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DIY RockMaking Materials. (We are still identifying suppliers in the USA and other countries outside South Africa - if you find a supplier and would like to share the information with other Rock-Makers, please send us a supplier name and URL to our contact email address) Latex Mold Making Rubber Cement: In SA we get the following 32.5, 42.5 and 52.5 cement. 52.5 is a rapid hardening cement, its ingredients are basically the same as 32.5 and 42.5, its just much finer, which assists in the initial setting process. You can in all honesty really use any good cement but try to obtain the rapid setting one, it's nice for impatient guys like me. They all get equally hard after the curing time, which incidentally, is 28 days for all cementatious products. Don’t let anyone bullshit you on that one. The USA is very big into cement and additives, including polymers. It would possibly be a good idea to contact a cement manufacturer. Release agent. There are two types, the powder and liquid. We use the powder on floors and flat areas - it is totally hydrophobic and as a result will not work on vertical surfaces - it's great for joining and mural making. This powder is called Magnesiun Stearate. The chemical companies, or pharmaceutical companies sell it, we purchase from Crest Chemicals in Midrand. They are the cheapest, do not go for the pharmaceutical grade. I will get their website for you, sure they have a branch in the States. The one we get is called “ Magnesium Stearate, veggie kosher". The liquid is commonly obtained from concrete de-moulders - cement companies will be able to assist you with this. You get silicon and normally the silicon is a lot more expensive. Cemforce: This is a nylon matting material which strengthens both our latex moulds and our light weight pots and rocks. It’s a Hessian type matting, just in nylon. I do not know what its called in the States. Please stay away from fiber, it has very little benefit in our application. We require tensile strength, not compressive. In all honesty, it’s the cement which at the end of the day which gives us the strength, not the matting. Paint: Normal good water based paints. You do not need a compressor or spray gun - remember the Gardina hand pump you used for insecticides. That will also do, they are half the price of a compressor and gravity feed spray gun in SA, but in my opinion give a lot of problems and are not worthwhile. The DVD is an hour-long complete step by step process in the making of rock features, murals pots etc. Although in the DVD we mention various additives which we add to normal cement to enhance its qualities, normal 42.5 PPC cement will suffice. The reason we add some additives is because our moulds are used twice a day in order to produce quantity. You will require latex rubber. The rest is sand, fiberglass for your mould and paint. We use DECRO paints which are also available in Durban or alternatively any good super acrylic PVA will do the same job. In the DVD we spend about 20 minutes showing you in detail how to make your own moulds. |