Any comments as to whether fibreglass cloth (as used to repair fibreglass boats or cars) would work with plaster in lieu of plaster cloth or guaze?
Sure it would work. You can use just about anything to stop the plaster from falling on the floor until it sets. I personally like to use a fairly large fiberglass screen. I use a hot glue gun to seal along the edges and at seams. Then I put balled up newspaper underneith it to hold it up. Then on top of the screen I place regular paper towels and wet them down. I make sure not to overlap the towels so that some of the plaster gets locked in the screen. Then I spread a fairly thin layer of hydrocal over the the towels and screen. After that has set I use casting plaster or base coat plaster (the later has a long set time and has sand in it for texture). When everything has set up I remove all the balled up paper underneith the screen. It is a lot easier and neater for me than handling either plaster impregnated gauze or dipping paper towels in plaster.
QUESTION! Any of you guys using foam? if so, how do you make the plaster stay in place BNSFC44@MSN.com [ 10 July 2002, 02:20: Message edited by: ROMAFERN ]
ROMAFERN - You might want to try (read as experiment on a scrap first) using several very light coats of automotive primer. Certain brands, or too much, can literally "melt" your foam. By applying several light coats, it can lightly etch the foam to provide a surface for the plaster cloth to better stay in place. That, and it seems to adhere better to the primer, as well. --Joseph
I have used Durham's Rock Hard Water Putty, mixed it up very thin (about the consistency of a thick paint), added a dash of color to the mix, and basically shmeared (technical term ) it onto the foam. It left a hard but thin layer on the foam. No problem with it adhering to the foam, even on vertical surfaces, but the foam had been shaped, mostly using a wire brush. Don't know if this would work with plaster, but don't see why not. [ 13. August 2002, 21:50: Message edited by: Bill Kamery ]
The fiberglass cloth will work with plaster, but why go to all the expense? Are you wanting strength? Have you tried burlap? You can get it at any fabric shop or at you local farm supply store. I have no trouble using paper towels with a plaster dipping tray. The secret is not use regular paper towel on the roll, but to use the heavy duty industrial type. I like the unbleached brown type, but any heavy duty industrial towels will do. Like the ones that are in the paper towel dispensor in the bath room at work. I asked around and was given several busted packs. Sure it is a little more messy, but I think the low cost outweighs the cleanup. SCULPAMOLD works just fine with plaster and foam board. I use Sculpamold to make rocks and carve effects in the land form.
It seems to me there are two considerations when choosing a material for backing to support the plaster or hydrocal. The first is how it will initially work (just about anything does - one item not mentioned that I considered was the porous garden cloth used by gardener's to halt weeds - and don't forget about using used bounce fabrics after there use in the drier) and secondly how easy is it to cut without destroying surrounding areas when a modification or change is required. Modifying after hydrocaling chicken wire is a method I tried and didn't like. It worked fine initially, but cutting the chicken wire was a pain when I wanted to change the area, with more destruction to surrounding hills and mountains than I would have liked while cutting it. I still prefer the stiff card board method (cereal boxes and laundry detergent boxes) or the normal cardboard, spliced into a supporting layer. Latter when I decided to modify an area, it is easier to cut through without surrounding destruction.
