This project was pretty fun. I didn’t have much trouble with it, but I was a little intimidated at first. I looked through some of my classmates’ blog posts and got some tips on how to do the project more seamlessly, and I enjoyed learning from my peers. I also made a list of exactly what I needed to do before I started, which helped me get through it quickly and pretty much seamlessly.

 

Steps

1. Make Alginate Mixture

First, I made the Alginate mixture by mixing a 1:4 ratio of alginate to water by weight in a silicone cup. I used a popsicle stick to mix it together, and mixed for about 5 minutes.

2. Let Harden

I then stuck my fingers into the mixture and let them sit for 10 minutes. I wanted to wait extra long to make sure the mold fully dried, and I didn’t want to risk having to make the mixture again. Once 10 minutes passed, I carefully pulled my fingers out. 

3. Make Plaster Mixture

Next I made the plaster mixture, using approximately a 1:2 ratio of water to plaster of paris. I mixed until it was well combined, then poured into the mold. I followed someone’s advice (don’t remember who it was) to wait until it was mostly hardened and then add the screw, and based on the cup that the mold was in that was the easiest path for me. After about 25 minutes, I added the screws and let it set for another 10 ish minutes.

4. Remove Alginate Mixture

Once I knew the plaster was dry, I cut the alginate mold off with a knife. One of my fingers broke during this process so I superglued it back together.

5. Post Process

I used a green spray paint, then a clear matte coat to post process the hooks. I realized I forgot to take a photo of this but I promise I did it.

Reflection

There is not much I would do differently for this project. One of my fingers did break and I ended up having to superglue it, so I would be more careful about taking the plaster out of the mold.

 

Cost Breakdown

 

This project took about an hour, so it cost $15 in labor. I’ll estimate that I used $10 of alginate on the high end. Plaster of paris costs around $1.50 per pound on the high end, so I will round up and say I used $1 worth of plaster of paris. I will estimate that I used $1 each of green spray paint and clear coat. The total cost of this project would then be $28.