This week I learned a new skill—molding and casting—and I enjoyed the experience. I began by consulting classmates about the ratios for alginate to water and plaster to water and many of them said their measurements varied from the original class document. I began using a 1:4 ratio (used 3:12 to fill up cup) of alginate to water and continued adding alginate and water until the solution was fully mixed and relatively smooth. I then put my ring and pinky fingers in the solution because I wanted to have as many samples as possible, just in case one broke when removing the cast finger—something that came in handy later on.
Because I did not use proper measurements for the alginate and water solution besides the base, I decided to start with small amounts of water and plaster and add as needed for the next solution. I poured the plaster and water solution into each finger hole, added the nail and tape then waited the 30 minutes. I checked at the 30 minute mark and the plaster wasn’t entirely solidified so I continued to wait. When I returned the plaster was ready to be removed. I pulled carefully on the pinky finger which came out perfectly! Then when it was time to remove the ring finger I pulled out everything besides the tip of my finger. I was so happy removing the entire finger because it looked really good, then was devastated that it broke at the tip. I later learned that I had bent my finger too much when creating the mold, causing it to break instead of pulling out in one piece.
I originally did not want to submit two pinky fingers so I remade an alginate and water solution to try different fingers, this time I tried index and middle fingers. Similar to the situation with my ring finger, they broke at a joint.
Because I continued to wait 30 minute increments between each attempt, I had spent over two hours trying to cast my fingers. In the end, I decided to use my first mold of the pinky and ring finger as well as the index finger from my most recent mold to create one more finger. Because the project required that the fingers be identical, I wanted to reuse the pinky mold to create a similar result.
Finally, I was able to create another pinky finger and complete the project. I’m not sure if my middle and ring fingers were too long/skinny or bent at each joint which caused them to break but I was happy with my end result, even though it is my pinky finger.
Total Cost = $99
- Materials = $39
- Labor
- 3 hours (including wait time) @ $20/hour = $60
