'Porta-worktop' and mould list

Needing a suitable work surface for making moulds and casting I went for a rummage in the garage (the 'store room' at the bottom of the garden). I decided to use an old jigsaw puzzle board (about 50 years old), which I have used in the past for casting, and an old small square table top of similar vintage. The two have been joined together using some offcuts of contiboard.

on the rear is some old carpet tile, so that the back doesn't scratch the surface it rests on..

 the 'porta-worktop' set up in the garage resting on top of my G scale railway layout..

the garage is suitably equipped with a reasonably comfy chair, a little fan heater and a radio.

I now have an order list for the moulds, going from the 'simplest' to the more complex. Contents for each mould:

• peasant woman + standing man
• janissary + walking man
• officer + ensign
• drummer + seargent
• pikeman + musketeer
• mounted: officer + ensign
• mounted: trooper + drover
• horse

going mouldy (2) ... rework of mould enclosure ...

I made up a base plate with a raised center section to delineate the mould boundary ..

 the reworked enclosure, smaller sits snugly on the base plate ....

modified Lego cone sections form the pouring reservoirs, which will be attached to the figures ...

need to allow for secure air vent fitting and then I'll calculate the volume so I can work out how much mould compound I need to mix up.

going mouldy ....

with all the figures having been tidied up and some initial changes made to assist with metal flow when casting I've starting looking at making the moulds. Initially I'll be using lego on a MDF base, first try ...

a bit large, so need some adjustments. Figures will be attached to pouring reservoirs and these will be fitted into the mould wall side where the Hibcahi skewers are currently