Onstage > Tools of the Trade

help with prop

(1/1)

kitsee:
Hi

I am working on props and need to create a liquid that can be poured between a decanter and glass that looks somewhat like liquid mercury
any ideas? I have used gelatin before for prop drinks but in this case I really need something that can be poured - thanks in advance!

Mac Calder:
Mercury is very liquid... so you probably don't need to thicken if all you need it to do is poor. If you want to bead like mercury, you need to increase the surface tension more than the viscosity - which you can do with salt...
 
I would probably use silver mica powder for colour. It's a little bit magic-potion-esq, but from a distance, it's silver.

kitsee:
Ok thanks! - I don't need it to bead like mercury for this production but great idea about the salt I will remember that for future.

My problem is - the liquid will be poured from a decanter to a glass live on stage and it needs to look like a mercury-esq substance. I guess I could use unset gelatin but this production is with a fringe and the time constraints and lack of access to kitchen etc won't make it easy.

Thus my question - hoping to pick peoples brains for other things I could possibly use  :)

thanks!

maximillionx:
So you're still gettin' science-y, but Gallium is an alternative.

It melts at about 85 degrees, so will go from a solid rock to a mercury-like substance in your palm. It also is used frequently as an alternative in science-like experiments with bare skin, and according to a bit of googling I just did, has no known biological use!

Good luck!

Navigation

[0] Message Index