There are many different types of casting materials available to suit many different types of projects.



If you are creative with jewelry then you may wish to look at the various resins for casting unique resin jewelry pieces. If you are after a fun and creative party activity for children then you may want to investigate the casting of plaster ornaments and plaques for them to paint. Plaster is the most ideal casting material for this purpose. Every project has its own requirements and here we will look at the most popular casting materials and their uses.

GYPSUM PLASTERS

Gypsum plaster is a versatile, cheap and safe casting material to use for many different types of applications. This material only requires an inexpensive latex mold rather than more expensive silicone rubber mold making materials which are generally needed for resin castings.

Casting plasters are best suited for general purpose art casting such as for children's plaster painting ornaments. Casting plasters have a harder surface which prevents chipping and provides a good surface for painting. Whereas, plaster of Paris, is hydroscopic, chalky and too soft for casting; it is best used for its intended purposes – wall patching.

For projects that require a harder and more durable plaster casting material you might want to look at one of the stone plasters. These are more expensive but the strength is superior.

Life Casting With Alginate

Alginate is easy to use, non-toxic and OK for body and face casts. It reproduces extremely fine detail and has high strength as soon as it sets so you can de-mould fairly quickly. Even though alginate releases very easily from skin, some people choose to apply petroleum jelly to their skin for that added reassurance of an easy release. However, such a procedure prevents the alginate from adequately adhering to the model and should be avoided.

We offer two families of alginates. Our silica-free food grade alginates provide the healthiest and greenest mold making material you can purchase anywhere. They actually yield 50% more mixed impression material per pound than competing formulas making them extremely economical. The material initially sets a bit softer than the traditional formulas, but a two-three minute wait after gelling will provide the strength you expect. The second formula is the more traditional formula which uses the more common clay filler for extra firmness. It has a quicker snap set and more immediate gel strength.

Alginate comes in a variety of setting times. It is used extensively in the movies and TV to create castings of actors for creating facial appliance, makeup, masks and even fake heads and body parts that match the actors almost perfectly. It captures every detail in the skin, including pores, wrinkles and even finger prints. It comes in a powder form and is simply mixed with water and it is not reusable. It's rigid enough to make a mold of a hand or foot in one piece but flexible enough to get your hand out without breaking the mould. And the other great advantage is that it only takes a few minutes to make a mold of a hand or foot.

Environ Molds has been manufacturing and distributing superior quality art supplies throughout the world. http://www.artmolds.com

Get The Best Mold Making And Casting Materials From Environmolds

EnvironMolds, established in the year 1997 is known for manufacturing user safe and environmental friendly products. We supply all your needs to reproduce anything with our selection of environmentally friendly mold making and casting materials and supplies.

Mold making is the procedure of generating molds for forming metals, plastics, rubber, glass or ceramics in to shapes. Molds are negative spaces that serve as a model or pattern for shaping heated raw material such as plastic, metal, glass, ceramic, or other. Liquid casting material is prepared and poured in to the mold to set. Thus, molding is a process of manufacturing a variety of objects in a specific shape of size. Molds are used for metal casting also.
The most commonly used salt in making ceramic molds is Sodium Silicate which is also known as Water Glass. It is available in solution form and is also used in cements.

This compound is made from sodium carbonate and silicon dioxide. It can be used as a bonding agent as well as in coating on surfaces. When applied to the surfaces of the mold it forms a thin layer that is tough and tight bond or film. The bond formed by applying the sodium silicate is low in cost, resistant to fire, resistant to moisture and water; also it can be treated to temperatures at very high temperatures. The main feature of the film is that it is non toxic and doesn’t have any foul smell.

