Essential Baby Hand & Foot 3D Casting Kit

Description

• Perfect starter gift kit to create your own baby hand & feet casts
• Comes in a Cotton drawstring gift bag with alginate moulding powder & plaster of paris
• Safe to use on babies & toddlers, and comes with full instructions
• Changes colour when setting – easy to use (use colder water for a longer setting time)
• Comes with a set of tools – paintbrush, PVA glue, wooden pick, latex-free gloves

Standard size contains:

• 1 x Chromatic Alginate 450g
• 1 x Plaster of Paris 1kg
• 1 x Set of Cast Tools
• 1 x Instructions

Plus size contains the following increased quantities:

• 1 x Chromatic Alginate 900g
• 1 x Plaster of Paris 1.5kg

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Step 1: Making the mould using Chromatic Alginate

Preparation is key. Before making the mould, practice placing the child’s hands or feet into your container.  A small jug will often suffice, depending on the size of the child’s limbs.

Choose your preferred hand position, and try to make sure the hands or feet do not touch the edges of the container. You may want to get an assistant to help you. For best results, oil the hands/feet with olive oil or petroleum jelly, as this will make them easier to remove from the mixture. Hair in particular can be troublesome if not oiled.

The Standard size contains enough alginate and plaster to create up to 3 casts of a newborn baby, or 2 casts of a toddler/small child. The Plus sized kit can do up to 6 newborns, or 4 casts of a toddler.

To avoid wastage, try to find suitably sized containers, otherwise you may use too much alginate.

• Use a ratio of 1 part alginate to 1 part water. So if you fill your container up with water, fill it to the same level with alginate.
• Use cold water from the tap as this will give you a longer setting time. (Colder water will set slower, warmer faster)
  • It’s a good idea to try a small amount first just so you can judge the setting time
• Once you’ve measured out both quantities of water and alginate, have them ready, and then pour the water into your chosen mixing container first
• Then mix the powder carefully into the water (not the other way round as this can cause mixing problems)
• Start mixing the solution instantly preferably with a metal/plastic whisk (though you can use an electric hand mixer on a slow setting, or a flat spatula). Try to do this within 30 seconds
• The mixture will always be slightly lumpy – don’t worry about this as it won’t affect the end result
• As soon as it’s ready, pour the solution into the supplied container, and get ready for the most important bit
• Place the hands or feet into the container, and move around slightly, making sure the solution has spread around
• Be careful not to touch the sides – it’s a good idea to touch the bottom, and then lift up slightly
• Keep still for approximately two minutes until the alginate has set a light grey/white colour, and is rubbery to the touch
• Once set, slowly wriggle the hands or feet free (this where the oil helps). If it’s difficult to remove from the mould, slowly wiggle a few fingers or toes. Keep pulling slowly, and eventually you’ll hear a sucking noise which means it should easily slide out

Try this on the first hand or foot first, and then move onto the next stage (filling the mould with plaster of paris, so you can see if any improvements are made in your next casts. Practice makes perfect!

Step 2: Pouring the Plaster of Paris into the mould to create the Cast

Step 3: Revealing & finishing your new baby cast!

Full instructions are included with this baby casting kit.