Announcing New Site

For all of you that might be interested in building your own online shop, go to http://judysbookshop.com/center
and sign up for your own blog.

The site is set up with plugins to help you in your sales. It's all free to the first 100 sites built.

Grand Opening

Well, it's finally up and running. Our new Crafter's Center designed strictly for crafters to build their own shops and blogging.
I'm telling subscribers first, to let them have first choice. This the the ground floor of an entirely new site. The first 100 to build their own blog/shops will be grand-fathered in, when the time comes to start charging for the service. In other words, those who helped to build up the site will be forever free of charges.

This is your chance to be one of the few, those founding members. Drop by and take a look at the skeleton (it's bare bones right now), sign up for membership, give your new blog a snappy and descriptive name and start building.

I'm still writing tutorials but already have quite a bit of information available for you. I'm here to help.

I will tell you, I tried a check out program that just was so confusing, I gave up on it. I think using paypal makes things a whole lot easier and I can teach you all that. Yes, you can build your own shop.

What's more, I'm tying all the sites together for mutual traffic. The more I build, the more the sites attract attention. I'll do that part, you come build your part. :)
Judy

oh yeah....the site :) http://judysbookshop.com/center
There is also a link on the main page at the Crafter's Corner at http://judysbookshop.com/nuke and will soon be on the blog at http://judysbookshop.com/blog

New Connections Website

http://judysbookshop.com/biz2bizAmerica/
This site is strictly for connecting U.S. crafter's and small business manufacturers with U.S. wholesale buyers.

Casing

Reading in books about any sort of mold making, and you're liable to run across the term 'casing'.

Casing, in some applications, would be called a 'mother mold'. A casing is an additional component to the master block, which actually provides you with an outer perimeter fencing. It is the part, which dictates and encloses the outside of your mold.

Where a mother mold is actually an outer rigid form, helping to hold a rubber mold in place - casing is the part of a master block, that forms the outside of a mold.

An example of a casing, would be a cake pan. In the event of a cake, you simply want a uniform outside shape. You're not interested in an interior design. The same happens, when you add a casing to your master block.

The master block forms the interior design, while your casing forms the outside shape and form.

Using a casing with your master block, gives you the freedom to simply mix and pour your mold material (plasters or rubbers) into the master, as the mold material is then completely restrained into a form. Like just pouring into a box.

Without a casing, one has to continuously use the mold forms in its place. While a mold form is a handy way to provide walls around your original mold, it's hardly time efficient when producing subsequent molds off your master. By taking the time to build a casing, each of your master's are self contained and ready for pouring, at all times.

More about this is explained in my instruction e-books http://judysbookshop.com/ebooks.html

Plaster Mold Making Materials

There are so many ways to approach the subject of making molds, one almost has to be an expert on the materials available to make a decision.

For the most part, if you plan to make your finished product out of clay or clay slip, the material is pottery plaster.

Basically, you have 3 varieties of hardness. Pottery plaster, hydrocal and hydrostone.

Pottery plaster is the main stream for making ceramic molds. Of all the plasters, it’s the easiest to work with as it doesn’t run as fluid as the others. Easier to control leaks while making your mold.
If you’re able to find it in 50 or 100 pound bags, the name on the bag is #1 Pottery Plaster. If you don’t have access to the larger bags, you can find it in small quantities (although more expensive per pound) at the craft supply stores, under the name of Plaster of Paris.

I like working with Hydrocal (White Hydrocal) for ceramic molds for one reason only-it’s harder, just as absorbent and is more durable and longer lasting. People will tell you hydrocal is not suitable for ceramic molds. Let me tell you, I’ve had hundreds of satisfied customers, as well as using my own molds made of White Hydrocal.

Hydra-Stone or Hydrostone, is rock hard. The only time I’d consider this material for a mold is if I simply want finished pieces made of rubber. It is not absorbent. Hydrostone is most suitable as a finish product, like statuary.

