Adam's Custom Models

My Blog is moving!

noreply@blogger.com (ADAM) — Fri, 16 Jan 2009 04:28:00 +0000

For those out there subscribing to my blog, I am moving it to my new official model site: http://www.adamscustommodels.com/blog

This blog on foxtoons.net will remain for a little while, but will eventually be redirected to the new active blog.

I've got some new things going on, as Hulk kit sales have been good and steady and I am currently making progress on my new "Buck Rogers" kit.

And Now... The Incredible Hulk

noreply@blogger.com (ADAM) — Sat, 18 Oct 2008 03:12:00 +0000

Here we have the finished Incredible Hulk kit entitled "Don't Make Me Angry!".

He is 1:6 scale and stands 12 1/2" tall on base and comes in 13 white resin pieces (including the 3 optional bricks), along with the mounting screws and assembly instructions covering the more complex steps (like the head assembly and knee alignment).

The extra bricks are used to add a little more 3D to the base by being able to glue them on in angles and stacks that could not be cast in a flat mold. But, they are totally optional to the kit builder.

I hope you like him. Check eBay sometime soon, or contact me about availability. I plan to keep this to a very small run of no more than 20-30 kits (or less, depending upon demand). So get one while you can.

Thanks for looking!

Stay tuned to this blog by the end of the year, as I have another blast from the past planned to start in a few weeks. -ADAM

Making The Incredible Hulk (part 4)

noreply@blogger.com (ADAM) — Sat, 18 Oct 2008 02:54:00 +0000

Alright, so I now have the pants detail and all of the parts seams fixed where the parts will fit back together nicely once cast. This completes the last of the sculpting process and I am now ready to mold the parts.

In the past, I used a "wet" pottery clay to lay out my mold beds. This time, I have chosen to use a white Sculpey clay instead. This solves my moisture problem, as the wet clay has caused nagging condensation on my parts in past molds. And, Sculpey doesn't dry out very fast, so I had a lot of time to work on the mold beds and do them right.

Basically, a mold bed is where you embed the part up to the place where you want to put the mold seam. You add registration marks and channels for air chutes (to aid in air release). This means you are only molding 1/2 of the mold the first day that you pour rubber.

The second day, you remove the Sculpey clay, clean-up any Scupley reside and grease the dried rubber with Vaseline. This prevents the second day of rubber from sticking to the previous rubber and allows the two parts to effortlessly pull apart after the second day rubber has hardened. And voila! a nice 2 part mold.

*On a bummer note, I gave myself Carpal Tunnel symptoms during this phase of the project. I purchased a big box of "old" Sculpey. It was too hard to use, so I got some clay softener to rejuvenate the clay. So imagine a long night of kneading tough clay to try and rescue it, and in the end, ruining my right hand from all of the squeezing. It's a little better now. I've finished this project and am resting my hand before starting the next one. Note to self... Next time, just buy new clay and throw away the old stuff. Heh.

Making The Incredible Hulk (part 3)

noreply@blogger.com (ADAM) — Sat, 18 Oct 2008 02:38:00 +0000

Here, I've finished the sculpt and the base. Notice the difference in the hair from the last post. This "boxier" look is a more iconic look for the Hulk.

The base is actually much different than my original plan.

I had the idea to build much more of a broken brick wall behind him (like a diarama), but once I got started, I reduced that down to an asphalt chuck with a few broken bricks. This decision was made for a few reasons. One being, that I realized the model looked good from all angles and it would be a shame to cover up the backside with a wall behind him. Secondly, the large wall that I had in mind would have consumed a lot of extra resin and would have driven the manufacturing cost up.

So, I chose a lower profile base that shows off the entire model and reduced my cost to make the kit. But I put enough detail into it that it doesn't hurt from these decisions. It's a nice base and I like it.

The last image is of the kit after I busted it up for casting. At this point, I had to wait to complete the detailing on the pants until after I had it broken apart. That way, I could finish the pants/legs seam before I did the pants cuff around the knee.

Making The Incredible Hulk (part 2)

noreply@blogger.com (ADAM) — Sat, 18 Oct 2008 02:24:00 +0000

In this second installment, you see that I have finished the major proportions and the hands and feet details.

The hair, as you can see, is a separate piece that glues over the opening in the back of the head where you insert the teeth.

This hair ended up not being the final. I realized that it wasn't correct. I was referencing an early episode for this look, but it wasn't iconic enough. I decided to go with the "boxy" hair look that he held by the middle of the first season all the way to the end. It is more like the Hulk that I remember (see images in the next post).

Making The Incredible Hulk (part 1)

noreply@blogger.com (ADAM) — Sat, 18 Oct 2008 02:09:00 +0000

A big shout out to all those watching my blog. I haven't posted anything new in a
while because I was kind of working on an "under cover" project. I chose to keep images of my newest kit under wraps until I got it finished.

