Page 3 of 5 FirstFirst 12345 LastLast
Results 21 to 30 of 45

Thread: Adventures in Casting

  1. #21
    Join Date
    27th Dec 2007
    Location
    Sydney NSW
    Posts
    37,637

    Default

    If we ever had a HasCon Australia I think that it'd be really cool if fans like you were to run workshops.

  2. #22
    Join Date
    29th Jun 2011
    Location
    Melbourne
    Posts
    2,606

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Deonasis View Post
    Dang it! Just work you silly plastic stuff!!!
    As frustrating as it may seem, I'm enjoying the process of discovery. Although, I do sometimes get the feeling like I'm leading up to conclusions that others have made a long time ago.

    Quote Originally Posted by GoktimusPrime View Post
    If we ever had a HasCon Australia I think that it'd be really cool if fans like you were to run workshops.
    I would be definitely into that. I did do something like that at a very small and humble local con a few years ago, but there wasn't much interest. Possibly because it relied on casual passers-by being interested in customising toys.

    I have had some less formal, invite-only 'events' (probably not the right word) in the past, and will be doing more of those in the future, for sure.

    M-Bot's Customs logo by M-bot2011

    To follow M's Toy Customs of Facebook, visit: https://www.facebook.com/MsToyCustoms
    While you're there, click the "LIKE" button!

  3. #23
    Join Date
    29th Jun 2011
    Location
    Melbourne
    Posts
    2,606

    Default

    PART 5: IN WHICH I TRY MORE NEW THINGS I NEVER THOUGHT I WOULD WHEN I WROTE PART 1

    So, I went ahead and got some resin from a mate of mine who has a history of using it for toy making and art projects. It's a 2 part resin, easy enough to use, mix equal parts of each, and you have a couple of minutes before it cures.

    Here's the stuff - clear and transparent orange, when mixed goes white.


    I started simple, with a tip of the finger of the PE Defensor upgrade kit hand, just to get a feel for the material. Using Bluestuff as a mould, this is what happened:

    (I also wanted to see how the resin interacted with the Plastimake, so I used a little of the resin mix on one of the aborted foot pieces I had made - more on that shortly)



    Came out damned near perfect. Good chance resin might be a good option. More trials...

    I tried the Terri-Bull titan master face again, but didn't take pics. It was the best attempt at the face yet. Again, perfect.

    Next thing I tried was a more complex piece, the double-gun barrel piece from a dismantled target master that came with Generations Scoop. Again, I used the Bluestuff to make the mould and poured the resin into the mould:




    Not so good. I didn't help matters by pulling it from the mould before it was completely cured, so it warped a little.

    Back to the resin on Plastimake - I wanted to see if I could use heat to melt the Plastimake off the resin, leaving a nicely detailed piece.



    It didn't work. I got most of the Plastimake off, but when warm, the Plastimake is too sticky and I couldn't get it out of the deeper recesses. So that method is a bust. The Bluestuff is clearly much better for moulding.

    Thanks to CHILENO20, I tried something a bit bigger - The first piece of the sword from Takara's Fort Max. It is different front and back, and I only took an impression (using the Bluestuff) of the flat side of the sword. I took a couple of pics of the progression of the curing of the resin. It's mesmerising stuff to watch.





    I did 2 halves, filed them down and stuck them together.


    I haven't completely finished the filing and sanding down of the sword, pics in the next part when I finish. I'm chalking this one up to a win.

    I had another idea, just for fun, and a precursor to making moulds using silicone (as suggested by Gamblor916). I used a silicone liquid masking material (Tamiya branded Maskol) and painted several layers on the main body of Scoop's targetmaster. I then moulded the Bluestuff around the body and then removed the piece. As far as I could tell, the details were immaculately transferred.




    Results next time!

    M-Bot's Customs logo by M-bot2011

    To follow M's Toy Customs of Facebook, visit: https://www.facebook.com/MsToyCustoms
    While you're there, click the "LIKE" button!

  4. #24
    Join Date
    27th Dec 2007
    Location
    Sydney
    Posts
    3,150

    Default

    I love watching resin cure as well! It's like magic how it solidifies in seconds.
    I've noticed that large pieces cure much faster and gives off a lot of heat as well.

  5. #25
    Join Date
    29th Jun 2011
    Location
    Melbourne
    Posts
    2,606

    Default

    PART 6: IN WHICH I GET HIP TO PINK

    It has just now occurred to me that casting is the first creative process (with regards to TF customising, anyway) that I have not researched first, such as looking up YouTube tutorials, etc. As I've mentioned before, I do rely on a close friend with experience for advice, but he pointed out to me that every tutorial in the world is not going to prevent the stuff ups you make along the learning path. Frankly, it makes things way more fun IMO.

