MAKING MOULDS AND CASTS. 



261 



FIG. 60. Second Step in Making a Piece llould. 



4. Dot a line on the sand all round, to show how far out to 

 run the plaster, and avoid making the mould too thick. 



5. Take two-thirds of a teacup of water, and put in plaster 

 Paris until it becomes about as thick as New Orleans molasses. 

 Stir thoroughly 



with a spoon, and 

 let it stand two or 

 three minutes. 



6. Dip the plas- 

 ter out with a tea- 

 spoon, and cover 

 the exposed part 

 of the apple. It 

 will run down all 

 over the horizon- 

 tal surface of the 

 sand, but never 

 mind that. Make 

 it cover the apple 

 everywhere to a 



depth of a quarter of an inch. In some places it will be thick- 

 er. After about three or four minutes the plaster will be as 

 stiff as modeling clay. While it is in this state take your pal- 

 ette knife and neatly smooth and shape the outer surface. Fin- 

 ish smoothing with the finger, and let the plaster harden. This 

 will take about seven minutes longer, or until the plaster has 

 warmed and cooled again. The time varies according to the hu- 

 midity of the atmosphere. 



7. Take the apple from the sand, with the half mould on it, 

 wash off the sand, and neatly trim the edge of the mould with a 

 knife. 



8. With a blunt-pointed knife make three countersunk holes 

 in the edge of the mould. 



9. With a brush, anoint the edge of the mould with thin clay, 

 clay-water, or soft soap, or lard oil, or even lard. 



10. Turn the mould up on edge, and bed half of the exposed 

 portion of the apple in the sand, as seen in Fig. 60. Fill in this 

 space with plaster, precisely the same as when the first piece 

 was made, which produces the second piece of the mould. 



