Do you add your plaster to water, OR do you add water to your plaster?

[Cacique Caribe]

Which one you choose can make all the difference:



Dan

[Codsticker]

Same approach as with pancakes- liquid mix into dry mix.

[Fitz]

When I was working in the Canterbury Museum display department, we were using plaster 20 kg at a time. We always added the plaster to the water, usually through a flour sifter, because it gave us much, much better and more reliable and repeatable results than adding water to dry plaster.

[Cacique Caribe]

Same approach as with pancakes- liquid mix into dry mix.

LOL.  That’s exactly what my wife said to me on this topic. 

Dan

[Daeothar]

When I did my re-enforced concrete road pieces during last year's BSC, I did a lot of plaster pouring.

And I added the water to the plaster, simply because I also added pigment powders to the plaster, and I had to mix those with the plaster before adding the water, since the pigments were heavier than water and would sink if not mixed with the powder beforehand. Plus I reckon that doing it the other way round, mixing them evenly would be much more difficult.

Also, I looked it up, and several trustworthy sites advised to add the water to the powder. Apparently using lukewarm water is also better than ice-cold water. Probably this has to do with the chemical hardening process, which also generates (a bit of) heat.

@ Fitz: I can imagine handling these quantities requires a different approach, but mixing plaster at miniature levels is usually well within the strength bracket of the average human

[Golgotha]

Stopped using plaster for a number of reasons:

Time to set
Soaks up a great amount of paint
Heavy
Degrades and weakens turning to powder - tried adding white glue to the mix but this did not effectively alleviate these problems
Due to the liquid content will warp the materials it is being placed on.
Does not effectively pick up detail in molds
Any breakage shows up glaringly white. 

Having said that when soaked into bandages it seems to work well for helping broken bones to heal 

[sundayhero]

synthetic plaster is a bit more expensive, but a way easier to use, and solid as rock.

[Daeothar]

Yup. I'm using dental plaster and it takes a concentrated effort (and tools) to actually break the stuff...

[Mammoth miniatures]

Sculpture technician here - Always plaster to water.
It helps ensure an even and consistent mixture free of voids/powder lumps and also ensures a nice and timely chemical reaction.

[Golgotha]

Is this the right sort of dental material? See: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/371098478049?var=640262347223&mkevt=1&mkcid=1&mkrid=710-53481-19255-0&campid=5338723872&toolid=20006&customid=jfX1chAPAAAAdrTOprIku_BunyUIAAAAAA

[sundayhero]

I don't know, the brands are diferent here in France. But I believe any kind of synthetic plaster will do the job. MIxing is a way easier and forgiving, and the result is great, both details and strength.

[OSHIROmodels]

Plaster to water for the best results.

[sundayhero]

by the way - with synthetic plaster you can do the both ways  When I say it's forgiving, it is 

[Sangennaru]

synthetic plaster is a bit more expensive, but a way easier to use, and solid as rock.

This. I haven't used anything else in the last 10 years (in terms of plaster alternatives). Not cheap, but it has so much potential!

Is this the right sort of dental material? See: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/371098478049?var=640262347223&mkevt=1&mkcid=1&mkrid=710-53481-19255-0&campid=5338723872&toolid=20006&customid=jfX1chAPAAAAdrTOprIku_BunyUIAAAAAA

Search for Raysin100, it's available throughout europe, should be also in UK!
I personally use Diplast, which is sold by a company in Rome.

[Cacique Caribe]

Synthetic plaster?  I guess I’ve just learned something new! 

Having worked at a dental laboratory in my early 20s I was familiar with plasters, hydrocal and other natural gypsum products.  But not a fully synthetic product.  I miss those Stone Age days. 

Dan