For this assignment we were given the straightforward task of making a mold of our finger and casting it using plaster. The first step was to create the mold using a mixture of alginate and water and during my first attempt I tried using 125 ml of water and 25 grams of alginate but it was still watery. During my other attempts I would add additional alginate and mix until the mixture became smooth but still able to be poured into another container easily.
Once I had my mixture ready I would then keep my finger in the mixture for a few minutes until it stuck to my finger and I carefully removed my finger from the mold. We are now left with a mold of my finger which I can then fill with plaster to make a cast that is essentially a copy of my finger.
Waiting for the mold to harden
To make the plaster mixture I followed a similar method to the creation of the mold by adding plaster to water until it became a smooth consistency. In my first attempt I tried following a 2:1 ratio of plaster to water but it turned out very viscous and created an air bubble in one of my attempts. By mixing and adding plaster until it had a smooth consistency it helps to reduce the chances of having an air bubble and creating a hole in the cast.
First two Attempts
Third attempt with smoother consistency
Once I had two casts of my fingers I used 400 grit sandpaper to smooth the base of the casts since I had to break off pieces leftover by the casting process. I then proceeded to spray paint both casts blue and applied clear coat to preserve the color for a long time.
Fingers Post-Processed
Clean Workspace
Cost Analysis:
Alginate from Amazon: $17.45 per 454 grams *60 grams = $2.31 for two molds
Plaster Casting: $7.49 per 64 grams * 20 grams = $2.34 for two molds
Spray Paint: $9 per 11 oz. * 0.4 oz. = $0.32 for two molds
Clear Coat:$14.90 per 6 oz * 0.2 oz = $0.50 for two molds
Total Cost: $5.47
