Casting and fixing - Tools and equipment

Busks

Shellac brush

Gauging trowel

Buckets and bowls

Filling in minor moulding detail work

Applying large amounts of plaster

Mixing plaster

Cleaning up moulds

They are cheaper than other materials

They can be 'cracked out' without splitting

They are easier to clean

They mix plaster better

They are used to spread shellac on a plaster reverse mould.

They must be kept in shellac pot or methylated spirits after use.

Normal paint brushes are preferred over solvent/oil brushes.

Solvent/oil brushes shed fewer bristles than normal paint brushes.

Scissors

Scraper

Fine toothed saw

Mitre box

Because it is used for delicate work

Because it is used for heavy-duty and messy work

Because it is only used for cutting plaster casts

Because it is used to measure angles

Mitre box

Scissors

Chalk line

Scraper

It provides a straight line to fix the cornice to.

It is used to measure the thickness of plaster.

It is used around the perimeter of the room at the depth and projection of the mould.

It is used for cutting plaster casts.

Metal rule

Spirit level

Plumb bob

Trowel

90 and 45 degrees

60 and 30 degrees

120 and 60 degrees

180 and 90 degrees

It is used to seal plaster moulds and is flammable.

It is used to reinforce casts and is non-flammable.

It is mixed with water to weaken.

It is only used in furniture making.

To reinforce casts

To provide a fixing point within casts

To measure angles

To provide a guide when running in situ

To add color to plaster

To reinforce casting

To make plaster waterproof

To speed up drying

Trowel

Hammer

Spirit level

Paintbrush