Q	What scale are these molds designed for?
A	The molds were originally designed to work with 25-30mm scaled figures. However, they can work for different scales depending on how you use them. For 16mm figures, use the windows as doorways instead. For larger scales, the blocks could be used as small bricks in a large wall.

Q

How difficult is it to build these models if you've never done anything like this before?

A

It's not difficult. It takes about as much skill as putting together a plastic model car. As with any hobby, you'll learn to do it better as you go. Remember that first model car? You probably put it together ok, but afterwards realized where those extra parts were supposed to go and saw how it could have been done a little better. Each time you mix a batch of plaster you get better at it. After you paint your first building, you'll see what colors may have worked a little better. There's a learning curve with any hobby, but overall anyone 8 years old and up could build something with the molds and it would come out fairly well.

Q	Will blocks from different molds fit together?
A	Yes. Any block from any mold will fit together with another. All blocks are created in 1/4" increments or multiples of 1/4".

Q

I'm looking over all the molds and I'm not sure what to get. Which molds are the best ones to buy?

A

That depends on what project you want to build. My suggestion is to start out with a basic mold like the #50 wizard's tower or #51 dragon's inn. Once you build something small, you'll get a better idea how the blocks work. After that you'll start getting lots of ideas for stairways, multiple towers, etc. and be able to see how it all works together. From that point I think you can look over the list of molds and make a good choice depending on what your next project is.

Q

What's the best kind of glue to use?

A

It depends on what you like. Elmer's glue will work, but you have to wait forever for it to dry. I'll give you some advantages and disadvantages of each: Tacky glue and other water based glues It's water soluble so it cleans up with water. Thick glues (like tacky glue and wood glue) take about 15 minutes to set up, so you still have time to push and shove a few blocks to get them to line up. Thin water based glues take too long to dry. It doesn't stink or give you brain damage from breathing it constantly. If you've glued something in the wrong place, you can spray it with water, the glue will soften and you can remove the block without destroying it. It's water based, so the glue will soften when you paint it with latex paint. This is a big disadvantage! It's also one I've learned to work around. You can paint the inside of a structure and let it dry overnight. The next day paint the outside and you won't have much problem. Once the first coat of paint is totally dry, it seals the glue so water won't affect it again (of course I haven't left one out in the rain all night to find out for sure). Liquid Nails and other solvent based glues It dries fast and strong. The bond will be stronger than water based glues. Once the glue is dry, you don't have to worry about the glue softening when painting. You have to use it in a well ventilated area. Stick a fan in the window. Once you glue something, it's stuck! You'll have to chip the block away to remove it. If you know of a different or better type of glue than these, please let me know.

Q

How long do the molds last, and what is the best way to clean and store them?

A

As long as you use gypsum products (such as plaster, hydrocal or dental plaster) the molds will last for years and hundreds of casts. I've never had a mold wear out yet and I've used some as long as 3 years. Usually the molds don't need to be cleaned. If mixed properly, the plaster will pop out of the mold leaving no residue. Sometimes you will have plaster on the face of the mold which you can simply rub off with the palm of your hand. If you do need to clean them (maybe after 10-15 casts) use soap and water. An old toothbrush works well to get down into the mold cavities. Do not clean them with paint thinner or solvents! They will soften or dissolve the mold. If you're going to store the molds, give them a light coat of talcum powder (baby powder) and store them laying flat. If stored on their side for several months they may tend to warp.

Q

I can't find your molds available at my local hobby shop. Do you sell to retailers?

A

I'm not able to sell to retailers at the moment. I price the molds starting from how much rubber it uses, plus the cost per hour it's worth for me to make. If the price were any higher (due to the mark-up that retailers must have), I don't think anyone would buy the molds. I do have an online shopping cart and shipping is very quick. I usually send the molds out the same day I receive the order and it takes about 3-4 days to ship anywhere in the U.S.

Q

Do you have a schedule of which molds will be released next?

A

I have several new projects in the works. Most are in the design stages and I work on each one as the inspiration hits me. Each mold has its own design and building problems to overcome. If I hit a road block on solving its specific problems, I move onto the next mold and come back to it later. Because of this method of solving problems, there's no way to tell specifically which mold will be next or when it will happen. I refuse to release a new mold design until I am confident that it's well designed and easy to use.

Q

On some of your models I see statues that aren't in your molds section. Can you reproduce miniatures with your molds?

A

Casting miniatures is a whole different ball game. On the gallery page is a castle called the "tower of the teeth". The little devil dogs you see on the castle I created using a 2-piece mold. The little sucker took me 2 hours to carve. The 2-piece mold took me 8 hours to make (not including cure time). Even after I made the mold, the casting plastic wouldn't flow into the mold correctly. I had to cut so many vents in the mold (which turns into a sprue when you pour the plastic in) that trimming the piece was a nightmare. Needless to say, I'm not making 2-piece molds to sell. To do miniatures any justice, you need a spin casting machine that uses centrifugal force to push the casting material into the mold. Gravity itself isn't enough. The other bad thing about reproducing miniatures is violating the copyright. Most miniatures are considered artwork and are copyrighted by the designer. Even my molds are copyrighted in my name. If you make duplicate miniatures and sell them, you're infringing on the artist's copyright. For information about copying our molds or selling models made from our molds, refer to the Legal Statement page.

Q	Can you make me a special mold if I have something in mind?
A	I can if there is enough demand for it. It takes me about a 40 hour week to create the original blocks for a kit. That's not including planning the pieces, designing the model, test building the model, making building instructions, adding the new mold to the web page along with the specs of the mold. And that's if everything works out right the first time.

Q

On your large castle "Tower of the Teeth", I see pieces not available on your molds page like decorative braces, spikes and the large rounded wall section.

A

That's right. When I started making molds, they were for my own use exclusively. So many people wanted copies of my molds that I decided to sell them. I've experimented with lots of things that just aren't set up for duplicate molds. The large curved wall is made from special curved bricks I created just for that project. While stacking them up, I found the wall wouldn't line up straight and I had to do a lot of sanding to get them to fit. That's why I haven't offered it to anyone else.

If you have any questions, please e-mail me at bruce@hirstarts.com.