Re: ATM - Orthodontic plaster stength

["Thomas A. Moulton" <w2vy@xanthus.net>]

There are actually a number of different types of dental stone.

He must have made it pretty thin to be able to pour like that.

Drill and Tap, I don't think so, at least not the Buff Lab Stone
I've used for Tile tools, it crumbles...

Tom Moulton
www.GotGrit.com

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Adam Perkins" <scopeguru@yahoo.com>
To: <atm@shore.net>
Sent: Monday, April 16, 2001 2:14 PM
Subject: ATM - Orthodontic plaster stength


> 
> Hi,
> 
> I just came across a photo showing a use for dental
> plaster even weirder than what we use it for.  
> 
> I'm mentioning it because it seems like such a
> demonstration of the strength of this stuff (I've
> never personally used it).
> 
> The pic shows a positive casting of the inside of an
> ant-colony.  An entomologist found an abandoned
> network of tunnels and poured "orthodontic plaster"
> into the top.  The result was a perfect replica of the
> tunnel network, wiggly tunnels 1/4-3/8" wide running
> all over the place within a space maybe 3x3x6'.  He
> dug this thing up apparently without breakage!!!  I
> thought plaster of any sort would have lousy tensile
> strength.
> 
> Is this stuff really as strong as that?  It must also
> be incredibly runny to penetrate so deep into those
> narrow tunnels.
> 
> Can dental plaster be drilled and tapped? It seems
> like interesting stuff for ATM's to fool with in some
> applications other than mirror grinding tools.
> 
> Just thought y'all might be interested.  I think it
> was in this month's "Natural History" Magazine, drop
> me a line if anyone wants me to verify this, it was a
> short, but very cool article.
> 
> Adam Perkins
> Covington, Louisiana
> 
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