Take the original from which the cast is to be
made, and with a soft brush coat it with sweet oil;
suspend it in a frame or box about one inch larger
in diameter. Prepare the plaster of paris quickly
but carefully, sprinkling the powder in cold water,
stirring at the same time, till it forms a thick
creamy mass; then pour it in the frame to sur-
round and cover the object.
It will harden in about ten minutes; but it is
best to let harden in the cast for about half an
hour.
Smooth casts are sawed in halves.
Angular figures have to be cut in more parts.
An opening is cut if the molds are intended for
casting in sugar or in fat.
The molds may be made more durable by ex-
posing them to a dry heat.
Candy molds are varnished on both sides.
To make half casts for molding, the oiled object
may be pressed halfway down in the thin plaster
and removed when the plaster hardens; but a
better way to make such casts is to take common
potters' clay and press one-half of the object into
the clay, leaving only the part exposed of which
the cast is to be made. Brush the exposed part
with oil, place a frame around the object and pour
in the plaster.
For border and face casts of this kind, sulphur
is often used; also for casting the faces of coins
and medallions. The sulphur is melted on a slow
fire, the object oiled and the cast is made the same
way as with the plaster of paris.
To make stands for ornamental pieces, it is ad-
visable to use wooden stands of suitable size, and
cover them with thin layers of gum paste; or use
a brush and some royal icing diluted with gum
water.
Borders may be made from gum paste, or the
stand may be piped with royal icing.
Plain royal icing after it becomes dry falls from
the coated objects, and the wooden stand should
be rubbed or brushed with diluted fruit jelly be-
fore putting on the icing, which makes it adhere
better.
1148.— FIGURES AND SOCLES FROM FAT,
WAX, STEARIN AND PARAFFIN.
For figures take even parts of paraffin and
stearin; or, take one part of paraffin, one part of
mutton tallow, one part of white wax, and one
part of lard.
Melt all parts together on a slow fire; do not let
the mixture get too hot, because it turns the fat
yellow, and the cast objects should be white.
When the melted fat has cooled a little, make
the castings. If color is added, it should be done
while the mixture is hot.
The plaster molds used for casting should be
laid in water of about 75" Fahr. for half an hour
before casting; then drain off the water, run in
the fat and put the mold in cold water.
If you wish the castings hollow, allow a little
time for the outside crust to from, reverse the
mold, let the liquid part run out, and return to
the water to harden; then remove the casting care-
fully from the mold.
A preparation of even parts of wax and mutton
tallow is used for molding flowers and small ob-
jects by hand. The mixture is melted together
and set to harden; the next day it is cut in fine
shavings, which are worked in a cloth till soft and
pliable. The flowers are formed by hand like the
sugar flowers ( see No. 1143) .
Small bunches of grass are imitated by press-
ing green-colored fat through a sieve in small
threads.
Small blossoms and flowers are also made with
lead forms which are cast in the shape of the
flower; the form is fastened to a wire, the para-
ffin and wax is melted and the form dipped first
in the paraffin and then in iced water; it hardens
immediately and can be taken out of the form.
The center can be made with a paper cornet, with
soft tallow.
To use the fat for decorating with bag and tube:
Melt two parts of mutton tallow with one part of
lard, strain through a fine cloth into a basin and
let cool; when it begins to set, beat with an egg-
beater till white and light.
To prepare the fat for large socles, take even
parts of mutton tallow and leaf lard; free it from
Page 167
Presented as published in 1907. Historical recipes may not meet modern food-safety standards. Cook from the modern interpretation, not the original instructions.
AI-modernized reading of the original text
Take the original from which the cast is to be made, and with a soft brush coat it with sweet oil; suspend it in a frame or box about one inch larger in diameter. Prepare the plaster of paris quickly but carefully, sprinkling the powder in cold water, stirring at the same time, till it forms a thick creamy mass; then pour it in the frame to surround and cover the object.
It will harden in about ten minutes; but it is best to let harden in the cast for about half an hour.
Smooth casts are sawed in halves.
Angular figures have to be cut in more parts.
An opening is cut if the molds are intended for casting in sugar or in fat.
The molds may be made more durable by exposing them to a dry heat.
Candy molds are varnished on both sides.
To make half casts for molding, the oiled object may be pressed halfway down in the thin plaster and removed when the plaster hardens; but a better way to make such casts is to take common potters' clay and press one-half of the object into the clay, leaving only the part exposed of which the cast is to be made. Brush the exposed part with oil, place a frame around the object and pour in the plaster.
For border and face casts of this kind, sulphur is often used; also for casting the faces of coins and medallions. The sulphur is melted on a slow fire, the object oiled and the cast is made the same way as with the plaster of paris.
To make stands for ornamental pieces, it is advisable to use wooden stands of suitable size, and
cover them with thin layers of gum paste; or use a brush and some royal icing diluted with gum water.
Borders may be made from gum paste, or the stand may be piped with royal icing.
Plain royal icing after it becomes dry falls from the coated objects, and the wooden stand should be rubbed or brushed with diluted fruit jelly before putting on the icing, which makes it adhere better.
1148.— FIGURES AND SOCLES FROM FAT, WAX, STEARIN AND PARAFFIN.
For figures take even parts of paraffin and stearin; or, take one part of paraffin, one part of mutton tallow, one part of white wax, and one part of lard.
Melt all parts together on a slow fire; do not let the mixture get too hot, because it turns the fat yellow, and the cast objects should be white.
When the melted fat has cooled a little, make the castings. If color is added, it should be done while the mixture is hot.
The plaster molds used for casting should be laid in water of about 75" Fahr. for half an hour before casting; then drain off the water, run in the fat and put the mold in cold water.
If you wish the castings hollow, allow a little time for the outside crust to form, reverse the mold, let the liquid part run out, and return to the water to harden; then remove the casting carefully from the mold.
A preparation of even parts of wax and mutton tallow is used for molding flowers and small objects by hand. The mixture is melted together and set to harden; the next day it is cut in fine shavings, which are worked in a cloth till soft and pliable. The flowers are formed by hand like the sugar flowers ( see No. 1143) .
Small bunches of grass are imitated by pressing green-colored fat through a sieve in small threads.
Small blossoms and flowers are also made with lead forms which are cast in the shape of the flower; the form is fastened to a wire, the paraffin and wax is melted and the form dipped first in the paraffin and then in iced water; it hardens immediately and can be taken out of the form. The center can be made with a paper cornet, with soft tallow.
To use the fat for decorating with bag and tube: Melt two parts of mutton tallow with one part of lard, strain through a fine cloth into a basin and let cool; when it begins to set, beat with an eggbeater till white and light.
To prepare the fat for large socles, take even parts of mutton tallow and leaf lard; free it from