Hydrocal and ultracal are easy to use. 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. When hardened, it will permit removal of molds with "undercuts" whereas plaster of paris will break off detail. Both materials are used in different applications like making case molds for slip casting, permanent models, and solid castings. It's just more expensive than Ultracal, and lacks a few additives. After I was done.. Stir the plaster of Paris and water mixture slowly until it forms an even and smooth consistency. For most, the main difference between hydrocal and plaster of Paris is that hydrocal is much stronger and takes more detail. #1 MOULDING PLASTER - Often referred to as "plaster of paris" or soft plaster. Aside from that, hydrocal also takes more detail and does not slough off. I like the rigid insulation board concept. It is half the weight of hydrocal plaster and goes twice as far. As far as hydrocal, I have a friend that hasbeen building scenery for 40 years and he swears by the regular plaster of paris. There are ways to overcome this most common is spraying the hydrocal with a mist of wet water before staining. 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. Mar 12, 2006. Hydrocal is stronger as compared to plaster of Paris. I mixed up a batch of the Plaster of Paris and can I get this stuff in bulk? Tough geometry! Aside from that, it also takes a lot more detail. It provides a slightly better heat resistance as compared to pottery plaster with higher dry and wet strengths. 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. The finished product.. is an extremely thin .. light.. very strong casting. Hydrocal provides twice the compressive strength of plaster and is ideal for thin and delicate sections where high green strength is needed. Plaster of Paris is best for patching holes in plaster walls, because its characteristics are more likely to match the wall material. If you are looking for a good substitute for plaster of Paris, you can consider using hydrocal. What is hydrocal? It is not recommended that you add the glue to the water before adding the plaster because it can cause the plaster to clump together. Ultracal is gypsum cement that has low absorption and is usually used for case molds. It is ideal that you wait at least a week. UltraCal-30 is a good product, but I prefer wooden molds. In this article, we will have an in-depth discussion about hydrocal. If you use plaster for the head cast, expect to rebuild the ears. Choose an ingredient that you are most comfortable working with. You need to mix the plaster carefully to avoid adding air. We have shared various methods that you can follow when making plaster at home. link to Why is My Well Water Brown All of a Sudden? Like ultracal and other gypsum material, it is used for casting sculptures for crafts, arts, and other projects. You can find a wide array of plaster for every kind of application. Hydrocal is stronger than plaster but is as easy to use. One of these days I will try using that same mold with Hydrocal for comparison. Nearly all the plaster available in the United States is manufactured by U.S. Gypsum, (USG). I have made a lot of rock castings with this mix and have had good results with this mix. What are the main features of hydrocal? UltraCal-30 is just plain old plaster of paris, with some portland cement, usually in a 8:1 ratio, so you can make your own from a trip to the local hardware store. Most of the time, we choose a material for the project that we are working thinking that it is an excellent choice, only to find out in the end that the material is not the correct one. We have shared tips and ideas that you can refer to. It costs me about Cdn$19/bag, and I am on my third already doing hardshell. You can check out the article for more information about the topic. Always do your own research before making important decisions. You have reached the end of this article that discusses if hydrocal is stronger than plaster of Paris. I had to chisel some off the sides to remove the cast. The difference is that hydrostone is considerably harder and lacks the period of plasticity in the setting curve which enables the plaster to be worked directly. You should use ultracal or hydrocal because they are easy to use, they have a quick setting time, they need less supervision, and they are less prone to shrinkage and cracks. This article discusses if hydrocal is stronger than plaster of Paris. (on the backside of the casting). I've painted over the shellac with acrylics and enamel paint. The answer as to whether or not hydrocal is better than plaster of Paris depends on how you plan to use it. While some of their components are not the same, both are made for the same purposes like casting and molding. I have tried both. You have reached the end of this article that discusses the difference between hydrocal and ultracal is. Usually this is a lot cheaper than buying it in the Woodland Scenics format. 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. I am currently trying to get more familiar with tecstone. For a more in-depth discussion about this topic, you can check out this article that we have shared titled, what is hydrocal? I used the finer plaster of paris for rock castings. Rmueller9 Hydrocal White. It can also take a lot of details and does not slough off. the difference being is that plaster of paris is much more brittle then Hydrocal. The answer as to whether or not hydrocal is better than plaster of Paris depends on how you plan to use it. Thank you for reading! I believe it helps. On the other hand, it is still a plaster that is heavy, dense, and can shatter when dropped. link to Why is My Well Water Brown All of a Sudden? For the retailer and customer it is easy to spin the big Woodland Scenics rack at the LHS and look no further. When you stain things like hydrocal walls tunnel portals etc. Thats it.. btw.. Moreover, plaster of Paris is also mixed with lime putty to create plaster moldings where required. Stop when the powder is almost covering the surface of the water. Powered by Invision Community. like a sponge. Check out the rest of the article below for more information. I buy it 500 pounds at a time for my business. Always do your own research before making important decisions. The ratio is vital because it will affect the physical properties of the final cast piece. I usePofP now only for rock castings. I am really looking to spend less. I already had a two pound carton of Woodland Scenics Hydrocal Lite at $8.49. Strictly my O/P as some doe paint hydrocal to seal it first. 