Q: What will I need to have to cast JigStones?

A: A set of molds, anchoring cement, mixed in a 3:1 ratio cement to water. (Put the water in the container first and add the cement until it is the consistency of pancake batter.)

If you are mixing very small batches for 3 to 6 molds, use a 16-ounce plastic cup and either a narrow wooden spoon or 1"-wide piece of wood. (Cement will not stick permanently to wood.)

Pour your batter to the top of the mold and once all has been poured, skim across the surface with a putty knife. Set aside to dry.

Throw out the cup or refill with water in preparation of the next batch.

Q: What will I need to complete a project?

A: You will need a few minor tools. First, place a board, large enough to hold the model you are building on, and a lazy Susan. The lazy Susan will make the job of turning the model easier. Cover the board with a cross-patterned or graph paper to keep your sides straight, then cover that with plastic wrap used to cover leftovers. Lay out your base course of JigStones, and when happy with it, glue it together.

Q: I’m going shopping. Will I need to buy any other tools to successfully complete my project?

A: Well, there is need and there is want. You will need to file down some of the key pieces for a comfortable fit. At first I used an emery board, then a rasp (until I lost most of my knuckles). Now I consistently use a battery powered Dremel Rotary Tool that I bought at WalMart for under $30.
I won’t work without it. Rather than purchasing tons of sanding cones,
I bought a diamond head attachment for it for around $5 and have used it well over a year now without it showing the slightest wear.

I’ve a small ping hammer that I use to gently tap pieces into place.

My husband very kindly squared off two 6"x10" boards so that I could hold them against the sides of buildings to ensure straight walls and square corners.

I get a large inexpensive bag of cotton swabs and use them to roll against oozing glue from between bricks and toss them in the wastebasket.

Q: How frequently should I clean my molds? What should I use?

A: At first, I tried to meticulously clean the molds each time I used them. Don’t bother to do that. Repeated pouring will not affect the quality or detail of the casting. You will know when the mold is in need of cleaning by the way it feels. It will feel tacky. I find that if I’ve repeatedly cast material and have left the molds empty for a few days, they feel wrong. Sometimes I ignore that and continue, but then wish that I had cleaned them. Using Murphy’s Oil soap in warm water works well if the mold is not extremely dirty.

Lately I have been using a process that probably would have silicon rubber manufacturers shutter and because I have only used this technique a short time – nearly a year, I don’t know what long term affect it will have on the molds. I share it with you hesitantly: Use it at your own risk . . . It works. Lately, I have filled the kitchen sink with 4" of warm water and poured in about a half cup of Lime-Away toilet bowl cleaner. Let the molds soak for around 20 minutes and then begin the process of actual cleaning. I finish the cleaning process with a short soak of Murphy’s Oil in an effort to counteract the harshness of the cleaner. It also clears my guilty conscience. When I clean my molds, I usually do 15 to 20 at a time, so adjust your proportions accordingly.

Q: Is there anything I should avoid?

A: Yes, there are a number of things:

• Portland Cement is tough on the detail of the molds – avoid using it.

• Don’t leave a casting in a mold overnight unless you have no choice.

• Don’t throw away broken blocks - you can use them again by gluing them together.

• Don’t attempt to cast windows, doors, or roofing in cement – you’ll end up with a pile of crumbs.

• Don’t build with wet block, let it cure at least 24 hours before you attempt to glue it.

• Once you have your sides in place, remember to pour a 1" to 1-1/2" cement base into the bottom of the structure for stability and support.

• If you are building a structure with a free side, such as a goods shed or engine house, remember that when you pick the structure up the bottom of the unsupported side will go inward unless you prevent them from doing so. If you have a situation like this, I have a suggestion that has worked for me. Get the top of a carton of copy paper. It will measure approximately 12"x17"x3". Line it with plastic wrap. Put your structure on a block about every 6 to 8 inches. Pour a base into the box so that it covers the stilts and of the first course. Let it dry and peel the box and plastic wrap away. You will sink the base under your track.

Q: I am building the Village Pub and it is unclear to me what the second story is supported on. In the picture there are two beams that appear to go across, but it isn’t clear what they are made of or how they are attached. Can you help? A: I cut a piece of wood the length of the span and fit it into the slots made by the H. The second floor wall is then positioned on the wooden beam. Bear in mind that this course will not align with the blocks in the wall and will be 1/3 of a block lower than the previous row. This difference will be made up by using lentils along the ridge of that first row.

Q: What is the sense of casting all those little triangular wedges in the 1-a mold (key pieces used for assembly). I have buckets of them, and have yet to find a use or application.

A: The pieces (#10 and #11) have several different uses. I have been using them as filler pieces for joining walling blocks on the straight away rather than the square #8 blocks. I prefer this technique because it enables me to put the wider side on the top and toward the front and add plenty of glue to the surface of the second wedge, and insert it under the first from the back side. When I squeeze the two wedges
together they form a square, the glue squirts out from between them and automatically puts glue along the sides of the filler plug.

Note: If you have any questions that you feel may be of general interest to our readers, please submit them to Linda Spencer.