While I sell (literally) a ton of the hydrocal kits I make I noticed on another thread that some modelers just do not like plaster kits. Because I'm always looking to improve our products and keep them more user friendly I'd like to ask why it is that you either like or dislike plaster/hydrocal kits.

I use hydrocal (a hard casting plaster) for my kits because I can make the molds cheaply (which means I can offer a larger variety), the plaster is less expensive than resin, holds great detail, the main structure of most buildings can be glued together & ready to paint in about 15 minutes, the plaster takes paint very nicely and if you have to modify a part it cuts/shapes easily. I guess I'm missing the downside, please enlighten me. Thanks guys.



Randy Pepprock
Dioramas Plus

www.dioramasplus.com

Howdy downtown,

Even though I had found a rather interesting alternative medium some time ago I would be curious as well to hear your replies....

BTW, your provided photograph of your product {I'm assuming} is quite impressive, pray tell, what is the retail price for such a 'downtown' structure?



Semper Fi!



Buck, oops, errr, Tread

Thanks. $45.00. It includes laser cut wood windows and shattered glass & the basic building can be ready for paint in about 15 minutes. Cheers!

Randy Pepprock
www.dioramasplus.com

The downside is no 1/48 scale

Randy-- I have several of your products. They are superb. Easy to assemble with clear instructions and the box is a great paint guide. Keep up the good work.
DJ

Hi Randy, I have been building dioramas for over 20 years and much prefer plaster/hydracal buildings over any other type simply because, ease of construction and they can be weathered just like the real thing you can quite easely cast your own add on walls. I think the main reason most people dont like plaster is that some manufacturers use a low grade of plaster and over use of molds causing the parts to distort. The better grade ones like the old
Kurton buildings are of a very high standard, unfortunately not in production any more. However I have some in my stash to compare to other brands, I have not however tried your brand but hope to do so in the future.

Randy,
Although I've only seen photographs of your products ( and they are very nice looking) so I'm not sure if your stuff is included in this, one of the biggest gripes I hear about plaster buildings is the lack of detail on the inside walls and weight of final product (several structures on one dio base can make for a pretty heavy piece)
Minimal complaints I know.
Vacu-formed buildings have a complete other set of 'complaints'

Cheers,
Charles

I like plaster pieces, I've bought a few, -not yours due to postage costs, and I've made a lot.
The factors that are off putting are:
1. Weight- as Charles says this can make a dio pretty heavy. Also it increases postage costs and increased probability of breakage.
2. Unless the plaster is colored, the slightest scratch shows up.
3. I'm at a stage where unless the piece is really special I have the skill and experience to make pieces to my own specifications.

Having said all that I'm considering buying one of your pieces from the UK stockist.

I like plaster but dislike the fact there is no interior detail. Would it be possible to reduce the width of the casting and "sandwich" on an interior detail section?
Miniart have done this in plastic and produced some great looking kits ( but are a complete pain to build!)
PS really pleased to see that you now have a UK distributor.

Hi Randy,

Personally I like plaster buildings, interior detaill is alwasy a plus and almost a must these days.

BTW, who's doing your UK Distribution, nice set of building you have there.

Al

My experience of diorama building is limited (mainly due to space issues), but on the odd occasion that I have tried plaster buildings I've found them to be very susceptible to breakage (and the taller they are, the more fragile).

I'll give you an example: A couple of years ago I decided that I would after all step outside my comfort zone and take a stab a building a (relatively) ambitious diorama.

I'd seen on ebay.de some really nice-looking plaster cast buildings and bases that some guy made himself, and so I bought a couple.

Upon arrival however, some of the pieces had already broken (this despite them being VERY well packed inside a mass of polystyrene and bubble-wrap) and after that it seemed that all I had to do was look at them and another bit broke off.

They just weren't fit for purpose, and I ended up binning the lot. I may as well have taken 77 Euros (the total cost including postage) and flushed it down the crapper - it was an expensive lesson.

I drew the conclusion that the bloke must have been using a low-quality plaster, but I've also encountered similar problems with supposedly "good quality" brand name items (namely Verlinden), with the result that now I'd be very wary of using plaster structures on any diorama - certainly tall building sections like the one at the top of the thread.

I will however stress that I've never used any of your products, so can't comment first-hand on their quality or otherwise. I also have a couple of old Trophy Models buildings still shrink-wrapped in the stash that I do intend to use at some point. Its just that my experience with the medium to date has been more negative than positive.

I also echo Pat's comment above about chipping issues.

- Steve

Al,
You can find them stocked at www.covemodels.co.uk
Cheers
David

Thanks to all for the honest replies.

As for breakage problems, my company (Dioramas Plus, see the ad to the right) has a pretty good track record. I've sold over a thousand items on that "auction site" & have a 100% rating w/zero complaints. I bubble wrap the castings strap them to two sheets of cardboard, wrap them with shrink wrap, wrap that with newsprint & them fit the whole unit into a sturdy cardboard box. Still though, if for any reason you end up with a damaged piece (even if it's your fault) give me a call & I'll send you a replacement piece at no charge.

As to whether hydrocal is simply too soft & that it might get broken after you have the diorama assembled, well, I guess that may be a double edged sword. The very thing that makes hydrocal attractive as a building material (ease of assembly, kitbashing and making modifications) can be a downside if you drop your finished diorama. Solution? Handle your finished diorama just as you would any other finished model. Don't drop it or handle it roughly. : )

Thanks again to all. I'm working on some new stuff w/bases now. Cheers.

Randy Pepprock
www.dioramasplus.com