No, Hirst Arts. Just...no.

[frankthedm]

So, how well does concrete / cement work in Hirst arts molds? I cast tank traps and barricades from ice cube trays and was wondering if the small details would just crumble too easily from the Hirst arts mold details.

 

[H.M.Gimlord]

I don't know from experience, but I imagine that getting the bubbles out of concrete would be extremely difficult. Concrete tends to be porous, and outgases as it cures. It also expands.

I've been told that a mixture of plaster of paris and raw concrete (no stones) will make something that has properties similar to dental stone, but I think dental stone has a polymer compound in it that concrete doesn't have, and I can't imagine concrete being less brittle or even on par with dental stone.

 

[frankthedm]

Thanks!

You must spread some Experience Points around before giving it to H.M.Gimlord again.

I don't know from experience, but I imagine that getting the bubbles out of concrete would be extremely difficult.

Vibro-Massagers help with that.

I've been told that a mixture of plaster of paris and raw concrete (no stones) will make something that has properties similar to dental stone,

Concrete or Portland Cement?

 

[H.M.Gimlord]

Portland Cement?

You're right. I was thinking of Portland Cement. Concrete would be too porous.

[MENTION=1164]frankthedm[/MENTION]: Have you tried the vibro massagers? I'm afraid they wouldn't work because, unlike plaster or dental stone, concrete tends to produce bubbles chemically while curing.

 

[frankthedm]

Have you tried the vibro massagers? I'm afraid they wouldn't work because, unlike plaster or dental stone, concrete tends to produce bubbles chemically while curing.

The massager helped reduce the bubbles when i cast the quick set concrete. Without using it the blocks came out of the ice cube trays very weathered looking. Sharp edges / angles tended to be brittle.

 

[H.M.Gimlord]

I have another idea to bring to life an encounter based on an L4W game I've been DMing for about a year and a half now, called Hey! That's Not Wayne's Basement. The idea is the cellar of an inn with enormous wine casks, one of which is actually a secret door leading to a den of thieves. Problem is, Burce Hirst only has a 1" wide cask, and I would be looking for a cask of at least 2" in diameter and 3" long. Here's a link to "The Cask" in Heidelberg, Germany that served as an inspiration for the idea. Any ideas where I can get a mold for something like this without having to cast the mold myself?

Ah. I found a picture that gave me an idea. I could, possibly, build my own barrel: [sblock=Barrel Inspiration Pic]

[/sblock]Found this one on the Frozen Chaos website. I was planning on getting the wood plank set anyway (yet more money :sigh: ).

 

[Mark CMG]

A shaving cream cap ought to be about the right size.

 

[H.M.Gimlord]

Good point. I also thought of using the container from the old game "A Barrel of Monkeys" [sblock=Pic]

[/sblock]

 

[H.M.Gimlord]

Kobold Hall Update:

[sblock=Full Layout So Far]

[/sblock]The modeling clay casts worked pretty well to make ruined sarcophagus lids. If I were going for something new-looking, I wouldn't have used it, but for a ruin it added a nice touch. I gave up on the small tiles and decided to use floor tiles upside-down. I poured plaster into the crack between the tiles to hide the seam, and then sanded it smooth. I couldn't get it perfectly flat, but that just added to the "broken lid" look.[sblock=Sarcophagus Lids]

[/sblock]The dais posed an interesting test to my patience. I wanted it to look good, so I decided to use the little 1/8" X 1/8" X 1/4" blocks. The problem was that there is only one of them in the #70 mold, and the dais required 28 of them. That means over 14 hours of waiting for plaster to cure! So I did what all good engineers do. I cheated. I used the portcullis block. You know the one that looks like four of the little blocks placed side-by-side. I simply filled the holes with plaster. This wasn't easy, because the plaster sets almost immediately when you pour it on dry plaster. Doing this required some sanding to make sure that it looked good when it was done. In the end, it's almost impossible to tell that I did it. The second photo in this spoiler is a shot of the underside of the dais. You can see where I used the portcullis block.[sblock=Dais]From the top you can't tell.

From the bottom, you can see how I did it. Notice the four dimples on the top block.

[/sblock]Here are some more action shots. I love this set. My son had a friend over for the weekend, and we all played the first encounter using the set. At that time, the second room had not yet been painted. He's coming back this weekend, and I'll be ready for them .[sblock=Action Shots]

[/sblock]

 

[jimmifett]

Very awesome! I'm thinking of getting a couple molds when my bday rolls around this year.