Help! I need to quickly dry up my moulded plaster of paris blocks so I can start working on these. At the moment they're soft and almost peel away like clay. What do I do? Put them in the microwave? Sun dry them? (its winter in australia)
2006-08-19 05:53:34 · 13 answers · asked by rotciv_gan 2 in Arts & Humanities ➔ Visual Arts ➔ Sculpture
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2006-08-19 05:59:50 · answer #1 · answered by FieryDiva 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Fast Drying Plaster
2016-11-01 01:43:12 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
Yeah, it sounds like you mixed it wrong, or your plaster has been compromised. When mixed correctly, plaster should harden up within minutes. It will then get hot, but remain a bit wet until the next day or two, depending on the thickness of your plaster piece.
When mixing plaster, start with a bowl of COLD water. Only enough water to create the amount of plaster you need (keep in mind that adding plaster will increase volume of total amount once it's mixed). Add plaster a handful at a time, shaking it lightly into the water. DON'T mix it while you're doing this! Just keep adding until the water becomes saturated and you either build a little 'volcano' in the middle of your water bowl, or until the plaster begins to sit on the water's surface rather than sinking in immediately. Once you have about half of the water's surface with 'islands' of plaster floating on it for more than several seconds, stop adding plaster and then it's time to mix it. Put your hands right in it - you should have a few soft chunks to break up, but it shouldn't feel grainy or have a lot of hard bits. The plaster will begin setting shortly, so timing is everything when you're pouring your molds or applying it in handfuls.
You can shape plaster while it's still wet by wetting your hands and manipulating it over a shape, to smooth it, etc. When plaster is set but still wet you can carve it with tools.
(first it will get hard, then it will feel cold and will not be completely bright white. Once it's dry the next day, it will be bright white and chalky hard),
Sounds like you might have to start over...sorry. But follow these directions and you should be okay. There is no real way to quick dry plaster, just need time.
A TIP: the more plaster you add to your water, the faster it will set up.
2006-08-20 15:38:31 · answer #3 · answered by Lori 3 · 3⤊ 1⤋
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How to quick-dry plaster of paris?
Help! I need to quickly dry up my moulded plaster of paris blocks so I can start working on these. At the moment they're soft and almost peel away like clay. What do I do? Put them in the microwave? Sun dry them? (its winter in australia)
2015-08-10 07:41:23 · answer #4 · answered by Francine 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
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plaster bandage sets hard in probably 10 mins. Generally if you use warm water it will set faster. The time it takes to set isn't a problem. If you need to get the plaster dry in order to paint it, then you can put it into a warmer place. Anything which speeds up evaporation of water without boiling it will work. E.g. putting it into an oven at low temperature.
2016-04-03 05:59:14 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
If it's that kind of soft you probably mixed the plaster wrong, or it hasn't set.
Plaster of Paris is just gypsum that's dried, ground up, and dried some more - the first drying is to get rid of most of the water, the second forces the chemically attached water out of it, changing it's atomic composition. The plaster particles are then very attracted to water molecules, and if the powdered plaster gets wet it chemically re-attaches to the water molecules. This process is what causes the heat. When plaster sets it doesn't 'dry out' - the water is absorbed to bond the plaster particles together.
2006-08-20 05:55:11 · answer #6 · answered by Veronica 2 · 2⤊ 1⤋
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2016-12-14 19:56:48 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
I had good luck using a propane torch to dry out plaster. You can get propane torches at any hardware store. Just take the blocks out of the mold and then light up the torch and heat the plaster blocks. I have always had good luck with this.
2006-08-21 10:01:05 · answer #8 · answered by MarlieBets 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
no ... plaster of paris hardens chemically and you can't speed up a chemical reaction as a side note refer to the Wiki-Pedia article
2016-03-14 02:25:47 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
you could do those things, but all you will be affecting is the outside. the inside will still be wet. and thats a large pain to deal with....sorry, but id bet you are just going to have to let them dry naturally
2006-08-20 03:57:52 · answer #10 · answered by mystic0005 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
yaah, put them in the microwave
2006-08-20 00:02:38 · answer #11 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