Supporting > Casting
Making Bricks
J.L.:
This is not really about pouring a metal into a mold, but making bricks in a jig is sort of shaping material from scratch.
My next diorama will involve a lot of bricks so I wanted to see if they could be made so that corner slip bricks would not be needed - using full sized bricks. A quick YouTube search revealed a method that is working for me.
1. A jig is made with edges cut with kerfs spaced appropriately. One side of the jig is removable.
2. DAS is the molding clay material.
3 & 4. Loading and flattening the clay.
5 Cutting the bricks with a thin blade. The kerfs in the edges of the jig guide the blade.
6. A drying brick. The bricks come out with a bit of a crown on them like a loaf of freshly baked bread.
7. The brick is drawn over a sheet of course sandpaper to flatten and shape its dimensions.
8. Forgot to show the bricks cut both ways.
b.lindsey:
Interesting process John, and a nice looking result too. I see on the clay package that it is air drying. How long does it take to dry and is the sanding process done once completely dry?
Bill
J.L.:
Hi Bill,
Good questions. You are right. DAS is definitely air drying; it can take between 24 to 36 hours to harden properly.
The sanding is done when the bricks are completely dry. I draw them two or three time across the flat face of my 6" x 42" belt sander; flip them over and do the same on the other side. The machine is OFF.
But I do use power with my 1" belt sander to tidy up the edges and ends of the bricks. Wearing a mask is a must. I have not figured out how many bricks I will need yet, so I've put my brain on automatic pilot and make a batch a day.
Thanks for asking.
John
crueby:
Did you have to do anything special to keep the bricks from sticking to the form?
J.L.:
Hi Chris,
At first, I thought I would need a releasing agent. But the floor of the form is acrylic plastic. An artist's pallat knife is gently slid under a row of bricks after about three hours. They come away from the plastic nicely. (That's why one side of the jig is removable).
John
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