Alja‑Safe™ Alginate Quick Start Guide
Overview
It's easy and fun to make a lifecast of anyone's hand!
Just follow the simple step-by-step lifecasting guide that follows, and you will have a perfect lifecasting which will "freeze time" and create a long lasting memento.
Safe to use Alja-Safe™ is the world’s first alginate that does not contain crystalline silica (a known carcinogen). Alja-Safe™ is perfect for making single-use molds of the face, hands and other body parts. It captures detail better than other alginates, giving you a more accurate reproduction of your original.
Alja-Safe™ is easy to use and cures quickly. It reproduces fine detail and makes an excellent temporary mold – good for one or two reproductions of any body part. You can then cast plaster, Matrix™ NEO™ (polymer modified gypsum) or Smooth-Cast™ 300Q ultra-fast urethane resin into the mold to make a reproduction.
Materials Used in this Tutorial
- Alja-Safe™ Lifecasting Starter Kit
- Mixing Sticks
- Mixing Containers
- Warm Water
- Vinyl Gloves
- Plastic Knife
Step 1: Preparing Alja-Safe™
First, decide how you want your finished casting to look, and hold that pose.
Measure Alja-Safe™ powder and water in equal amounts by volume. Ideal water temperature is 80F/ 27C. Add Alja-Safe™ powder to water. Mix until smooth and creamy.
Then pour the Alja-Safe™ molding gel into the container. To minimize air bubbles in the finished mold, rinse hands with water before immersing into the Alja-Safe™.
Step 2: Using Alja-Safe™
Slowly immerse the posed hand into Alja-Safe™. Make sure not to touch sides or bottom of the container. Alja-Safe™ will set in 8-10 minutes.
Gently wiggle your fingers and slowly remove your hand from the mold. The mold is now ready for casting.
Step 3: Measuring, Mixing, and Casting Plaster
Measure out 2 equal parts of plaster powder to 1 equal part of water by volume. Pour the water into a mixing container and then slowly add plaster powder. Allow it to soak for 2 minutes.
Now mix the plaster and water until the mixture is creamy (approx. 4 minutes). Fill the mold halfway with plaster and rotate the mold gently in all directions to minimize air bubbles.
Step 4: Demolding Plaster From Alja-Safe™
Allow plaster to cure for a minimum of 3 hours.
After the plaster is cured, core the mold in a grid pattern with a plastic knife. You can now carefully remove Alja-Safe™ from the plaster hand by peeling it away. The casting reflects perfect detail and may be painted or clear coated to finish.
