Page 122 - Casting of Angels- Dave Parvin

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Solving a Mold Making Problem

By David E. Parvin, A.L.I.

love a good mystery; it could be one wanted a Forton MG Champaign
in a book, play, movie, or in my glass. So in this case, I could make a
studio. Granted, the sculpting mold of the original hand and
mysteries rarely involve dead bodies champaign glass, extract them, place
or large amounts of missing another Champaign glass into the
valuables; but are more of the “how mold and pour in metallic Forton MG
in the world am I going to do that” which would become fingers around
variety. Recently such an problem the stem. Still seemed doable until I
presented itself. But let’s start at the realized that the Champaign glass
beginning. was a problem. Since I would be
Several years ago I was asked if making a mold of a rigid hand, the
I could make something that could be duplicate glass would have to be
an appropriate trophy for a lady exactly like the original in order to
named Dawn Denzer in honor of the fit. Unfortunately, I could not find
work she had done for raising money any like the original. The fingers
to fight Parkinson’s disease. For would have to be repositioned to fit a
many years, Mrs. Denzer had been different glass; no easy task since the
the social editor for the Rocky original cast of the hand was very
Mountain News, but unfortunately, rigid Forton MG.
had just previously been diagnosed Photo #1 The solution was to make a
with Parkinson’s disease. I had replica of the hand in a softer
known her from many a social material. I broke the stem of the
function and felt I owed her for Champaign glass so that I could
mentioning my name often in her remove it. Next I constructed a
column. I suggested that a cast of her masonite box around the hand (photo
hand holding something especially #2) and made a block mold using a
meaningful to her would be very soft tin cured silicone rubber (11
appropriate and my idea was durometer). After removing the
accepted. I went to visit Dawn who original Forton MG hand, I cast a
was deteriorating in an assisted living duplicate hand in urethane rubber
facility. When I asked her what she (photo #3). Anyone who has read
wanted in her hand, she replied, “A my articles over the last few years
Champaign glass, remember the might remember that I much prefer
good times...” Making the trophy was silicones over urethanes, at least as
a piece of cake. I simply had her hold far as rubbers are concerned. The
a champaign glass and submerge her only time that I use urethanes is if I
hand into a container of alginate. The want something cast in rubber using
void made by hand was filled with a silicone mold. Urethanes will not
Forton MG with copper powder. bond to silicones and visa versa.
Since I had de-aired the Forton MG Photo #2 However, the new, flexible hand had
with a vacuum mixer, the impression a problem, the surface was sticky and
was bubble free. After applying a of cake,” I replied and thought until I would rub off with only casual
vertigreen patina solution and remembered the she had passed away contact causing a slight loss of detail.
buffing, the glass and hand were recently. Had she still be with us, I My rubbers expert, Michael Sisbarro,
attached to a marble base (photo #1). could have just cast her hand again told me that for some reason,
I thought I had come to the end of the holding a glass. As I described urethane rubbers with durometers
story, but I hadn’t. above, a life casting of a hand less than 40 have a tendency to suffer
Recently, someone from the holding something is very easy to do. surface inhibition when cast in tin
Colorado Neurological Society told I have done hands holding a golf cured silicone rubber. Because Dawn
me that they had decided to make an club, oar handles, baseballs, a bat, a had been, let’s just say, a little older
annual Dawn Denzer Award which book, a fishing rod, etc. For a with some definite character in her
would be presented to a particularly duplicate, all one has to do is mold hands, I thought that a minimal loss
significant supporter. I was asked if it the hand and the object together. Of of detail might not be noticeable and
would be possible to duplicate course, the object will be duplicated it wasn’t. I fitted a new glass in the
Dawn’s casting for the award. “Piece in the same material as the hand. No hand and made another block mold.

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