FINALLY!!!! The mold for the Idol Artifact Pedestal "Economy" version is finally complete and is now undergoing a test casting to see how it all turns out. So far the mold is perfect and came out exactly as I wanted.
For the test castings, I'm experimenting on a casting method I had used on my original 18" diameter Idol pedestal. To save on material costs, and to keep the finished castings lighter in weight I'm doing this as a "sandwich" casting. Hydrocal gypsum cement (which is what I'll be using for these) is pretty darn heavy, so by using less material I'll be keeping the weight to a minimum, which will drastically lower the shipping costs, allowing me to keep the final price as low as possible.
What's involved in this method is pouring in a nice 1/2" layer of gypsum on the bottom of the mold. Then when the gypsum reaches a slushy state, I add a pre-cut, pre-measured round piece of rigid foam (this becomes the core of the final casting). The foam is very lightweight but also very strong. Then once the foam has properly anchored itself in the slush, I add the final pouring. The result, a rock-hard, solid but lightweight piece... here's hoping.
As of this writing, I just pulled the first casting and it's beautiful! But it's still a tad of the heavy side. I'll need to try again adding a thicker piece of foam for the core. Once I reach the desired weight, I'll post another update. Stay tuned! And fingers crossed!
