The Artist's Assistant, In the Study and Practice of Mechanical Sciences: Calculated for the Improvement of Genius. Illustrated with Copper-Plates (Birmingham, [ca. 1785])

THE ARTIST'S ASSISTANT. 211

How to caft fmall fhot :—Melt your lead in a ladle,
then pour it gently in a continual ftream into a pan
or pail of water, on the furface whereof fwims oil of
a finger thick, and you will have a good round fmall
fhot.

Of calling in plaifter :—If you will make a mould
to caft an image, or animal in, take clean potter's
clay, make thereof a coffin round about the image,
which you lay long ways on a board, and anoint it
over with oil ;. then take fine plaifter of Paris, mix
it with water, and pour it all over the image, fo that
it may cover it every way ; then give it a ftronger
coat with a coarfer fort, and when the plaifter is dry,
take off the coffin, and cut that fide which is caft
fomething fiat, making fome notches or marks upon
it: then turn it, and make a coffin about it again,
and caft that fide of the image, after you have
anointed it with fome oil all over, fo that the whole
may be entirely inclofed.

After the plaifter has been a day or two upon the
image it will be quite dry ; then, with a wooden mal-
let, beat cautioufiy againft the plaifter, till a piece
thereof loofens, which being taken off, the reft will
come off eafy ; and after you have difmantled the
whole, anoint the infide thereof with linfeed oil,
with a fine hair pencil brufh, and let it dry in ;
this do twice, and afer thev have lain two or three
days, cut in an inlet, where you think it mod con-
venient, and when you will caft with plaifter of
Paris, before you do it anoint the infide of the mould,
and after you have put all the pieces in their places,
and tied them together, caft your plaifter, and let it
ftand half a day ; take the pieces, one after another,
carefully in order to keep the image intire ;

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