Casting Spanish Moss ???

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mark james

mark james

IAP Collection, Curator
Joined
Sep 6, 2012
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Location
Medina, Ohio
I am slowly returning home to Ohio after the FLGAPG, and some lessons on segmenting (thanks Joe), and currently am in Savannah, GA. As I drove to Tybee Island to give a look around, I happen to see that by some coincidence two bags of spanish moss appeared on the passenger seat :eek:!

...OK, I stole some!

Q: Has anyone tried to cast this stuff? I use alumilite, and am aware of the issues with moisture, but I'm curious if there is any history with this yet. (Yes, I'll try this summer).

I'll do a search and see what I find.

Oh, and if anyone passes through Savannah, GA. Check out :

Case Woodworking Supply - Case Woodworking Supply Home

1725 Grove Point Road, Savannah, GA. 31419 (They are not an internet-based operation. They ship reluctantly, and only pen blanks I believe). They are mostly boards, slabs, spindle and bowl blanks. But... They had more waxed bowl and spindle blanks that any Woodcraft store I have been to!

A hole-in-the-wall until you go in the doors... I knew it was going to be a costly stop very soon. I bought mostly small boards (Oh yes, they had larger) - Jicarillo; Ebony; Olive wood blanks ($1.00); Shedua; Bloodwood; and what I was really looking for - 5" x 5" x 12" waxed turning blanks (for Bowls of Courage boxes).
 
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I tried casting some several years ago when I first got started and was casting everything that sat still long enough for me to get my hands on. I put some in red dye and then dried it in the toaster oven for a while. I used Silmar 41. I was shooting for a vein full of blood look and it cast ok but I didn't have enough moss in the cast and after revers painting black and turning, it appeared a bit empty so I put it aside and moved on. Hopefully you will have better luck!
 
Moss Galore!

mark james said:
I am slowly returning home to Ohio after the FLGAPG, and some lessons on segmenting (thanks Joe), and currently am in Savannah, GA. As I drove to Tybee Island to give a look around, I happen to see that by some coincidence two bags of spanish moss appeared on the passenger seat :eek:!

...OK, I stole some!

Q: Has anyone tried to cast this stuff? I use alumilite, and am aware of the issues with moisture, but I'm curious if there is any history with this yet. (Yes, I'll try this summer).

I'll do a search and see what I find.

Oh, and if anyone passes through Savannah, GA. Check out :

Case Woodworking Supply - Case Woodworking Supply Home

1725 Grove Point Road, Savannah, GA. 31419 (They are not an internet-based operation. They ship reluctantly, and only pen blanks I believe). They are mostly boards, slabs, spindle and bowl blanks. But... They had more waxed bowl and spindle blanks that any Woodcraft store I have been to!

A hole-in-the-wall until you go in the doors... I knew it was going to be a costly stop very soon. I bought mostly small boards (Oh yes, they had larger) - Jicarillo; Ebony; Olive wood blanks ($1.00); Shedua; Bloodwood; and what I was really looking for - 5" x 5" x 12" waxed turning blanks (for Bowls of Courage boxes).
Click to expand...

Mark....had I known you wanted some Spanish moss I could have gotten you garbage bags full!:biggrin:

Us central Florida folks look at it as a nuisance:eek:

Would love to see how it turns out though. Word of warning :doctor: it can be poisonous to house hold pets if they eat...and yes they will :frown:
 
GaryMGg said:
Spanish Moss can contain Chiggers, particularly when it's collected off the ground from a damp area.
Click to expand...

YES! Chiggers :eek: Also known as NO-SEE-UMS :biggrin: Those little guys can cause you a lot of misery :wink: The best way to deal with them is, applying clear fingernail polish. It smothers them. DAMHIKT :redface: There are prices to pay in Paradise! :biggrin:
 
GaryMGg said:
Spanish Moss can contain Chiggers, particularly when it's collected off the ground from a damp area.
Click to expand...

...OK, so how well do Chiggers cast :eek:? Will I see some beady little eyes poking through the moss :eek::eek:?

(Thanks for the info; think I 'll double bag them until I get home). These were pulled from the trees.
 
It's funny you mention this, Mark, as I was asking Jonathon Brooks about Spanish moss during the FLGAPG weekend - he also warned me about the chiggers. I would love to see what you come up with!
 
pianomanpj said:
It's funny you mention this, Mark, as I was asking Jonathon Brooks about Spanish moss during the FLGAPG weekend - he also warned me about the chiggers. I would love to see what you come up with!
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lol...yeah chiggers suck!

Mark. It should cast just fine. Processing it to be dry enough to cast is the hardest part. Give it a try and see if you can do it first. If not and you REALLY want to make a moss blank. Go to hobby lobby and buy a bag of dried moss. It's just a couple bucks a bag and casts with ease.

 
Brooks803 said:
pianomanpj said:
It's funny you mention this, Mark, as I was asking Jonathon Brooks about Spanish moss during the FLGAPG weekend - he also warned me about the chiggers. I would love to see what you come up with!
Click to expand...

lol...yeah chiggers suck!

Mark. It should cast just fine. Processing it to be dry enough to cast is the hardest part. Give it a try and see if you can do it first. If not and you REALLY want to make a moss blank. Go to hobby lobby and buy a bag of dried moss. It's just a couple bucks a bag and casts with ease.

Click to expand...

You GA guys are a sneaky bunch!

Yea, I did think about the HL stuff. I've seen it. I got some from some trees to play with, so we'll see.

Thanks for the info though!

Well, its from Savannah to Morristown, TN (Super 8 :eek:). Then tomorrow to Louisville (eborraga); then to Indianapolis (dalecamino/Stonepecker)!

Then... maybe I'll head home (Wifey is travelling for work now also).

Then I have a bunch of pictures to take and download. We have 10 pens arriving for the IAP Collection!!! Sweet.
 
mark james said:
GaryMGg said:
Spanish Moss can contain Chiggers, particularly when it's collected off the ground from a damp area.
Click to expand...

...OK, so how well do Chiggers cast :eek:? Will I see some beady little eyes poking through the moss :eek::eek:?

(Thanks for the info; think I 'll double bag them until I get home). These were pulled from the trees.
Click to expand...

Yes....U-will-C-M-E-D-B-D-I's :biggrin:
 
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