Page 160 - Casting of Angels- Dave Parvin
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Putting said that after considerable research determined that this ratio by weight
and experimentation his company has
was about two and a half ounces
come up with an organic replacement
MoldGel SILFREE per pound of
for the silica that until now had been water (71 grams per 454 grams). I
MoldGel heavy and or prolonged exposure to of assistant Audra. (Photo #1)
mixed a larger batch and cast a hand
an ingredient in all alginates. While
Before continue with the testing,
silica can be very unhealthy, the risks
associated with the occasional let me explain something.
SILFREE exposure for most life casters is Manufacturers want their products to
be as simple as possible to use, and
probably minimal as long as basic
precautions are taken; but “minimal”
is not the same as none. And some of rightly so. This is why ArtMolds
recommends measuring by volume
to the us very active life casters’ exposures rather than by weight. After all,
are more than occasional. I got to
anyone can come up with a cup but
may not own a scale suitable for
thinking how embarrassed I would
Test, have been last year if, say, right in weighing accurately within a few
grams. If one is measuring liquids,
the middle of casting Miss USA,
weight and volume directly correlate.
Tara Conner of later notoriety, I had
suddenly fallen over dead from “A pint’s a pound the world around”
Part One silicosis. Not only would my is true for water and close for beer.
assistants, Audra and Morgan, had to
While the specific gravity of other
step on and over my carcass as they liquids may be considerably
By David E. Parvin, A.L.I. finished with Tara, but they would different, once one has determined
have had to explain to Donald Trump the volume for a specific weight of
that his copy of Tara’s casting was any liquid, the right sized scoop will
only half an original “Parvin” since I always provide the desired weight.
would not have lived long enough to But powders are different because
sign the finished work no doubt they may at times be fluffy or
greatly reduced its value on a future compacted or something in between.
edition of Antiques Roadshow. Hence, the weight of a pint of a
I was impressed with the first particular powder may vary.
prototype sample and reported so Fortunately, for casting hands by
back to Ed McCormick. During this filling a container with an alginate/
time, Ed was refining the formula water mixture, using one scoop of
and the manufacturing process, a Aljasafe for every three scoops of
never ending quest, and sent me water will give pretty consistent
prototype number two. I played, we consistencies.
talked, and just recently I got some of
what is very close to the final product
which should be available by time
this article arrives in your mail.
When you open a container of
MoldGel SILFREE, you will notice
that it has both a pleasing light blue
Photo 1 color and a pleasant peppermint
bouquet (sounds so much better than
One of the really great things smell or odor) yet it looks pretty
about having been sculpting for over much like any other alginate. But
half a century and life casting for a when you feel it, it seems to be
fifth of a century is that occasionally somewhat courser and less dusty.
you are sent something new asking The first thing I did was mix some
only for your evaluation. About the small samples using 100 grams of
only thing better to play with than water at 80 degrees F (27 degrees C.)
new stuff is free new stuff. So when but varying the amounts of MoldGel
Ed McCormick of ArtMolds called SILFREE to determine the proper
some months ago and said that he ratio and the setting time. For casting
was sending me a sample of a hands and/or feet in a container,
prototype of “MoldGel SILFREE” ArtMolds recommended a mixing
which he promised would be the first ratio of one part MoldGel SILFREE
really new alginate in sixty years, my to three parts water. By checking the
socks started rolling up and down. Ed weight of the one and three parts, I Photo 2
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