Hey y’all!

For this project, I set out to transform 2 of my my left fingers into functional wall hooks using the classic mold-and-cast techniques we learned in class. The goal was to capture the precise shape of my fingers using alginate and then cast them with Rockite. Overall, the mold came out great, but I hit a snag during the casting stage that required a do-over.

Project Overview

The assignment challenged us to create two identical casts of our fingers. I decided to work with my left ring and middle fingers. The process involved two major steps: first creating a negative mold using alginate, and then producing a positive cast with a Rockite mixture. While the molding stage went smoothly, the casting phase wasn’t as smooth as anticipated.

Materials and Methods

Materials Used:

• Alginate (1.5 oz)

• Water (6.75 oz)

• Rockite (35g per cast, overall 105g)

• Additional Items: Cups, popsicle stick, screw, a 3D-printed jig, and miscellaneous supplies provided by OEDK

Step 1: Creating the Mold

1. I carefully mixed the alginate with warm water at a 1.5 oz:6.75 oz ratio. Following the recipe on the table precisely helped ensure a smooth mixture that set in about 5 minutes and a total drying time of 8 minutes.

2. Just a few minutes into mixing, I dipped my left ring and middle fingers into the alginate. The quick capture of the intricate details meant that the mold accurately reflected every curve and ridge of my fingers.

3. Once set, I gently wiggles out my hand, revealing a pristine and weird smelling mold ready for casting.

 

Step 2: Casting the Fingers (and a Learning Experience)

1. With the mold prepared, it was time to mix the Rockite and water in the recommended 1:3.5 ratio (10g water to 35g Rockite per cast). Unfortunately, I misjudged the mixing process on my first attempt, resulting in a mixture that was too runny. The scale was on an uneven surface and was a little glitchy.

2. I returned about 8 hours later and only 1 of the fingers had dried properly. The overly fluid consistency meant that the cast did not hold the desired shape for one of the fingers, prompting me to discard the initial attempt. Luckily, the alginate mold was unharmed from the process, so I simply re-mixed the casting material with more careful attention to the ratio.

3. This time, the mixture was good. I poured it into the mold, embedded the screw using the 3D-printed jig for alignment, and let the cast cure for one hour. After demolding and a bit of post-processing—spray-painting with a pink finish and applying a matte clear coat—the final hooks were ready.

   

Cost Analysis

Here’s a breakdown of the expenses involved in the project:

Reflections and Lessons Learned

Overall, the experience was rewarding and not terribly challenging. The highlight was definitely the accuracy of the alginate mold and the fine details of my left fingers were captured strikingly well. However, my initial error in mixing the Rockite underscored the importance of precision, especially when working with time-sensitive materials. This misstep provided a valuable lesson on the need to follow ratios and mixing times meticulously to avoid having to redo work.

Here is my cleaned workspace: