Avoiding Disaster Plaster?
October 10, 2006 8:46 AM   Subscribe

I'd like to do a body cast, but I don't want to "break" the bank. Is there really a difference between regular old plaster of paris and cheesecloth and medical plaster strips?
posted by DenOfSizer to Media & Arts (6 answers total) 2 users marked this as a favorite
 
Best answer: Not really. Buy your plaster at your local home center in a 20 pound bag and buy your cheese cloth in bulk. The advantage to the "medical" strips is that they are already impregnated with plaster so you get them wet and slap them on - no big deal. In your case, you and your assistant are going to mix plaster in dollar store mixing bowls, about a liter at a time, dunk cheesecloth and apply. As the plaster sets up in the bowl, it will be unusable, so you and your assistant will need to make more.

Plaster gives off heat when it sets - more plaster, more heat so watch that.

Make sure you are generous about slathering petroleum jelly everywhere since plaster sticks to skin and hair. If you're working solo, there's nothing worse than someone finding you immobile because your body cast has you by the short and curlies.

If you want any kind of accuracy in the cast, let me know and I'll give you some background about working with moulage.
posted by plinth at 8:55 AM on October 10, 2006


You've got an exothermic reaction going on, so you have to be careful to start with cold water and use the reinforcing cloth to get a thin, even, strong cast. Thick spots will get hotter, increasing the chance of burning the subject. I've done lots of face casts with casting plaster, which is used for clay slip molds, and IIRC is a notch above regular plaster of Paris in strength and quality. The medical strips might give you a more consistent thickness, but I don't know if the quality would be any better.
posted by weapons-grade pandemonium at 9:03 AM on October 10, 2006 [1 favorite]


Google "duct tape dress form" for another way of going about this, rather than a big hard heavy cast. You could finish the shell with a maybe a coating of white (latex!) paint, to give it a bit of a skin without being too inflexible. After making the hollow form you'll have to be cut out of it, but you can always seal it back up with thick white cloth tape when you go to put it back on (try not to cut the shoulders).

Whatever you decide, post pics!
posted by hangashore at 10:01 AM on October 10, 2006 [1 favorite]


Google "duct tape dress form" for another way of going about this, rather than a big hard heavy cast.

Anecdotally, I've heard it works better to use that paper packing tape that you have to wet to make adhesive - stiffer that duct tape.
posted by muddgirl at 10:54 AM on October 10, 2006 [1 favorite]


Dress like an art student, go to the local hospital, and very nicely ask for their offcuts (and be prepared to wait). I seemed to arrive at an inconvenient time, but eventually a nurse came back and handed me a box of plaster cloth offcuts (many of which are larger/wider than anything I've seen available in craft stores), and noted that there wasn't much in the box because an art student had come calling just before me. There was plenty in the box :)

The culture might be different in the USA - I haven't tried it over here, but be nice, be aware that people are doing a stressful job and don't need you adding to it, and you've got nothing but time to lose by asking.
posted by -harlequin- at 1:45 PM on October 10, 2006


Sorry, no help with the plaster route but I just so happen to have a link to the duct and packing tape forms should you need them.

I've yet to try them but plan on making the duct tape form.

-harlequin- I'm loving that idea!
posted by floanna at 1:49 PM on October 10, 2006


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