Episode One (starring the instructor, spring 2001):

Hectographic bed materials, tools, equipment:  bottles of glycerine (substitute for glycerol), box of packets of unflavored Knox gelatin, measuring cup with ìforeignî units of measurement, little bag of sugar, electric heating element, stainless steel pot, aluminum pan, useless foam skimmer, unidentified white thing (in pan). 
MIA:  wire whisk and water.

Return of the MIAs:  initial mix of water, gelatin, sugar and glycerine.

Heated gelatin, water, sugar and glycerine going gel.  As you can see, even gentle whisking could not appease the Gloverís Foam Ghods.

Gelatin poured in its bed.  Note unwanted foam on surface.

Professional foam removers (folded paper towels) used to skim foam off gel and into carefully positioned garbage can (see dead foam removers, bottom center).

Episode Two (starring students, fall 2001):

Dwayne, Duane, Linda & Jessi, knowing how many cooks it takesÖ., while Marie kibitzes from on high.

Well-done gel, poured, mesmerizes Duane (holding pot), while Stephanie and Emina are fixated by Marie, re-enacting something.

Three hecto beds (clockwise, from 10 oíclock):  the used spring 2000 bed; a ìHecto-Printerî kit from the 1960s purchased for $1.50 in an Ontario, Oregon secondhand shop by an alert student; the to-be-used fall 2000 bed. Although not shown, the unused forty-year-old ìHecto-Printerî bed was in remarkable condition, although the corners had browned a bit.
 (Jealous thanks to Matthew B. for loaning his kit.)