Plaster Cast to Resin Mold

[james kirk]

Basically here's what is boils down to...
I would like to copy a USG Tuf-Cal gypsum cement head of William Shatner
to put on a mannequin body for display...
I would like to make it out of Resin...
But the creator of the head said that it shouldn't get wet or it will ruin it...
Is there any solutions to the problem that I have that anyone can think of???
Thanks
Mike

 

[blue2k]

Can you not cover the head in heat shrink plastic and then take a mould to make a resin cast? Covering the head in silicone and then also making a cast would also work (unless silicone is considered "wet").

 

[Duncanator]

Silicone should work great. It isn't "wet" cuz there is no water in it.

 

[MadMike]

First of all, just to get this straight, do you really want to make a resin mold? Or do you want to make a silicone mold to pull a resin casting from?

Secondly, I don't know this plaster in particular, but I never had any issues with plaster getting wet (in terms of "ruining it", it only got wet). But since plaster tends to be somehow porous, I guess the head should be sealed somehow.
To be absolutely sure what is the best you should get some of this plaster, cast something and do some testruns on how different materials react with the plaster (water, spray laquer, vaseline, wood sealer and so on).

 

[james kirk]

Sorry I would like to make a silicone mold to pull a resin cast...
I will try to see if I can get some of that to test...
Thank You
Michael