Typically LiquiStone has set firmly enough to for the casting to be removed from the alginate in one hour. This can be extended by using very cold water or accelerated by using warm water Demolding Time Typically LiquiStone has about a 12-15 minute working time before it gets too thick to move around. What Is the Working Time and Demold Time of Liquistone? Working Time When mixing LiquiStone for very large projects, work quickly so you can pour a fresh batch of LiquiStone on top of the last batch before the previous batch has hardened. NOTE: Always make sure the drill is running in reverse (anti-clockwise) to ensure the minimum of air bubbles in your mix. Over 2 pounds, it is often easier to mix with a Power Mixer on an electric drill. Up to about 3 pounds of LiquiStone can be mixed with a sturdy kitchen whisk. Up to about 8 ounces you can easily mix LiquiStone with a spatula like our Plastic Spatula. Remember, a little water goes a long way. If you think your final mix is too thin or too thick you have plenty of time to adjust with more powder or more water. There are a variety of techniques that can be used.Īdd the half the powder to the water and stir until wetted, then slowly add more stone- stirring the whole time. For a layup mold use 2.4 times as much LiquiStone as water. These we like to have a thicker mix so it will stick to the sides of the 'bowl' so the edges don't get too thin. A layup mold is like a face casting where the mold is like a bowl.For a bucket mold use just 2.2 times as much LiquiStone as water. For bucket molds, we like to have a thinner LiquiStone mix so it flows better into the mold. A bucket mold is like a hand casting where there is a hole to fill with casting material.There are two different types of molds: Bucket Molds and Layup Molds. The Slightly More Precise AnswerĪs always, there are tweaks you can use for different types of projects to make this better. cup of LiquiStone weighs about 250 grams, about 8.8 ounces or about 0.55 pounds. The 'scoop' you use can be any measuring device you want. That means that for every 2.3 scoops of LiquiStone you're going to add 1 scoop of water. Bucket MoldsĪ good general rule of thumb is to use 2.3 times as much LiquiStone as water- measured by volume. Remember, it is always better to have just a little bit 'too much' LiquiStone then 'not quite enough'. Here are some guidelines for portioning LiquiStone for your particular project. The light goes through the finish, bounces off the white surface and returns through the finish. Paints and finishes that are slightly transparent can be very beautiful. These sculptures can last for generations.ĥ) The bright white color is great for painting You will not be able to scratch LiquiStone sculpture with your fingernail. LiquiStone sets to between 7,500 and 8,000 psi strength- which is 10 times as hard as Plaster of Paris. This can be accelerated to as little as 30 minutes by using a plaster slurry as your 'mix water'. Most castings can be unmolded in one hour. LiquiStone will give you about 13-15 minutes of working time and it will achieve 90% of its final strength within 1 hour. When mixed more thickly- it can be built up on surfaces that are not horizontal. Pouring slowly minimizes air bubble entrapment. It is easy to adjust the viscosity with a little extra water or a little extra powder. Why should I use LiquiStone?Īdd the powder to the water slowly while mixing with a whisk or stick. We encourage you to experiment and let us know if you find something new. Any casting material that would be adversely affected by a moist mold).Metals (poured metals boil out the water and destroy the mold quickly).

Tin-catalyzed silicone (takes way too long to set up- mold distorts).Acrylic resins (the water in the mold tends to cloud the surface).Wax (works fine- but be careful- its hot and stays that way for a while)Ĭasting materials with which alginate has problems:.Urethane (must use very quick setting urethane).

Silicone (expensive and you MUST use the 'platinum catalyzed' silicone or it takes too long to set).

Forton FG (This fortified gypsum product can be 'filled' with various metal powders).

Other Gypsum Cements (Hydrocal, Hydrostone- anything over about 6,000 psi strength).

LiquiStone (really perfect for most applications- but hard and stiff).

Plaster of Paris (really too soft for most applications).

Here are some answers: What casting materials can I use? We get all kinds of questions about this. The idea is to pour some type of casting material into the mold to create a 'positive' sculpture of your object.

The alginate mold is the 'negative' of your object.

Stone casting plaster