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sethb6025 Novice
Joined: 10 Nov 2006 Posts: 46 Location: York, PA
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Posted: Mon Jul 02, 2007 10:25 pm Post subject: My first silicone moldmaking & resin pouring experience! |
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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. 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. |
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badger Novice
Joined: 03 Sep 2006 Posts: 63
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Posted: Tue Jul 03, 2007 2:07 am Post subject: |
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It's always surprised me how easy it is.
Nice work! |
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Solo Novice
Joined: 31 May 2007 Posts: 35 Location: New Jersey
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Posted: Tue Jul 03, 2007 6:39 am Post subject: |
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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
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Posted: Tue Jul 03, 2007 8:35 am Post subject: |
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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? |
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sethb6025 Novice
Joined: 10 Nov 2006 Posts: 46 Location: York, PA
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Posted: Tue Jul 03, 2007 9:09 am Post subject: |
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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. |
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thebluecanary Expert
Joined: 02 Feb 2006 Posts: 123 Location: St. Louis, MO
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Posted: Tue Jul 03, 2007 11:38 am Post subject: |
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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? |
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sethb6025 Novice
Joined: 10 Nov 2006 Posts: 46 Location: York, PA
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Posted: Thu Jul 05, 2007 9:05 pm Post subject: |
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I have to pick up some water-based clay & figure out something to mold first but yes. 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. |
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jegner Site Admin
Joined: 30 May 2003 Posts: 2144 Location: Texas, USA
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Posted: Thu Jul 05, 2007 9:28 pm Post subject: |
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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 |
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sethb6025 Novice
Joined: 10 Nov 2006 Posts: 46 Location: York, PA
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Posted: Sat Jul 07, 2007 10:05 pm Post subject: |
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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.
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. |
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crashmann Guru
Joined: 27 Sep 2005 Posts: 501
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Posted: Sun Jul 08, 2007 9:04 pm Post subject: |
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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 |
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jegner Site Admin
Joined: 30 May 2003 Posts: 2144 Location: Texas, USA
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Posted: Mon Jul 09, 2007 6:13 am Post subject: |
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sethb6025 wrote: | 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.
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. |
For the precasting surface treatment, you want to use Cast Magic Silver powder from Smooth-on. If used with Flex-foam-it 25, you could make swords that look real but have a metalic looking blade. |
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sethb6025 Novice
Joined: 10 Nov 2006 Posts: 46 Location: York, PA
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Posted: Mon Jul 09, 2007 11:23 pm Post subject: |
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Ooh, I was eying the flex-foam. It would make for some cool stunt props. Thanks for the leads guys! |
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thebluecanary Expert
Joined: 02 Feb 2006 Posts: 123 Location: St. Louis, MO
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Posted: Tue Jul 10, 2007 8:08 am Post subject: |
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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? |
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