Luna Bean Large Keepsake Hands Casting Kit | DIY Plaster Statue Molding Hand Holding Craft Kit for Couples, Adult & Child, Wedding, Friends, Anniversary Gift

Product Information

That said, the most robust option may not be the safest, affordable, or the most effective for catching fine details. Resin and plaster are usually preferable casting materials. The 5 Best Hand Casting Kits As I expected, and as the poem alludes to, my mother-in-law was much more impressed by the gift than my wife. When you can hold the hands each day you tend not to need reminders. Over time the gifts will become more precious.

Hand casting is supposed to be a fun-filled activity. You are trying to preserve happy memories, not create sad ones. Unfortunately, that is how it will go down when the kit is frustratingly difficult to use. Therefore, opt for a brand that is straightforward and simple to use. The best hand casting kits have detailed instruction manuals enclosed or provide links to video tutorials. Going through all the steps several times before beginning is advisable to know what is expected from you. 3. Size Workspace Tool/Material layoutYou'll need a full table for your first time. It can be done in a smaller space, but room to work is helpful as you may be worried about time during the molding stage, and looking for a spot to set the water pitcher is a distraction. Besides standard materials such as casting/molding powders, gloves, shaping tools, sandpaper, and more, this kit also contains sample powders to get a taste of what outcomes look like before diving in for the real deal.

For those who wish to measure by volume, I found that loose Hydrostone powder can be mixed as a 1:3 water:powder by volume, and would result in about a 2.5 volume mixture. So 1 cup of water (about 9oz) mixes with 3 cups (about 27oz) of Hydrostone to make about 2.5 cups of plaster mixture. Another sought-after mold kit is by Dylan & Rylie, esteemed for its fun features and appealing price tag — a great option if you’re looking for a gift! Mold containersI used 1/2 gallon jugs, 1/2 gallon juice bottles, and 2 liter pop bottles. The only difference was that when I needed to cut away the mold, the plastic juice bottle and 2 liter bottles were a little harder to cut.

Long sharp knifeI found it necessary to cut and level the top of the mold so the cardboard holding the screws was level. A knife long enough to cut all the way through prevents tearing the mold.

Materials

This XL hand mold kit by Hula Home will meet your expectations if you’re all about quality family time and creative activities. You can help them hold the hand steady to prevent large movements from tearing the mold before it cures

The casting alginate is of the highest quality. It reveals even the finest details such as nails, prints, fine lines, and even curves and crevices of a ring, making it perfect for engagement and wedding keepsakes and also realistic looking hand statues. The people you treasure most in your life will always hold a special and permanent place in your heart. Still, a hand replica of them or both of you provides a great visual reminder of what they mean to you and keeps the memories fresh.Plastic forks, paper towelsNot necessary, but you may want them on hand for various tasks, such as scraping hardened molding and casting materials off various surfaces, cleaning spills, etc. As there is no significant time factor here, you can take your time mixing the water and casting compound together. Note that the resulting volume is more than the water volume but less than the casting compound. For this reason I also mixed the water into the powder.

HydrostoneA form of gypsum plaster, when mixed with water cures into a long-lasting, hard material without shrinking. This is slow setting, and pours well. Babies are especially prone to hand movement, so often it is best to do this while they sleep. Make sure the molding compound is warm to the touch, but not hot, and make sure the baby is in a comfortable position for the mold. As you can see in the picture, our youngest child woke up during the process, but was still laying comfortably and only required a little singing to prevent wiggling and worrying. As you can't easily instruct the baby to wiggle their fingers or move their hand in the beginning you'll have to move it around by the wrist when you insert the hand. In this case I pushed the hand in, moved it side to side to side to side, then partially removed and re-inserted it. Air bubbles in the casting show up as voids and holes in the casting. This could be reduced using methods similar to those mentioned above for the molding compound. Also, as the compound is fairly liquid and takes some time to cure, a vibration table may also work well. These could be filled in with a variety of materials after the casting has cured. You can feel the tendons in their wrist move as they work their fingers. This will help you know when to remind them not to wiggle, as children will often work the unfamiliar, squishy, warm material in their hands if not monitored. There are many engraving companies that will engrave a simple metal plaque with the poem, child's name, and date online as well as near you. Look in the phone book for trophy places, or jewelry shops.

1 Person Made This Project!

Materials AlginateThis molding compound forms a rubbery elastomer within minutes of mixing with water. Captures impressive detail, while being flexible enough to prevent entrapment of the hand. It dries and shrinks over time, so it's not suitable for more than a few castings. I used ALG-390 from Special Effect Supply Corporation, which is a 3 minute set alginate. I usually wait about 5 minutes from the beginning of mixing until I attempt to pull the model from the mold.