome! I recently tried weighing out plaster for the first time and when I was done it was exactly when I would stop for the island method 🤣. Don’t overthink your plaster.
I wouldn't disturb the surface once it set especially not with a metal tool
I only do this for slabs I use for drying. If it’s softer I opt for a plastic scraper.
2:48 That "sponge" isn't a sponge, it's "Scotchbrite". It is VERY abrasive. There are different grades of Scotchbrite, ranging from very soft to very aggressive.
Well the brand name is “Scotchbrite”. What is its title if not a sponge? You need that aggressive “grit” in order to make any progress smoothing your mold.
@@CeramicJim Synthetic scouring pad.
Oh my god he’s so fucking cute ❤️
p
How do you know what final volume you are going to end up with if you just put water randomly in a bucket? Will a "1/4" bucket of final plaster fill your mold? Is it too much and you just waste the rest? Your "island method" is just as arbitrary... and pardon me - ridiculous. It only works for you because you have a feel for it. Doing this blindly is just a recipe for wasting plaster.
This was an awful tutorial. He didn't even measure anything. I tried it the way he showed and the plaster set up before I could even pour it.
For reference, it's supposed to be 10:7 plaster to water. USE A SCALE if you want to do this properly.
These are terrible suggestions and will result in bad plaster molds AND bad for your health. Don't get plaster on your hands and don't get Vaseline in your plaster. For slipcasting, your plaster must be more precise and consistent than the results you will get with either the island or dry lake method. Precisely measure your water and plaster in a 7 to 10 ratio, sprinkling the plaster into the water evenly instead of just in the middle. Stop thinking you're smarter than the tens of thousands of plaster users who came before you.
Tips on how to remove the plaster if it’s stuck in the mold? Didn’t think it through and now I can’t remove it🥲
What kind of plaster do you use?
USG #1 Pottery Plaster
What kind of plaster do you use ?
Always USG #1 Pottery Plaster
What kind of plaster do you use?
I try to use USG #1 Pottery Plaster whenever I can
@@CeramicJim Thank you so much!