When you want to make a finished product of a plaster material and it needs to be super sturdy and exposed to weather, something like stepping stones, there is yet another Hydra-Stone product called Hydra-Stone Super X. This is the cement material used in pavement. The only problem might be that it is a medium-dark gray.

In the middle is a variety of specialty plasters. One in particular, used strictly for figurines has a glass fiber in it.

Another specialty plaster is called Moulding Plaster. Don’t get this confused with pottery plaster. This Moulding plaster is strictly for finished pieces. Ultra-Cal, Tuf-Stone and Dry-Stone are the same. Not suitable for molds.

Good luck with all your mold making adventures and remember one thing from Judy - every mistake is a learning experience.

By the way, spilled plaster is no match for water. Don’t panic. If spilled on a concrete floor, it’s best to wait until it’s finished setting up. Then go after it with water splashed on it, and a flat edged tool. Just scrape it up. If it’s been spilled on carpet, add water and scoop it up as best you can. The portion that is left, that you can’t quite get to, will set up. If you’ve already added water to it, it has become diluted and weak. After it’s dry, you can come along with the vacuum and a stiff brush to help loosen it.

A rigid putty knife, about 3″ wide, is a helpful tool to keep handy. Especially when it comes to scraping up plaster from a smooth floor.

If you run into troubles, be sure to come back here and give me a holler. I’ll help.

Suppliers

For anything rubber or plastic, one of my favorite suppliers is http://smooth-on.com

For my plaster molds, my favorite parting compound, I get from http://perma-flex.com
I've used their polyurethane parting compound for years. The secret is to apply with a soft paint brush, use a hair dryer to dry, while dabbing at puddles with a dry soft brush. I use a very soft, 2" paint brush. Using this method, you only have to apply one coat. You will be left with a fine film of something that feels like wax. I use a thin coat for every mold I pour off the master block.

Alginate

Alginate is a wonderful thing. It's made from sea-weed, and highly non alerginic.

Have you seen those booths at the fair, where the little children get a cast of their hand? It's alginate, at work.

A very fine powder, you just mix with water. It sets quickly so what ever body part, you happen to be casting, has to be inserted or covered immediately and then held very still, for about 5 minutes. An eternity, for a child. :)

The new mold, then has to be used almost immedately, as the alginate will begin to dry and shrink. It eventually dries up into a little wad of nothing and is useless. So your newly made mold is short lived.

Because of that, you need to have everything in place, before you even begin the mold. If your making an object out of plaster, have the plaster ready to add water.

Your new mold is also spineless and needs back up, to hold its form, unless it happens to already be in a can or cup. So if your making a mold of the face, your very patient model must remain in a lying position, while you add a layer of plaster over the top of the alginate mold, before removing the whole unit (alginate and its new mother mold of plaster).

You can use straws in the nostrils, while you work and (of course) the eyes remain closed.

The set up alginate, is like wet, spongy rubber and separates easily from the face.

Once the alginate mold, along with the plaster layer is removed, you can mix up plaster and pour into your new mold. As soon as the plaster is set, you can then remove it from the alginate.

There is always residue left behind but not to worry. As the whole unit dries, the alginate chips and flakes off like powder.

Easy as puddin' but you have to remember alginate is expensive, for a mold making material and it used once and then your mold wastes away.


Be sure to drop by Judy's Corner. It's a new portal just for crafter's in business. Sell your crafts online. It's free. http://judysbookshop.com/nuke/

Rubber Molds

This is a subject, I've thought about writing and illustrating, for a long time. Just recently, it seems to be popping up more and more.

I'm presently in the middle of producing a number of rubber molds which presents me with the opportunity to get pictures.

I guess my next project will be another instruction booklet, this time about rubber molds. So hang tight, I'll be working on it.

I plan to include my list of suppliers (I prefer) and a reasonable brief on the different kinds of rubber compounds. I'll keep everybody posted and let you know when I've actually accomplished and finished the new booklet.