GB2473190A

GB2473190A - A hand and object moulding material and casting method

Info

Publication number: GB2473190A
Application number: GB0915213A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Robert England
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2009-09-02
Filing date: 2009-09-02
Publication date: 2011-03-09
Also published as: GB0915213D0

Abstract

A hand and object moulding material is disclosed which is formed from sodium alginate, hydrated magnesium silicate (talc) and water. A casting method using the moulding material is described as shown in figure 1.

Description

A new hand and object casting technique This innovation relates to a new method and moulding material to be used in hand and object casting techniques and kits.

A standard hand casting method and kit using an impression taking alginate to form an initial mould of the subject hand. The hand is immersed into a mixture of alginate and water and depending on the alginate properties and the amount of water will determine various setting times. When the substance has set the hand is removed and a plaster and water mixture is invested into the mould and allowed to harden. When that substance has set the moulding material is peeled away to retrieve the hard casting. The moulding material used in this method is expensive, varies in setting times and is restrictive to the hand positions and finished construction material.

My invention is an innovative development to the substances and method used in the above technique. Through experimentation and research I have created what II believe to be is a new moulding compound containing a precise mixture of powdered hydrated magnesium silicate and powdered sodium alginate. The compound is suspended in an emulsified water solution at normal room temperature and thoroughly mixed to produce a much finer and a more even consistency than existing materials. The combined inherent properties of the new compound has many advantages and predetermines the innovative steps of my new improved method. Hydrated magnesium silicate and sodium alginate are both easily obtainable in the general market place and their combined mixture is much less expensive than an equivalent amount of current impression taking materials.

The fine quality of my mixture creates a more accurate and a more detailed casting from a greater variety of hand positions and poses.

It is particularly suited to hand casting methods where an object is part of the finished piece. Where by the hand holding a selected object is immersed into the mixture and after the predetermined setting time only the hand is removed leaving the object within the mould. A hardening substance is then invested into the mould filling the void left by the hand and when cured the moulding material is peeled away to reveal the hard cast replica of the hand holding the original object. As described in figure 1.

My compound requires less water to produce the required consistency which is a controlling factor in the scale of mixing and setting times creating a more convenient schedule for casting production of young children's hands. The lack of moisture and the inherent properties of the set compound improves the drying process with a greater reduction of shrinkage and distortion of the original moulding which allows it to be prepared for a wider variety of investment materials including polyester resins.

The new compound, incorporated into my new method, is extremely flexible yet retains a high tensile strength that resists distortion or tearing when casting more complex hand positions holding delicate and/or fragile objects. The compound mixture has no adverse effects on the skin or on a wide variety of materials that most domestic and sports or leisure objects may be made from.

Depending on the age and size of the subject hand and the chosen object my method determines the exact size of mixing tub and mould casing required to produce a fine detailed replica. The size of mould casing relative to the subject's hand also determines the required amount of moulding mixture which reduces wastage and spillage. 2.

My method has seven simple steps to produce a perfect hand and object casting replica. The compound is mixed with an emulsified water solution at room temperature for two minutes 1., the hand holding the desired object is then immersed into the mixture for a duration of three minutes 3-4. At this point only the hand is removed leaving the object in it's original position 5. The mould can now be invested with a plaster based substance or dried and prepared for a different material investment 6. When the chosen casting material has cured the moulding material is removed to retrieve the hard casting replica of the hand and object 7.

Figure 1.

Shows the hand and object casting method.

1. A suitable sized plastic mould casing containing a pre-mixed compound of hydrated magnesium silicate, sodium alginate and emulsified water with a mixing time of two minutes. 2. A standard cricket ball. 3. A hand holding the cricket ball. 4. The hand and ball are immersed into the mixture for a duration of three minutes. 5. The hand is removed leaving the ball in the mould. 6. The mould is invested with a hard setting substance. 7-8.

The moulding material is peeled away to retrieve the replica casting of the hand and original object. 9-10 The completed sculptured ornament The cricket ball is shown jr illustration purposes only.

Claims

The claims defining the invention are as follows.1. I claim a new hand and casting method incorporating a new, innovative and superior moulding material containing hydrated magnesium silicate, sodium alginate and emulsified water, which greatly improves the quality and diversity of impressions taken of a combined hand and object casting technique.
2. The compound is in powder form and mixes easily with the emulsified water at normal room temperature resulting in a substance that is convenient to work with and creates a more accurate and a more finer detailed casting.
3. The ingredients of my new compound are readily available in the general market place and their combined cost is significantly less to create and equivalent amount of impression taking material than with conventional products.
4. My method requires much less water to produce the desired consistency for accurate impressions which greatly reduces any shrinkage and mould distortion during the drying process.
5. The reduction in moisture content allows the mould to be prepared and invested with a wider variety of hard setting substances including polyester resins which is not possible with other methods using a water based product.
6. A working time of two minutes and a setting time of three minutes can be consistently achieved with my new method, this is more convenient for a wider range of hand or hand and object castings from all age groups especially when casting the hands of young children.
7. My combination mixture and it's method has no adverse effects on the skin or the materials that a variety of hand sized domestic and sports or leisure objects may be made form.
8. The consistent qualities of mixture and method whilst achieving exact moulding times allows for a greater choice in sizes of mixing pots and mould casings that is uniformly relative to the size and scale of a model's hand for example young children to adults, therefore a more accurate measurement of mixed material can be made to reduce wastage and spillage.
9. The new moulding compound is extremely flexible yet retains a high tensile strength allowing for a more accurate casting of complex hand positions whilst resisting distortion or tearing of the set material when the hand is removed.