Accelerator - Ingredient added to increase hydration, shorten set and cure times.
admix - Admixture.
admixture - Generic term for non-bulk material added to 'tufa; also an abbreviation for acrylic bonding admixture, which increases strength while reducing moisture absorption in 'tufa.
aggregate - Any dry bulk material added to 'tufa other than portland cement and sand.
air entraining agent - ingredient added to 'tufa mix which captures miniature air bubbles during the mixing process, reducing the harmful effects of freeze-thaw cycles.
alginate - One-time use mold-making material used primarily for body casting.
armiture - "Skeleton" or support struture for a large 'tufa project.

Bug holes - Small holes in castings caused by air bubbles.
BRB - Be right back.
BTW - By the way.

Casting - End product of molding process.
cement - See portland cement.
chicken wire - A light galvanized wire fencing usually made with relatively large-sized hexagonal mesh. Can be layered around an armiture to hold 'tufa and strengthen structure.
closed-cell foam - Hard, nonabsorbent foam.
compressive strength - Ability of 'tufa to to withstand downward force or to sustain a heavy weight.
concrete - A mix of portland cement, sand and water. The standard construction recipe calls for one part portland cement to three parts sand/rocks.
concrete admix - See admixture.
cure - Pprocess by which 'tufa hardens; dependent on sufficient hydration and temperature.

DH - Dear Husband.
DWT - Drywall tape.

Efflorescence - Salts which leach out of 'tufa during the curing process.

Faux bois - Imitation wood (French).
form - Mold used for the setting an outside shape.

Grot - Abbreviation for grotesque, which is a gargoyle which does not serve the purpose of a rainspout. Our grots serve as planters but have the same unusual attributes of a gargoyle.
green - Uncured.
GW - Garden Web.

HWM - Hardware mesh, cloth. Used to reinforce larger 'tufa projects.
hydration - Chemical reaction between water and portland cement.

IMHO - In my honest opinion

LOL - Laughing out loud.

Model - Original piece (usually of artwork) used to make a mold.
Mold - A rigid structure used to hold green 'tufa into a fixed position until it sets. See also postive mold, negative mold, mother mold.
mortar - Variation of concrete used in masonry; does not contain rough aggregate.
mother mold - Outer, often rough mold made of the back of a mold. Used to secure the mold during the casting process when it is made of fragile or flexible material.
moulage - Reusable mold-making material used primarily for body casting.

Negative mold - Casting of a model which is made to create a positive mold. Used when original model is fragile and requires the use of nondurable molding material.
nylon fibers - Added to 'tufa add strength and cohesion.

OMG - oh my gawd/garsh.

Paper pulp - Shredded paper soaked in water and agitated; used in papercrete.
papercrete - Variation of 'tufa consisting of paper pulp, portland cement and sand.
perlite - Volcanic glass superheated to form a lightweight aggregate which can be used in 'tufa. Has a high moisture content.
plasticizer - Ingredient added to 'tufa mix to increase workability.
pop - Plaster of Paris.
portland cement - Powdery substance produced by burning a mixture of clay and limestone at a high temperature. A primary ingredient in 'tufa.
positive mold - A concave mold which prevents the escape of molding material during the molding process.
'puter - computer (Cajun).

Rebar - Steel bars usually used in concrete to provide reinforcement. Can be used to make an armiture in 'tufa projects.
'rete - Concrete.
ROTFLOL - Rolling on the floor, laughing out loud.

Sand casting - Process of manipulating sand to create a mold, then filling the mold with 'tufa.
silicon dioxide - Added to 'tufa mix increases density and water resistence via a chemical reaction.
slurry - Paste made with portland cement and water.
set - The initial hardening of 'tufa before it has fully cured.
sn - Screen name.
Spike - Gardenweb web master and ruler of the GW Universe.

Tensile strength - Ability of 'tufa to resist stretching without breaking.
'tufa - Abbreviation for hypertufa.
tufa - Naturally occurring soft or porus rock formed by water deposits. Tufa rock is artifically reproduced with hypertufa.

Undercut - Portion of model which has sharp recesses which could prevent a mold to be separated from the model, or a casting to be separated from the mold.

WIP - Work in progress.