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). 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? Mabye in more humid climates though. Yes.. that is the weakest part of a mold.. a thin mold approach that I use. A great utility gypsum cement offering higher strengths than typical plaster products. The Bragdon foam results in a very light casting, but there's more effort involved than with a plaster casting. AS far as your question goes as far as detail.. well I used the WS paints .. and this is my first time at it. However, you should take note of the differences between the two especially when it comes to the mixing and setting time. Should You Leave Your Shower Curtain Open or Closed? What Can I Use Instead of Plaster of Paris? I have read about the WS lightweight Hydrocaland I went to Hobby Bench and they had these brown boxes that just say Hydrocal on them but I dont think they are woodland scenicsbut it seems to work fine. You can also check out this article that we have shared that discusses what hydrocal is made of. Cycling. Once you have measured the ingredients, you need to soak them. It will do just fine IMO. Moreover, when making plaster casting, make sure that you use pure water. It is a high-quality, quick-setting plaster that is usually normally used with gauged lime putty. Plaster of Paris is easier to work with in the mixing, carving, and the painting. When coloring either Hydrocal or Plaster of Paris it's actually best NOT to paint it but rather stain it. Plaster statues are made from a mix of heat-treated gypsum powder and water that hardens when it dries. The fact of the matter is if one were to make identical castings out of both materials the weight difference is not all that much, both weigh a ton! Then really dry it. It is also a quick setting which is ideal for arts and crafts. Moreover, ultracal is noncombustible. As compared to most plasters, hydrocal is stronger. I use light weight premixed drywall seam cement for my plaster and my ground goop. It's heavier than Hydrocal but I have no complaints. Hydrocal FGR-95. 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. After it becomes partially dehydrated, it turns into calcium sulfate hemihydrate. It discusses what ultracal is. Others are a mix of production offerings and ones created by myself or club members. You can also add color to the plaster using poster paint or tempera. Login, or register today to interact in our online community, comment on articles, receive our newsletter, Regardless you are making a cast or a mold for your art project, we will discuss two of the common materials that you can use which are hydrocal and plaster of Paris. They produce less heat as compared to other products. While hydrocal is an excellent product, it is usually sold in really small packages and can be expensive. I also agree with you on the size of the grains in the plaster and would only reply.. "You think a Dentists wants a grainy 'impression' of someone's teeth"? Hydrocal is versatile gypsum cement that is great if you are doing a solid and hollow casting of figurines and lamp bases. They just re-package the same materials you can buy elseware in bulk. Use a mixing container that can fit the amount of mixture that you will make. This gave very nice results, too. Densite is the name. Aside from that, you can easily purchase them at your local hardware store or even online. Ultracal is a good choice if your work needs accuracy and a good amount of surface hardness. I even took pics to see how much detail there was.. and how easy it was to pull Dental plaster out of the mold. Bear in mind that the more you mix, the faster the plaster will set up. Mixing glue into the plaster of Paris mixture will make it more durable and strong. The next step is to pour the mixture. Both work well. When the drywall mud shrank back on itself , I gained some erosion channels and short narrow ravines randomly along the embankment. We had the "pleasuer" of having Jeff Adam of Motrac Models as a club member. I pour less.. and use a clothstrip on the back for added strength. We have shared an in-depth discussion. Hydrocal and Ultracal 30 are also used in the pottery studio. Unless you have a portable layout,I don't see where weight would be a problem unless I'm overlooking somethingcomments? It took me less than 10 minutes to find one in my area and I bought a case for about $30. Some LHS's carry these lines, others you have to mail order from. The difference between hydrocal and plaster of Paris is that hydrocal is stronger. I've also used Bragdon Foam with a Bragdon mold. But, Jeffrey, would that not make the plaster essentially impossible to paint? Hydrocal cures to a very hard stone like surface, where Plaster of Paris stays very soft and almost chalky. Hydrocal vs Light weight Hydrocal vs Plaster of Paris and Ballast Posted by VulcanCCIT on Wednesday, October 18, 2006 10:34 PM I have read about the WS lightweight Hydrocal.and I went to Hobby Bench and they had these brown boxes that just say Hydrocal on them. Just pick up anything.. and tape it to your mold. I have bought the real and the woodlandI mixed them and liked the effect. Use acrylic washes to color castings, repeating until satisfied. You'll also lose detail very quickly with plaster. 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. Hydrocal has many uses. As this happens, it changes from hemihydrate to dihydrate. Leaving the shower curtain open or closed has long been a debate for a lot of people. Plaster that sloughs off can lead to dusting and chipping. Pasted as rich text. Is Hydrocal Better than Plaster of Paris? Posted 11 May 2017 - 09:42 AM. Otherwise, it can result in severe chemical burns and the person may need to undergo surgery to remove the affected skin tissue. I sprayed the molds with wet water before pouring in the plaster. This material is specially designed for making thin sections. Another friend loves lightweight hydrocal. 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