BabyGel™ 380 /450 gr

Accu-Cast™ BabyGel™ 380 alginate is a fast curing, skin safe alginate mold material that is ideal for making accurate reproductions of your baby’s / child’s hand or foot.

BabyGel™ 380 is unique among other alginates in that, when mixed with water at 27°C, it visually changes color from pink to white as it cures.

This visual indicator makes it easy to determine when to insert the baby’s / child’s hand or foot into the mold gel. Mold will cure in about 3 minutes. You can cast LiquiStone™ plaster into the mold to make a reproduction.

Mix Ratio by Weight: 1 part powder to 4 parts water by weight

Mix Ratio by Volume: 2 parts powder to 3 parts water by volume Specific Volume: 26 cu. in./lb

Pot Life: 2 minutes* Cure Time: 3 minutes* Color Change: Pink to White

*Depending on water quality (–see “Water Quality” section below) and water temperature set to 27°C

PROCESSING RECOMMENDATIONS

Safety - Wear safety glasses to minimize contamination risk. Use only in a well-ventilated area. Wear a NIOSH-approved N95 dust mask when processing powdered material.

WARNING: IRRITANT TO EYES & MUCOUS MEMBRANES. Do not get in eyes, or in mucous membranes. Do not take internally. Do not breathe particulates. Use only with adequate ventilation.

Preparation - These products have a limited shelf life and should be used as soon as possible. Materials should be stored and used in a warm environment 23°C. Mixing containers should have straight sides and a
flat bottom. Mixing sticks should be flat and stiff with defined edges for scraping the sides and bottom of your mixing container. BabyGel™ 380 powder may get warm in storage/shipping during the summer months which may cause the powder/water mixture to set too fast. To remedy, store BabyGel™ 380 alginate in a cool area 16°C - 21°C for 24 hours before using. Do not allow moisture to come into contact with unused
BabyGel™ 380 alginate powder.

Because no two applications are quite the same, a small test application to determine suitability for your project is recommended if performance of this material is in question.

MEASURING,WATER QUALITY and WATER TEMPERATURE

Measuring - BabyGel™ 380 is mixed 1 part powder to 4 parts water by weight or 2 parts powder to 3 parts water by volume. If measuring by volume, fill measuring cup with powder, and level off the top. If measuring
by weight, use an accurate gram scale. You can vary the water level somewhat to change the consistency of the mixture. Less water will make the alginate thicker. More water will make the mixture thinner and easier to pour.

Be Careful... too much water may result in the mixture not curing! Since powder is a compressible material, by weight mix ratio is recommended.

Water Quality - If water quality is in question, use distilled water heated to the correct temperature using a stove top or microwave oven if needed. Check water temperature using a thermometer. Water that has a high mineral content (calcium, phosphate, etc.) may cause any alginate to become “lumpy” or not set properly. If you have a water softener, the water will delay the pot life and cure time of the alginate. You can compensate for this by increasing the temperature of the water. A small-scale test is recommended prior to mixing large amounts.

Water Temperature - At 27° C, BabyGel™ 380 will have a working time of approximately 2 minutes and a demold time of about 3 minutes. Warmer water will cause the material to cure faster (less working time). Colder water will give a longer working time and slower demold time.

MIXING ALGINATE

Mixing - Alginate can be mixed by hand in a mixing container using a flat mixing stick with defined edges for scraping the sides and bottom of your mixing container as you mix. Alginate material can also be mixed in the bag it comes in. Remove all jewelry and watches from hands before attempting to mix the material in the bag to prevent puncture to the bag. Alternatively, you can mix the material using a turbine mixer (mechanical
mixer) and portable drill.

SUBMERGING A MODEL INTO ALGINATE

Submerging a Hand or Foot-Once mixed, BabyGel™ 380 can be poured into a container for making a mold. Submerge a hand or foot model just above the bottom of the container and have
at least 1.27 cm space between the model and the side walls of the container. Submerge the baby or child’s hand or foot into the mold while it is still light pink in color.

After the BabyGel™ 380 turns white, you will have about 30 seconds until the mold becomes firm.

For Best Results: Thoroughly wet the model before submerginginto the alginate mold. After submerging the model into thealginate, lift the model up from the mold briefly and then resubmerge model into the alginate. Keep your model still until the BabyGel™ 380 sets up. You will know the alginate has set when it is totally white in color, firm and no longer gel-like.

CURING AND PERFORMANCE

Curing - Cure time is approximately 3 minutes when mixed with water at 27°C. Thinner molds made with more water in the mix may set up longer.

Performance - Cured alginate molds exhibit moderate tear strength and are firm but flexible. Alginate molds are easy to cut into with a dull knife to demold castings. Mold is temporary and must be used immediately.

Casting into the Mold All alginate molds will deteriorate quickly. It is recommended that you cast into the mold within 4hours following demold. Materials commonly cast into alginates include LiquiStone™ Gypsum Cement,duoMatrix™ NEO (polymer modified gypsum, available from Smooth-On), wax, clay and very fast urethaneresins (such as Smooth-Cast® 300Q). For Soft “Skin-Like” Castings you can cast FUN Silicone™ soft silicone rubber into BabyGel™ 380 molds to make realistic hands or other body parts.