Someone asked if I had a mold to make some Ten Commandment Tablets

I received this request a couple of days ago and thought I would share my reply:

Del,

 Can you tell me the best way to make a rubber stamp to make concrete Ten

 Commandment tablets? Or do you already have one I could purchase?

 We are a non-profit organization so I don't want to spend too much for them.

 YBIC

 Bill Hutson; Founder

 Table Talk Foundation for Better Living Inc.

 www.tabletalkministries.org

 I wish I could say I have some made, but no I don’t Bill.

Making one on your own would be a nice little project.  I think I would get my forms made first in the size I wanted.  I would probably use the rigid pink or blue foam that is used for insulation in houses.  Sometimes you can pick up a couple of pieces of foam and some plastic at construction sites if you talk nice.  You should get at least 1 1/2 or 2 inches thick, with 2 inches probably best, but sometimes a little hard to find.

I would carve out the shape of the tablet.  Cut right through so you have a hole shaped like a headstone or whatever shape you have in mind.

Line this with plastic.  I would use a garbage bag cut so it was a flat sheet.  Another thing that works well is that plastic that is put on interior walls before the sheetrock that you got when you asked for the surplus insulation at the building site.

The next part is a little tough for some people (including me) to get thier head around......

Craft stores sell letters and numbers.  You will have to get all the letters, etc you will need.

Now go online and look up how Linotype is set.  You will have to set your letters into the words you want.  This is done backwards so it is read right to left.  I forget what they call it but you can read it with a mirror.

I think I would put them on a sheet of fairly rigid plastic.  You will need to glue them so they don't move.

Place the finished commandment into the bottom of the form.  Do all this setting up in a place that is not going to get direct sunshine all day.  Shade is best for curing the stones.

Paint on a light coat of 10 w. engine oil and pour your concrete into the form.

For concrete I would use 'topping Mix' you can get it at just about any building supply as a ‘ready mix’.  You just add water.  I would mix it thinner that the instructions on the bag.  Make it about like pancake mix.  You want to POUR it.  Start in one place and let the concrete spread itself as much as you can.  You may have to move a little if it gets to the top of the form and another area is not covered yet.

Do not move your bucket all over the place when you are pouring. You will have all kinds of air bubbles if you do this. 

Now the real hard part...

Cover with plastic and wait at least 48 hours, and better yet, 3 days and pray!