EnvironMolds – The ultimate destination for mold making and casting materials

Welcome to our company where we supply all your needs to reproduce anything with our selection of environmentally friendly mold making and casting materials and supplies.EnvironMolds was established in 1997 and founded on the principal of manufacturing user safe and environmentally friendly products. The company is located in on the east coast just outside New York City. Our founder Ed McCormick is also an artist, sculptor and teacher and co-founder of the artists’ guild the Association of Lifecasters International (ALI). EnvironMolds not only holds patents for high quality mold making materials it also produces a wide variety of mold making and casting kits for individual users as well as schools and universities

Lets discuss about the most commonly used salt in making molds that is sodium silicate it is an alternative name for the salt sodium metasilicate also known as water glass. It is available in solution form and is solid used in cements, automobiles. This compound is made from sodium carbonate and silicon dioxide. It can be used as a bonding agent as well as in coating on surfaces. When applied to the surfaces of the mold it forms a thin layer that is tough and tight bond or film. The bond formed by applying the sodium silicate is low in cost, resistant to fire, resistant to moisture and water; also it can be treated to temperatures at very high temperatures. The main feature of the film is that it is non toxic and doesn’t have any foul smell.

The solid films formed after applying sodium silicate are formed after evaporation. When water evaporates the sodium silicate forms a more viscous coating on the surface. Titanium dioxide or aluminum is used to make a opaque coating. Clay modeling can be used to make the coating semi-opaque. Sodium silicate is inorganic and is non explosive plus it does not have any hazards. The span of its life is about one year so it is recommended that it should be used in the above mentioned period. The components from which they are made are purely sand and not harmful to the humans or any other type of thing in the environment.

About Mold Making And The Types Of Molds

Mold making is the procedure of generating molds for forming metals, plastics, rubber, glass or ceramics in to shapes.

Molds are negative spaces that serve as a model or pattern for shaping heated raw material such as plastic, metal, glass, ceramic, or other. Molten material is heated and poured. The liquid hardens and takes the shape of the hollow shape which is then removed. Thus, molding is a process of manufacturing a variety of objects in a specific shape of size. Molds are used for metal casting also. Molding can be done in a variety of methods. Here are some types of molding application that are adopted by the manufacturers

Types of molding include:

Blow Molding: Blow molding is a process through which hollow plastic parts are formed. The process starts with melting plastic pellets and forming them into a parison. The parison is a plastic having a hole in one end that is compressed so that air can pass through. There are three types: extrusion blow molding, injection blow molding, and stretch blow molding.

Compaction plus sintering: Conventionally, the process is used for molding ceramic objects and other products using compressed powder. The entire process is based on the atomic diffusion, in which, the powdered material is heated to a temperature below the melting point.

Compression Molding: It is a process of molding in which the molding material is first preheated and then kept in the open and heated like a mold cavity. The process is applied on thermostatic plastic compounds.

Extrusion Molding: Extrusion is a process through which a fixed cross-sectional profile can be created. Using this process helps in creating very intricate work. Extruded materials can be polymers, metals, ceramic, foodstuff, concrete, and more.

Injection Molding: This process is ideal for developing parts from thermosetting plastic and thermoplastic materials. The treated material can be aluminium and steel for making body panels of cars, and more.

Laminating: Unifying two or more materials is called laminating and the process adopted is known as lamination. The treated material can be wood, plastic, and more.

Reaction injection molding is a part and parcel of laminating in which the thermosetting polymers are used. Components made through this process are air spoilers, automotive bumpers, and fenders.

Matrix Molding: The process is utilized to shape complex materials such as with glass, ceramic or glass composites. The process is also known as matrix transfer molding.

Rotational Molding (or Rotomolding): This process is also known as rotocasting, rotomolding, or spin casting that is implied to create a vast range of hollow items of plastic.

Transfer Molding: This process is very similar to compression molding which is ideal for thermo set plastic.

Thermoforming: In this method, a plastic sheet is heated to a pliable developing temperature to form a mold and then trimmed to get the right shape of an object. The process is adopted to manufacture containers, disposable cups, clamshells, lids, trays, blisters, and other products for the medical, food, and general retail industries.