: Hi there,

: Slightly off topic project, but it's going to be the same skills, right? I'm
: planning on making myself a face mask (for a ball), and thought I could do
: far worse than to use glass fibre. I've done loads of patches and fills
: and things on my old river racer/squirt boat, but I've never made anything
: from scratch. The intimidating part, then, is realising that I need a
: mold. What do I make the plug from and then how do I take the mold. I've
: made bang plates for my river racer using gooey blue release wax, friends
: have used cling film, but I'm not entirely sure.

: Also, to put on an outside layer of glitter (I'm a squirt boater - glitter's
: the only reason to undertake the project ;-), is the best way to lay in a
: layer of gel coat first, then put the glitter in that before laying on the
: cloth layers? I've got loads of glass mat, epoxy and mold release - how
: essential is gel coat to the project.

: I figure that if I get a reasonable result, I'll start some larger projects -
: squirt stix?

: Thanks for anyone who takes the time to help out. If there's a FAQ website,
: I'd much appreciate a link.

: Pete

As well as what rob says, if you search the archive for posts by hank (i think hank vanderaa), there's lots of good plaster info w/ releases etc.

the hot technique really would be to cast your face w/ some layers of open cloth reinforced plaster but read up first because it really can get burning hot if too thick. but its real quick. and take a positive from the cast and form the mask on the positive, but both are prob fine, but if you form the mask from the positive, you can sculpt it. from the negative you dont or have to add later.

I wonder if you press your face in wet sand, and gently pour plaster in that for the positive, rub off the sand, smoothe out, release and sculpt up? People here have done that for seat moulds. Like with me, it's probably a good match - at least I've been repeatedly told so(hehe).

-mick