Gypsum vs Resin Composition

My normal casting material is Hydrocal gypsum cement. It is a high-quality plaster and Portland cement mixture, reinforced with polymers and microfibers, making it much stronger than Plaster of Paris. It has a rock-like feel and weight, similar to what the original fossil would have. Resin is a urethane plastic, which is lighter in weight and less-rock like in feel, but even more durable. A gypsum cast can break or chip if dropped or struck against a hard object, whereas a resin cast is practically indestructible. The appearances of casts in each material are virtually identical. The reason I need to charge about 30% more for resin is that the material is considerably more expensive and time consuming to cast with. If you are a teacher or otherwise expect the casts to be handled or transported a lot, resin is probably the better choice. However, if you are just going to hang or set the cast out for display, gypsum is probably the better choice, since it is less expensive. However, for orders of large casts from outside the U.S., I only ship in resin, to minimize chances of breakage. For all US orders, I ship all large casts insured, so if a cast should be damaged in transit, it will be replaced at no cost to you. Another consideration is that I keep most gypsum casts in stock, but only make resin casts to order, so it may take a week or more to make and ship a large resin cast, whereas I can usually ship gypsum casts within a day of receiving payment.

To order, please email me at gkpaleo@yahoo.com with the items you are interested in, and your shipping address (or at least zip code). I will get back to you promptly with ship options and costs, and a total.

I accept payment by check, money order, PayPal, or credit cards through PayPal (which does not require a PayPal account). If you choose either of the last two options, I will email a PayPal invoice to facilitate payment. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to ask.

I believe you will be very pleased with the quality and pricing of my products. Comments from many customers (which include many collectors, teachers, museums, universities, etc) are found on the Testimonials page.

Thank you very much!

Glen Kuban
PaleoScene.com
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