casting papier mache

I don't think that papier mâché will be a suitable material for your
purpose. Remember that the finished product will effectively be made of
cardboard and so is unlikely to be smashable. I would expect that a 3 foot
long model microphone would probably only be dented. What about the
material used to make breakaways? I'm thinking of the sugar-glass
replacement. Unfortunately I have no experience of the stuff myself so I
don't know whether it would be any use in this application.

David

... or rather use regular resin. The breakaway kind is too fragile for
this, IMHO.
Here's another idea (not tested, but it might work): some sort of
mixture of plaster and papier-mache. That should theoretically break
better.

Ioan Barladeanu wrote...
I don't think that papier mâché will be a suitable material for your
purpose. Remember that the finished product will effectively be made of
cardboard and so is unlikely to be smashable. I would expect that a 3 foot
long model microphone would probably only be dented. What about the
material used to make breakaways? I'm thinking of the sugar-glass
replacement. Unfortunately I have no experience of the stuff myself so I
don't know whether it would be any use in this application.

David

... or rather use regular resin. The breakaway kind is too fragile for
this, IMHO.
Here's another idea (not tested, but it might work): some sort of
mixture of plaster and papier-mache. That should theoretically break
better.

Is that what is called carton pierre (based on papier mâché and used for
"plaster" ornamentation)? The other possibility is to make the papier mâché
very thin and finish it with several coats of laquer. I'm sure that there
was a Russian tradition of laquered papier mâché boxes, which were hard.

David

I know esoterica like carton pierre - that is very hard, but still
lightweight for casting architectural and furniture ornaments. Now replaced
by plastics, but still some people casting 'composition' for the furniture
industry

Plastics - no one has mentioned the possibility of vacuum forming the two
halves in light gauge styrene. Ned could make up the positive in plaster,
take it to the vacuum shop, and they could crank them out. This would be
fairly inexpensive and very realistic (I mean Shure!). Not as breakable than
mache, but a lot lighter and a lot easier to cleanup. Heck - you might even
be able to sell them alongside band tshirts, cds, etc for X$ - the band will
sign it (and send 10% of proceeds to me for the idea of course). Was it the
Rolling Stones that had a giant inflable penis on tour?





"David Lee" wrote in
message ...
Ioan Barladeanu wrote...
I don't think that papier mâché will be a suitable material for your
purpose. Remember that the finished product will effectively be made of
cardboard and so is unlikely to be smashable. I would expect that a 3
foot
long model microphone would probably only be dented. What about the
material used to make breakaways? I'm thinking of the sugar-glass
replacement. Unfortunately I have no experience of the stuff myself so I
don't know whether it would be any use in this application.

David

.. or rather use regular resin. The breakaway kind is too fragile for
this, IMHO.
Here's another idea (not tested, but it might work): some sort of
mixture of plaster and papier-mache. That should theoretically break
better.

Is that what is called carton pierre (based on papier mâché and used for
"plaster" ornamentation)? The other possibility is to make the papier
mâché very thin and finish it with several coats of laquer. I'm sure that
there was a Russian tradition of laquered papier mâché boxes, which were
hard.

David

On Mon, 6 Nov 2006 22:00:37 -0000, "David Lee"
wrote:

Ioan Barladeanu wrote...
I don't think that papier mâché will be a suitable material for your
purpose. Remember that the finished product will effectively be made of
cardboard and so is unlikely to be smashable. I would expect that a 3 foot
long model microphone would probably only be dented. What about the
material used to make breakaways? I'm thinking of the sugar-glass
replacement. Unfortunately I have no experience of the stuff myself so I
don't know whether it would be any use in this application.

David

.. or rather use regular resin. The breakaway kind is too fragile for
this, IMHO.
Here's another idea (not tested, but it might work): some sort of
mixture of plaster and papier-mache. That should theoretically break
better.

Is that what is called carton pierre (based on papier mâché and used for
"plaster" ornamentation)? The other possibility is to make the papier mâché
very thin and finish it with several coats of laquer. I'm sure that there
was a Russian tradition of laquered papier mâché boxes, which were hard.

David


If the OP does choose to go with papier mache, don't use strips of
paper, use small fragments. The smaller the pieces of paper, the more
easily breakable the same thickness of papier mache is. Ideally the
size you want for mache that will break is what you get from a
crosscut paper shredder (the kind that simultaneiously strips the
paper and cut the strips into little bits.)


--
Posted via a free Usenet account from http://www.teranews.com

David Lee wrote:
Is that what is called carton pierre (based on papier mâché and used for
"plaster" ornamentation)? [...]

David

I don't know, it's just a thought i had while reading the project's
requirements

When I visited the NY state capitol (Albany) the tour guide said a lot of
ornament (big brackets) were paper mache and it was considered a fire safety
material. She didn't know why.
I just know it's murder getting the pulpy stuff to dry reasonably quick so
you might make armature of chickenwire so air can circulate from the inside
too.
Dan

From: "Ioan Barladeanu"
Organization: http://groups.google.com
Newsgroups: alt.sculpture,rec.crafts.misc,rec.arts.theatre.sta gecraft
Date: 8 Nov 2006 03:35:21 -0800
Subject: casting papier mache

David Lee wrote:
Is that what is called carton pierre (based on papier mâché and used for
"plaster" ornamentation)? [...]

David

I don't know, it's just a thought i had while reading the project's
requirements