Props, Scenery, Costumes and Makeup: This is good stuff!

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This is good stuff!

Printed From: Community Theater Green Room
Category: Producing Theater
Forum Name: Props, Scenery, Costumes and Makeup
Forum Discription: For how-to's and where-can-I-find
URL: http://www.communitytheater.org/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=4112
Printed Date: 4/29/24 at 5:04am
Software Version: Web Wiz Forums 8.05 - http://www.webwizforums.com

Topic: This is good stuff!

Posted By: Kurtin
Subject: This is good stuff!
Date Posted: 7/04/09 at 3:21am

A while back I was looking for ways to make thin, breakable plates. Well, actually, they were more like small thin plaques in the shape of a heart, and meant to look like a trophy. They had to be hard enough to withstand some handling, but brittle enough to crack with medium pressure

In trying out different ideas, I happened to find a product that has the perfect properties for the job, and I just thought I'd pass it on.

It's called "Agnew's Water Putty" here in Australia, but no doubt something similar is available in other countries. It's a multi-purpose filler. Pale yellowish colour.

It mixes and sets like plaster of paris, but takes only 30 minutes to firm up, and can be demolded in about 40 minutes to be safe. The shapes I made were only 2-3mm thick, but when out of the mold were very firm and rigid, and could be handled and mounted on a wooden stand. After about an hour in the sun, they were pale and dry and brittle-hard.

That is, brittle enough to shatter if hit suddenly, which is what happens to them in the show.

I painted them with spray gold paint, and they look brilliant!

So, any time you need to make a very thin-but-robust plaster cast of something, that's the stuff.