Mould making

If there are any cracks or holes you can use some silicone to 'glue' them back together. But you definately learn from your mistakes and not that you know where you went wrong you can correct it next time

If you need to waste one of the halves, its not all bad. You can cut it up into small pieces and use if to fill empty space your next attempt. Once you keep it away from the important edge you will be fine. I dont know how/why i know this but the hobbit feet in the Lord of the Rings movies were made using silicone and were ground up after each day to be re-used as part of the following days casting. Saved them a fortune in materials and stopped the the props being sold on

I didn't need to waste one of the halves!

First ever cast - scores out of 10 gents? (accept it will need some gentle finishing) - minor reaction to the silicone release spray on some surfaces



Got the second cast on the way - am going to try this one without release spray.

They are breeding.....

Looking good. Looking forward to see how things progress

Cracking job Paul. Good results for being your 1st time.

Thanks Chris - they arent perfect but im pleased with them as this was my first attempt, ive learnt loads, and they are perfectly useable. It was also (bit sad to admit it), quite exciting!

Excellent work Paul, well done.

Thanks fella

Good man Paul.
If first you don't succeed then try and try again...

Agreed Maurice! Need to see an update from your collection - havent seen one for a while!

What an excellent and highly informative tutorial Paul, and please accept our apologies if we're all sitting back and seeing you tackle the process. As others have stated, I too would also like to have a go at casting and moulding models myself, so forgive me for using you as a 'Guinea Pig'!

One question (for the moment!)... I cannot make it out on the photos, or have seen mention of it in the text, but where do you pour in the resin in to the mould?

Whoops, second question... Do you think that some 6-spoke 1/43 wheels would be a possibility using this method?

reeft1 wrote:Thanks Chris - they arent perfect but im pleased with them as this was my first attempt, ive learnt loads, and they are perfectly useable. It was also (bit sad to admit it), quite exciting!

Don't worry. When you get to our age these sort of things are the most excitement we get

Cowley wrote:What an excellent and highly informative tutorial Paul, and please accept our apologies if we're all sitting back and seeing you tackle the process. As others have stated, I too would also like to have a go at casting and moulding models myself, so forgive me for using you as a 'Guinea Pig'!

One question (for the moment!)...  I cannot make it out on the photos, or have seen mention of it in the text, but where do you pour in the resin in to the mould?

Whoops, second question... Do you think that some 6-spoke 1/43 wheels would be a possibility using this method?

David - i had used 2 part resin for this batch which id bought about a year ago and then chickened out of using. Equal parts were used for that brand although i have a litre of polycraft resin and the setting agent is much much smaller so it seems different brands use two part mixes but in different ratios. Anyway, im guessing i mixed about 15ml of each so 30 ml in total. You cant hang around as it sets solid in about 10-15 mins.  Consistency is like milk. You pour it straight in to the first half of the mould, slosh it around to wet the sides.

Cont.

Uktimately it all runs back and pools in the roof. Think of the upturned shell as a swimming pool with water congregating in the deepest part. Then simply insert the other half and it effectively squeezes the resin all round the mould and then overflows all the way round the join between the two mould halves. As long as the top and bottom are aligned, you will get consistent thickness all the way round. Any over flow is like a crusty film which can be cracked off the mould with ease. Scapel/hobby knife to remove any ultra thin film in the window panes and you are done.

Yes, you can do wheels with this method. Solid wheels are easiest as they only need one part mould. Sit it face up on a plasticene base, pour silicone over, set, remove, flip over and fill with resin - done. Hollow wheels ie if you want holes/gaps between spokes need a two part mould as per the car - think of the windows as the gaps in the spokes. Hope this helps.

reeft1 wrote:Agreed Maurice! Need to see an update from your collection - havent seen one for a while!

It's on the plan for the long evenings to take proper pictures and put them up.
Flat out this time of the year with football.

Many thanks Paul - that explains the process perfectly mate. I hadn't realised there was no 'pour holes' - or whatever they're called! - and that you simply poured the resin in to the 'female', sloshed it around, and then inserted the 'male' into position!

Cheers also for your advice about wheels as well. Would the same process be suitable for tyres as well, but instead of resin you use some black silicone / rubber instead?

Not sure on the wheels - i have seen people cast the alloy and tyre together all in resin.

I had thought of that Paul, and with some carefully applied Matt or Satin Black paint, I'm sure they would look fine.

Go for it! Wheels/Tyres are small enough you can invest in the kit for a relatively small outlay and its not a disaster if you don't get on with it.

Cheers mate.

Do you have a link to what you bought, or what you'd recommend I'd need for some wheels & tyres?

Cowley wrote:Cheers mate.

Do you have a link to what you bought, or what you'd recommend I'd need for some wheels & tyres?

Hi David - i've used this silicone and have bought but not yet used this companies resin.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/221175561830

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/221045667567

I think they recommend you use it within 3 months of purchase, so don't buy too much.

This 2 part/equal measure item is more similar to what i've used already and i notice (and now worry!) that this may actually be better suited to our purposes as it notes that it is suitable for painting!

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Polycraft-SG2000-250gm-Fast-Cast-Polyurethane-Liquid-Plastic-Casting-Resin-kit-/261005511397?pt=UK_Crafts_Other_Crafts_EH&hash=item3cc5240ae5

Hope this helps

I noticed when i last bought some that this company does a "water clear" resin - i'm in two minds whether to try and cash some window from a vacform - i suspect it will be too thin but may give that a go at some stage.

reeft1 wrote:

Cowley wrote:Cheers mate.

Do you have a link to what you bought, or what you'd recommend I'd need for some wheels & tyres?

Hi David - i've used this silicone and have bought but not yet used this companies resin.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/221175561830

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/221045667567

I think they recommend you use it within 3 months of purchase, so don't buy too much.

This 2 part/equal measure item is more similar to what i've used already and i notice (and now worry!) that this may actually be better suited to our purposes as it notes that it is suitable for painting!

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Polycraft-SG2000-250gm-Fast-Cast-Polyurethane-Liquid-Plastic-Casting-Resin-kit-/261005511397?pt=UK_Crafts_Other_Crafts_EH&hash=item3cc5240ae5

Hope this helps

I noticed when i last bought some that this company does a "water clear" resin - i'm in two minds whether to try and cash some window from a vacform - i suspect it will be too thin but may give that a go at some stage.

Just used the resin i bought - stinks the house out and takes forever to set. I'm switching back to the 2 part fast cast resin.