Plaster casts

[tommy the cat]

Gonna have a play trying to get some badger casts.
Thought that this may be of interest to someone as there is little info on this site on the subject.
http://www.worsleyschool.net/science/files/casts/oftracks.html
Dave

 

[Bushwhacker]

Nice link.

There's a cracking spot on one of the lakes next to my place where the ground is all clay, there's some great prints in there from badger, deer, foxes and water birds.
It's never crossed my mind to make any casts, but I might have a go now.

 

[Snowfire]

Plaster casts are great, made loads with out cubs and scouts who love making them. We've done dogs, cats, foxes, badgers and our own feet and hands. Getting a hedgehog to walk in soft mud to get his prints (at least I think it was a he) was a challenge. Birds are good too - I'm always amazed at just how big their feet are!

If it's cold adding a pinch of salt helps the plaster to set quicker but it does make it more brittle so don't drop the cast. We don't bother with the cardboard ring - the plaster is usually thick enough to stay put without it and half the time pushing in the cardboard flicks up a bit of twig from under the print and spoils it.

Hope you get some good ones.

 

[Toddy]

The folks who make covings, and repair the fancy ones, use stuff called Fastset. It can be made in tiny quantities, poured into the track and lifted out in a couple of minutes. It's not dry at that stage but it's hard enough not to damage easily.
Usually available from builders merchants. Best seperated up into mini zip lock sandwich bags asap to minimise any damp getting in and setting it all off. Easier to pack into a washed out yoghurt pot when going for a walk just on the off chance you find something interesting, too

cheers,
Toddy

 

[tommy the cat]

Good tips guys. Like the idea of the fastset....
I posted before about making a 'trap' to get tracks anyone done this?
Was thinking of something like a greenhouse tray with builders sand in it near to a sett??
Just not sure how well the sand (or other substrate) will take plaster?
May have a play and see....
Dave
http://nationalzoo.si.edu/Education...iningCourseandManuals/trainingmanual/EM 4.pdf

 

[Snowfire]

I think the greenhouse tray might be a bit small for a badger. I'm not a badger expert but the smell of you on the tray might also put them off. Why not just spread the sand on the ground?

Sand should work well, try and get one with the grains fairly similar in size. Some sand is quite "gritty" which will spoil the finished cast - there's always one bit of grit that gets stuck edge on in the plaster. When I buy sand for this I go to the builders merchants and walk around by the bins a bit and try a few footprints of my own before I decide which one to buy.

I've also done plaster casts straight onto the soil - the ground is pretty soft at the moment so there should be good prints in places.

When I get the cast I wait at least 24 hours for the plaster to fully harden before you try and wash off the last of the sand otherwise the fine detail is easy to scrub away. I use cold water and an old toothbrush for cleaning the plaster then paint with acrylic paints (white household emulsion works well for the basecoat).

Hope that helps.

 

[JonathanD]

Great idea, the sprogs will love this. Why didn't I think of it

 

[Snowfire]

Thought this might help someone

Start with the easy ones

Dog

Cat

Still cat, but this one has extra toes - when you see her she looks like she's wearing boxing gloves.

Now onto proper wildlife

Hedgehog

Badger - it's got sand stuck all over it because Scouts were using it to make tracks in sand to get their own casts.

Finally a blackbird. Only know that because I saw it there just before I made the cast.

 

[tommy the cat]

Ok I know this is an old thread but good info all the same.
The seed trays do work and the badgers and deer seem not to be bothers by it.
I haven't got a good print yet as I think the sand was too dry and too firmly packed in but I'm hopeful over the weekend.
dave
ps sorry forgot to mention I used the larger seed trays about double normal size. Why? Well absolutely no trace of course.