I am beginning to get a little frustrated here. The paper mache I used to use is no longer on the market and every substitute I try seems to have the same affect, drumming. What was in the other mache? Is there something I could use to seal the mache that hide paste would stick well to? or maybe something I could add to it to get things to stick? after going to all the work to alter a form I just hate to have all my anatomy masked by drumming.
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First off, nothing will "stick" to papier mache any better than the papier mache will stick to the form. It won't! Papier mache is made with paper pulp and powdered, water based adhesive of some sorts. This adhesive will never bond to the form mannikins and conversely, even if you hide paste sticks to your papier mache, the mache won't hold the hide down to begin with.
Secondly, I can't imagine where you're using papier mache that "drumming" would occur. Ear butts and antler bases are simply not areas where this usually occurs.
And third and final, most of us quite using mache on mounts years ago. Potter's clay, ideally Critter Clay, or even thickened Bondo work so much better than mache. I use Bondo on my skull caps and that gives any hide paste a solid foundation. I use Critter Clay for the face work and I use Potter's clay for the ear butts (cause I'm too damned cheap to use the good stuff).
A lot depends on what was in the mache and what type paste you are using.I have to disagree some with George on this one.Almost no maches contain paper pulp,these days.Most contain fiber,dextrine and plaster.I've been using my own mache mixture for 15 years now and it sticks well to the form and the dextrine paste I use sticks well to the mache and form.The mache mixture is:3 parts hi-fiber,2 parts plaster and 1 part dextrine.Plaster makes it set,dextrine makes it sticky,fiber gives it strength.Your new mache may have less dextrine than the old.more dextrine will slow the set time though.If I mount on the mache within 24 hours,I don't seal it.If it dries out more than that,you should seal with orange shellac.The dry mache will suck the water out of water based pastes too fast if you don't seal.Shellac is an old time sealer-primer.Works good with water-based glues.Bondo doesn't go good over it though.I use this mache on skull caps,forms and bases.I make some foam rocks dipped in this and you can drop them on a concrete floor from head height without chipping.My paste is:1 part dextrine,1 part hi-fiber,add to that 10% Elmer's glue.I recently re-mounted a bighorn shoulder mount that was damaged in shipping(freshly mounted using this system).You wouldn't believe how hard it was to get that skin off.I ended up ripping the face skin in a couple places before it was over.An epoxy won't hold it down any tighter.The dextrine was easier to clean off the leather though.You can also increase the "tack" of the sealed mache by spraying with 3M 77 spray glue and letting that dry.I'm not sure exactly what you are using,but maybe some of this helps.
You are correct. I have always used the same method you use and never have a problem. I'll have a father to son talk with George on this when I see him.
Are you a old fart too like me ?
I would appreciate if you would have that talk with George.I just turned 56 and do consider myself an old fart.Thanks.
I had thought adding dextrine might work but thought I would get some other opinions first. hopefuly that will do the trick for me. As for George, you may need thicker glasses as I had pointed out that I am using, and have used, this method many many times (many years) on all of my form alterations to do the final touches. Most of the drumming tends to happen at the head-neck union and on the shoulder muscle definition. Prior to my last 4 mounts I NEVER experienced drumming.
Sorry guys, ain't happening. You're using stone age products in an age of rockets. Richard, you already know that I think dextrine is, was, and always will be pure crap no matter what recipe you use. It worked on those red paper forms simply because it was ALL WE HAD. With the polyfoam of today, using dextrine is like putting windshield wipers on a cats ass: USELESS.
DE, lots of things "work", but you'll never ever convince me that papier mache is the best product for the job anymore. We stopped building armateurs for big game bodies years ago. They "worked", but why should I waste all that valuable time today when I can buy and alter much easier.
And I just had new prescriptions filled for my glasses. And they don't MAKE them thicker anymore, but grind them more precisely. I have Kodak Definity lenses with no lines. Thick glasses went into the crapper about the same time the dextrine did. LOL