    To start with, I have to share the almost finished Fort Max sword (portion) that I cast from CHILENO20's Takara FM. It is short a tiny bit of sanding/finishing and another coat or 2 of paint, but here's how it turned out:


    Here's the body portion of the Scoop Targetmaster body that I used the Maskol on:



    The translation of the fine detail is PERFECT. This might be a good technique to remember in future. Although, as you can see, i didn't quite get the coverage right to the back edges of the figure, leading to some incompleteness.

    I had another project that needed attention, this time for a project that I will see through to completion, rather than just practice. I wanted a mould of TR Kickback's forearms, that form the bug's abdomen in alt mode. I used Bluestuff - actually a clear version of the same product, that I picked up at Barnes in Richmond (close to the Melbourne CBD) - check them out at http://www.barnes.com.au - it was cheap at $13 for a small pack (which, again, is completely reusable). I wanted a copy of the abdomen intact (as in, 2 halves/arms together).


    With the abdomen removed from the mould:


    With the resin inside:


    And the finished product:

    ...which I'm calling a bust, as when I was pressing the BlueStuff (ClearStuff?) together around the piece, I must have shifted the 2 arms out of place slightly.

    (I will reveal this project a little later.)

    While at Barnes, I also picked up some Pinkysil (2-part silicone for making moulds) and more 2-part Easycast resin. A small investment required, but I was happy with small packs of each as I'm only using a couple of millilitres each time for the small TF parts I'm working with, so even learning mistakes aren't wasting much material.

    On to the process.

    I started with the Horri Bull head I'd done before. I made a little case using the Plastimake ('cos why not, right? I could make it to the exact size I needed and can re-use it later on when I'd extracted the Pinkysil), mixed the 1:1 ratio of Pinksil (only a couple of millilitres of each part), and made the mould.





    Once again, it was easily the best version of the face that I had done so far (up to about 4 copies now!).

    Back to the Kickback abdomen. I used the same technique with a Plastimake box around the piece to make a Pinkysil mould...


    ...and here's the completed mould.


    Th completed piece was pretty well perfect. I had to refine/finish it a little afterwards, and again, I'll reveal more later on (whoever guesses what I'm using it for gets a cookie).

    Next: 2 part moulds ahoy!
    Last edited by M-bot; 14th June 2017 at 08:09 AM.

    M-Bot's Customs logo by M-bot2011

    To follow M's Toy Customs of Facebook, visit: https://www.facebook.com/MsToyCustoms
    While you're there, click the "LIKE" button!

  6. #26
    Join Date
    28th Feb 2009
    Location
    Katoomba
    Posts
    2,510

    Default

    Pinkysil is great and if you don't want to use that mold anymore you can cut it up and use it as fill another mold

  7. #27
    Join Date
    27th Dec 2007
    Location
    Sydney
    Posts
    3,150

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by SMHFConvoy View Post
    Pinkysil is great and if you don't want to use that mold anymore you can cut it up and use it as fill another mold
    I was going to say the exact same thing.

  8. #28
    Join Date
    29th Jun 2011
    Location
    Melbourne
    Posts
    2,606

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by SMHFConvoy View Post
    Pinkysil is great and if you don't want to use that mold anymore you can cut it up and use it as fill another mold
    Quote Originally Posted by gamblor916 View Post
    I was going to say the exact same thing.
    I've done exactly that with the next few moulds! Stay tuned.

    M-Bot's Customs logo by M-bot2011

    To follow M's Toy Customs of Facebook, visit: https://www.facebook.com/MsToyCustoms
    While you're there, click the "LIKE" button!

  9. #29
    Join Date
    28th Feb 2009
    Location
    Katoomba
    Posts
    2,510

    Default

    Have tried out silicone putty? I think Barnes makes one, it's a 1:1 mix like pinkysil you just mold it around what you're copying

  10. #30
    Join Date
    29th Jun 2011
    Location
    Melbourne
    Posts
    2,606

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by SMHFConvoy View Post
    Have tried out silicone putty? I think Barnes makes one, it's a 1:1 mix like pinkysil you just mold it around what you're copying
    I haven't. Wouldn't mind trying it out if I can find it cheap. Otherwise, the BlueStuff/ClearStuff and the Pinkysil will probably do me.

    M-Bot's Customs logo by M-bot2011

    To follow M's Toy Customs of Facebook, visit: https://www.facebook.com/MsToyCustoms
    While you're there, click the "LIKE" button!

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •