What is hydrocal? How do you prepare hydrocal? What is plaster of Paris? How do you prepare plaster of Paris? These are some of the questions that we will discuss in this article. Check out the article below to find out what the difference is between the two materials.<\/p>\n\n\n
![\"What](\"https:\/\/housecaravan.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/What-is-the-difference-between-Hydrocal-and-plaster-of-Paris-1.jpg\")
What is Hydrocal?<\/h2>\n
Hydrocal is versatile gypsum cement that is great if you are doing a solid and hollow casting of figurines and lamp bases. It is made for thin sections and is also more durable so there is minimal breakage during mold removal.<\/strong> Moreover, hydrocal is color white and has a setting expansion that is twice that of a molding plaster. For more information about this topic, you can check out this article titled, what is hydrocal<\/a>? We have shared an in-depth discussion.<\/p>\n To use hydrocal, there are a few steps that you need to do which include preparing the mixture, measuring, soaking the mixture, mixing, pouring the mixture, and drying.<\/strong> Each step is important to make sure that the hydrocal will work properly. Let us learn more about these steps below.<\/p>\n The first thing that you need to do is to prepare the mix. You need to use water at temperatures between 70 and 100\u00b0 Fahrenheit. Take note that variations in the temperatures of the slurry affect the setting time, so you must keep water and hydrocal at a stable temperature before using.<\/span><\/p>\n The next step that you need to do is to measure the ingredients. Weigh the water and hydrocal according to the consistency that you need. The ratio of the two ingredients is important because it affects the physical properties of the cast piece.<\/p>\n Once you have measured the ingredients, you need to soak them. You need to slowly and evenly sift hydrocal into the water. Avoid directly pouring hydrocal into the water. You need to let it soak for about one to two minutes. Make sure that the hydrocal is completely dispersed in water before mixing.<\/p>\n Next, you need to mix hydrocal slurry to produce hydrocal casts that have maximum hardness, strength, as well as other important properties. You can mechanically mix hydrocal by batch and continuous processes. We have also shared this article that\u00a0discusses what happens if plaster of Paris gets wet<\/a>. You can check out the article for useful tips and ideas that you can refer to when working with plaster of Paris.<\/p>\n The next step is to pour the mixture. You need to be careful in pouring the slurry to prevent air entrainment and also to have a uniform and smooth surface. Make sure that the slurry is carefully poured into the deepest area. This is to make sure that the slurry evenly flows across the surface of the mold. Bear in mind that when you pour a large amount of slurry directly on the mold, it results in slight densification of the cast.<\/p>\n The last step is drying. All casts must be dried as <\/span>quickly as possible so that they can develop maximum physical properties. Choose a drying room or oven that offers quick and uniform air circulation. Moreover, the maximum temperature that hydrocal casts are safe from calcination<\/a> is 120\u00b0 Fahrenheit.<\/p>\n Kc Bodycasting shared the video below on YouTube. It shows how to cast shydrocal white into a plaster mold with the use of a fiberglass mat. If you are wondering how hydrocal is used to create casts, you can check out the video below for the process.<\/p>\n\n\nHow Do You Use Hydrocal?<\/h2>\n
Preparing the Mix<\/h3>\n
Measuring<\/h3>\n
Soaking<\/h3>\n
Mixing<\/h3>\n
Pouring<\/h3>\n
Drying<\/h3>\n
\u2705 Video – Casting Hydrocal White into a Plaster Mold<\/h4>\n