78 replies to this topic

[ironmask]

Maybe after the holidays, I will have to invest in this. I may need a few pointers about how to utilize this properly.

[Ericnilla]

yeah, hit me up when ever and i can give you some tips and tricks.

[ironmask]

Thanks!!!

[ironmask]

Just a heads up... Using Shapelock for molds, using smooth-on brand resin to fill? Bad idea.
Derpaderp.

[Ericnilla]

haha, oh really~? good to know.

i use this silicone
http://www.ebay.com/...L-/330641958109

they sell on amazon as well. great stuff~!

[ironmask]

Yeah, I use that, and allumilite, generally. My sister gave me some shapelock for christmas, and I decided to try a few things. I haven't had the chance to try to pour rubber into it.

[servbot30]

I use platinum silicone for my molds. The stuff is like water so it gets great detail. Also degasses itself and allows crazy undercuts. Unfortunately because it's so soft you have to have either a resin or plaster backing to each half of 2 part mold.

Also I'll throw up pics and a break down of my pressure pot for you guys when I'm off work.

[servbot30]

Okie so here is my pressure pot made with mostly stuff you can get from harbor freight.

http://i26.photobuck...er/SAM_1384.jpg

http://i26.photobuck...er/SAM_1386.jpg

http://i26.photobuck...er/SAM_1387.jpg

http://i26.photobuck...er/SAM_1388.jpg

http://i26.photobuck...er/SAM_1390.jpg

So you'll need the paint pot and the compressor obviously. You'll also need a hose and a couple sets of male/female sockets. You'll need a threaded male/male adapter to connect the female socket to the compressor. Also! Very important here. Ditch the pressure gauge that comes with the pot. It's complete garbage and covered with useless ports. You only need a gauge with one port to allow pressure. After that get a 16mm 2.0 x 40mm hex bolt. You'll need this to plug the outlet on the pot. Again, you only need a way to put pressure in. When you have everything use plumbers tape on anything that is threaded to make sure you won't have any leaks. So now get that beast together.

Waiting. Waiting... Found leaks didn't you? Well sir and/or miss here is what you do. Tighten the jesus out of everything with a wrench. Even when you're casting, tighten the wing nuts with a wrench. If you have to, heat gun the rubber lining in the lid and quickly crank down on it to get a better fit to the pot.

I'll leave it at this so you guys can ask questions before I get into how I actually use it during casting.

[imperfecz]

Only thing I see you missed in your hints would be some teflon tape for all connections.

[Jet-Mech]

Can anyone tell me the best type of paint to use for repainting or custom painting figures like M.U.S.C.L.E, MIMP,Snailiens etc..Thanks!

I've had some luck using Testors model Master Acryl...in fact, am currently painting a 208 with it. I should be able to post some pictures of it soon. Save the enamel for things made out of metal.

[servbot30]

Only thing I see you missed in your hints would be some teflon tape for all connections.

Plumbers tape is telfon tape.

[servbot30]

I may have missed this earlier in the thread, but what rubbers do you guys suggest to cast with that would be both child safe and keshi squooshy?

[Ericnilla]

Smooth-on has a mercury free rubber, but its a little less keshi like and more squishy. Not sure if they have a firmer version.

i dont like it cuz the mix isnt equal parts, gotta mix like a 5:1 parts or 10:1, something like that, and it has a cure time of 16 hrs.

[servbot30]

Had an interesting thing happen today I thought I should share with you cats. I had finished the mold for my kappa and broke out ye old resin to test it. First cast was alright but I couldn't make out much detail due to it being stark white.

So I drove out to michaels to buy some dye. Weeeeell the michaels here sucks and they didn't carry any dyes suitable for resin. After perusing the aisles I come across this stuff called Duff's cake airbrush paint. So it's basically food colouring for airbrushed. I figure this will work. Oh boy was I mistaken.

Flash forward to readying the mold and mixing the resin. First indicator I mad effed up was the dye would not mix. It just hung there as little bubbles of colour. I am undeterred and continue mixing and begin to pour. Second indicator of my folly. It sets up mad fast and bubbles and spews and gets way hotter than resin should. I am undeterred and throw the mold into the pressure pot and throw on the pressure.

In this time the remainder of the resin replicates scenes from ghostbusters 2 and quickly becomes rock hard. I pop off the pressure and pull out the mold with no doubt I've ruined it. What little of the figure that managed to be cast told of a struggle of forces. One the mold holding tight. The other being the volcanic resin trying to escape. As such the figure was completely hollow and covered with bubbles both forming and bursting.

Luckily the mold survived and I learned a valuable lesson. Do not try to cast lava.

[Ericnilla]

Haha, yeah Pigments are very specific for each type of casting materials. Like the pigments i use for my rubber wouldn't work with resin and visa versa, resin pigments wont work with my rubber.

I was lucky enough to learn this before i got into casting or i would of easily bought resin pigment for my rubber since they have more colors for resin than rubber.

[battlebeast3]

What kind of sealer works best? I used an acrylic paint, but it is tacky... what can I use to cure the tack?

[omenmink]

I have never tried any of this before. I'd love to try, just need to know where to start really. I understand the costs and that I may not even be good at it, but I'd like to see what I can do anyway.

 

Can anyone point me in the right direction as far as starting from scratch? Materials for making the mold, how to cast the figures, etc.

 

Even a link to a tutorial somewhere would help. My google searches haven't been very successful, which is odd because clearly a lot of people are producing rubber figures.

 

Thanks.

Interested noob.

[Ericnilla]

Alumilite has casting Kits with everything you need to start and practice with.

 

http://www.amazon.co...ite casting kit

 

 

Also, there are many videos on Youtube on MOLD MAKING  (many different types too).

[omenmink]

Thanks! I'll check it out!

[Mikeum]

Does anyone use Polycraft or Polytek EasyFlo? I'm thinking of trying the stuff without a pressure pot, but I'm kinda expecting bad results. Is there any good products in the UK that I can use without a pressure pot? My models arent too detailed, but they are small

I probably will use a pressure pot eventually but figured I'd work my way up

Edited by Mikeum, 06 February 2014 - 04:42 AM.

[kapcad]

Alumilite has casting Kits with everything you need to start and practice with.

 

http://www.amazon.co...ite casting kit

 

 

Also, there are many videos on Youtube on MOLD MAKING  (many different types too).

This looks pretty cool for starting, I think I'll try this one first  

[bachamn]

Someone shared with me this method for making home-made silicon molds out of household silicon rather than buying and using a kit. Not sure if this would work for high-detail or undercut parts, but I'm curious if anyone has tried this before? I still have silicon left from the last kit I bought so I probably wouldn't be trying it anytime soon, just kind of curious.

 

http://fallfordiy.co...silicone-mould/

[bigazzhead]

I think that molding technique only really works for push molds.

[ironmask]

Yeah, simple ones, at that.

[CrazyMobius]

Hi guys,

Just wondering what is a good medium to use for sculpting.

 

I have some super sculpey. Is this good to use?

 

I am wanting to make mini figures.

 

Do you guys use armatures?

 

Any tips are greatly appreciated.

 

Thanks a lot.