finding hydrocal plaster in bulk

Model Railroader Layouts and layout building
1

I live along the Ohio River in West Virginia and it seems none of the area building suppliers carry this light weight plaster. Though I use other materials for scenery this is still the best for much of what I’m working on. Small amounts cost too much. Any WV or other modelers out there have any suggeations ? Thanks

MAC45

2

Usually you can buy 50# bags at a Pottery supply shop! I purchase from local shop for about $24.00

3

I have had better luck in using United States Gypsum Number Casting Plaster. Works about as well as Hydrocal but is carried by more suppliers. Check craft stores, brick and masonry suppliers, big box stores. Maybe contact USG and they can give you the name of the nearest seller. Fifty pounds cost me about $15.

Mark B

4

I live in a fairly rural/small town area and cannot find Hydrocal anywhere witing 100 miles, so I ordered it online. It was a bit pricy to ship, but it is the best rock castingn plaster I’ve tried so it was worth it as a one time expense. I ordered it at the site below.

http://plaster.com/HYDROCAL.html

Hope this helps.

Ron

5

I buy mine in an 8-pound plastic bottle at my LHS. I’m sure it’s not the most economical way to purchase it, but it works for me. I go through this size pretty slowly, perhaps taking a couple of years to finish it. It’s a bottle with a tight-fitting screw top, so it’s well sealed. However, when my last bottle got to the bottom I found that the last half-inch or so would not make good castings, and had probably absorbed water just from sitting around for so long.

So, unless you are going through a lot of Hyrdrocal or you can protect it some other way, getting a 50 pound bag might not be the deal that it seems.