Plaster Molds 27 



mold heats perceptibly before setting. This warmth can be felt 

 by placing the hand on the mold. Never disturb the mold before 

 this action takes place; wait until the warmth is gone. 



Now turn the fish and mold over to the other side. Remove 

 the asbestos or sand ( Fig. 16 ) and clean the hardened plaster, 

 which now forms a plaster shelf around the specimen. Wipe 

 the exposed side of the fish and give it a coat of lacquer ( if using 

 this method). Apply a separator to the shelf to prevent the 

 flowing plaster from adhering to the set plaster. The separator 

 mav be Vaseline or sterine applied with a brush. Mix another 

 batch of plaster and repeat the process on this side of the fish. 



Warning! Plaster sets fairly fast. Do not diddle along while 

 working. Clean the plaster mixing receptacles as soon as pos- 

 sible. First remove as much plaster as you can with your hand; 

 then use a scrub brush and water to remove the thin layer re- 

 maining—but quickly! 



Molding the Fins. While the mold is setting the pectoral fin 

 and the two ventral fins, which were cut off earlier, can be at- 

 tended to. Simply place them on a piece of glass, table top, or 

 other smooth surface which has been greased with Vaseline or 

 sterine separator. Flow the plaster over the fins. The three fins 

 can be incorporated in one mold, but I prefer to mold each 

 separately ( Fig. 23 ) . When the plaster has set, turn the molds 

 over and cut two or three keys into the plaster of each mold 

 (Fig. 26). Apply the separator and flow the plaster over the 

 half molds thus making them each two piece. When the plaster 

 has set, insert a chisel between the halves and tap gently with a 

 hammer; the halves will separate. Remove the fins and set aside 

 the molds to dry. 



Separating Mold Halves. Now return to the fish mold, and 

 check that it has set. Separate the halves by inserting a chisel 

 here and there between the two parts. The halves should come 

 apart easily unless an excessive amount of plaster was allowed 

 to flow down over the first half of the mold during the plastering 

 of the second part. If this is the case, the edges have to be 



