www.TK560.com

sethb6025 · Novice Joined: 10 Nov 2006 Posts: 46 Location: York, PA

The other day I got a Smooth-On starter kit in the mail. I finally decided to put some of my accumulated information to use. Laughing

Yesterday I went to town, my first victim was some knobs that I am using on some sandtrooper backpacks I'm building right now.
knobs in a box-

silicone & knobs in a box-

resin in a mold-

Parts!

Surprisingly, everything went off without a hitch. The directions in the kit were awesome, I feel much more confident now, especially after a successful mold & three batches of knobs. I am mold-happy though, I need to try out a two-part now.

badger · Novice Joined: 03 Sep 2006 Posts: 63

It's always surprised me how easy it is.

Nice work!

Solo · Novice Joined: 31 May 2007 Posts: 35 Location: New Jersey

Great job...

Where did you get your kit, and how much was it?

Also how well will the resin will hold up when vacuum forming?
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jzawacki · Novice Joined: 12 Jan 2007 Posts: 70 Location: Illinois

Is there a difference between a kit like that, and the ones you can buy at Babies R Us for making molds of feet and hands?

sethb6025 · Novice Joined: 10 Nov 2006 Posts: 46 Location: York, PA

The starter kit came from Smooth-On, and was $50 plus shipping. I'm not sure how well the Smooth-On 300 (the type that comes in the kit) holds up to forming, but I know they have resins that are very heat-tolerant. The knobs are being glued directly to a formed part so I won't be forming over them. Although, I might make a resin version of a small wooden mold I made for a sandtrooper knee plate, just to see how it turns out.
The things from TRU are probably a different molding material for using with body parts & plaster of paris for the positive copy. Smooth-On has a lifecasting kit also.

thebluecanary · Posted: Tue Jul 03, 2007 11:38 am Post subject:

Oooo I have been looking at that kit. It is on my list of things to try. Are you going to be doing any two part molds?

sethb6025 · Novice Joined: 10 Nov 2006 Posts: 46 Location: York, PA

I have to pick up some water-based clay & figure out something to mold first but yes. Very Happy

I might just copy a toy R2D2 to give it a shot, I figure it is something small I can do that won't waste a lot of material. My friend George has a nice gun collection and has a few pistols I'd love to cast but I need to get a little more experience before I tackle something like that.

jegner · Posted: Thu Jul 05, 2007 9:28 pm Post subject:

You have taken your first step into a larger world.

I prefer the Smooth-on 320 resin, as it is cheaper. Also, It's not a pure white, but an off-white, so you may not want that for your sandtrooper pack. Also the Smoothon 325 can be dyed while you are mixing it up, for colored parts!

Most guns will need lots of wax based clay stuffed into nooks and crannies, including the barrel. Not for the faint at heart, when you are dealing with an expensive master pattern! Usually a 2-part mold would do it.

Jim

sethb6025 · Novice Joined: 10 Nov 2006 Posts: 46 Location: York, PA

What I want to do next is do some stuff with the metal finish that you apply to the mold prior to the resin for the metallic effect. I have a Matsuo pistol that used the same material and the appearance is very realistic.
I have been coaxing the heck out of my buddy to submit one of his pistols to the treatment. He has an old Bulldog as well, (base for the BR pistol) but I was told that was off limits. Laughing

For anyone who has clayed-up a gun before how awful was the clean-up and what did you use to get the residue off of the gun? I've never worked with wax-based clay before & am wondering how it handles.

crashmann · Guru Joined: 27 Sep 2005 Posts: 501

You'll also want to make sure the clay does not have sulfur in it. The sulfur will interfere with the curing of the silicone.

I went to "The Compleat Sculptor" and bought a bunch of Chavant Le Beau Touche High Melt Green clay ( http://www.sculpt.com/catalog_98/clay/Chavant/chavantindex.htm#lbt ) and have had great success with the Smooth On Mold Max 30 silicone. I have been able to recover the clay after the casting and use it again.

Charlie

jegner · Posted: Mon Jul 09, 2007 6:13 am Post subject:

sethb6025 · Novice Joined: 10 Nov 2006 Posts: 46 Location: York, PA

Ooh, I was eying the flex-foam. It would make for some cool stunt props. Thanks for the leads guys!

thebluecanary · Posted: Tue Jul 10, 2007 8:08 am Post subject:

For me and wax based clay, a little heat from my heat gun does the trick to help whipe off the clay. Not not enough to make my plastic wobble, but enought to help get rid of the clay.

I was looking at this stuff Feather Lite for my action figure replacement parts. Ever work with the stuff?