So the next few posts tonight will catch you up to to the "making of" The Incredible Hulk! That's right, my newest subject was none other than the true Hulk, Lou Ferrigno in a kit I call "Don't Make Me Angry!".

In the first images, You get a good look at the new level of realism and likeness that I have been able to achieve. I have decided to go with that signature growling, open-mouth pose he performed in every episode of the TV show right after he transformed.

This posed the challenge of making the head hollow where I could cast the teeth as separate parts and have a lot of depth in the mouth.

Kid Marvelman: Assembly and Painting tips for the shoulder seam

noreply@blogger.com (ADAM) — Sun, 22 Jun 2008 05:37:00 +0000

I'm posting the steps that I took to paint and assemble the Kid Marvelman kit in hopes that this helps my customers with the tricky right shoulder seam and painting the chest detail under the crossed arms.

Step 1:
I primed the kit in a white paint so it would be easy to paint with yellow, and test fit the arms to the body.

Step 2:
Here, I have completed the paint-job for both the body and the arms and have thoroughly sealed all parts to protect the paint from the following steps. This allowed for easier access to paint the chest detail. The parts still test fit well.

Step 3:
I have scraped the paint from a small area around the seam on both parts to gain access to the resin for better bonding. I have also cleaned any paint from the surfaces to be glued.

Step 4:
Arms have been glued into position with a "Super" glue gel (gel is better for parts assembly as it fills gaps).

Step 5:
Using my "resin welding" technique of applying a "Super" glue liquid and sprinkling resin dust on it. I have welded over the seam and have sanded the result down smooth to hide the seam (this also strengthens the bond between the parts).

Step 6:
Be sure to rinse all resin and dirt dust from the model before trying to continue the paint-job! (not pictured).

Step 7:
I have re-primed the corrected area (spraying primer into the spray can's cap and using a small brush to dip and apply the primer).

Step 8:
Re-applying the yellow paint over the corrected area and *viola... no more nasty seam.

I hope this has helped.

Kid Marvelman done (Marvelman series complete!)

noreply@blogger.com (ADAM) — Sun, 22 Jun 2008 05:19:00 +0000

At last, with the completion of my Kid Marvelman/Kid Miracleman kit, my Marvelman series (3 figures) is finished!

Measuring in at 11 1/2 inches tall, Kid Marvelman/Kid Miracleman comes unpainted in 4 solid white resin pieces. I'll be selling these on eBay, but can be contacted for additional availability.

This kit is more of an intermediate kit than the other two, as it contains a seam at the right shoulder that will need to be puttied once assembled. Due to an amount of detail on his chest under the crossed arms, he can pose a little bit of a painting/assembly challenge. In my opinion, it was far easier, with better painting results, to paint the chest prior to assembling the arms and to repair the paint after puttying the seam for the finished look.

I'll be posting a follow-up to this with the full steps that I used to solve this tricky painting/assembly job.

-Enjoy

(per request) a Sneak Peek at Kid Marvelman / Miracleman kit

noreply@blogger.com (ADAM) — Sun, 01 Jun 2008 19:49:00 +0000

Per request of a customer, I'm offering a sneak peek at the progress of the Kid Marvelman / Miracleman kit to be offered in about a month. This will complete my work on the "Marvelman / Miracleman" kit series as I move onto other subjects.

As you can see, I have nearly finished the sculpt. I have both upper and lower torso pieces finished and detailed. I only need to complete the arms and it will be ready to mold. (I've PhotoShop'd the arms in on the second image to give you an idea of the arm pose [across the chest] that I've chosen). Most likely, the upper section of the arms (down to the gloves) will be part of the upper torso cast. The gloves will be cast both together as a separate piece to be glued on in front of the body. I'm making it separate in order to get more separation around them and allow me to create more detail in the body that would be impossible if the gloves were also part of the body mold.

This makes KM a 4 piece kit (upper torso, lower torso, gloves, base).

See the group photo for scale. KM comes up to about the height of MM's chest emblem. [More later as I finish the kit]. -Thanks for looking, ADAM

Announcing the YOUNG MARVELMAN / YOUNG MIRACLEMAN garage kit!

noreply@blogger.com (ADAM) — Tue, 20 May 2008 00:50:00 +0000

Up next is the second addition to my Marvelman/Miracleman series is "Young Marvelman/Young Miracleman"!

Produced as an unassembled/unfinished "garage" resin kit. Young Marvelman/Young Miracleman comes in 3 solid cast white resin parts and measures 13 12inches tall (including base) when assembled.

Once again, I will be primarily selling these kits on eBay so check there from time-to-time as I list each one. If interested, you can contact me for extra availability. I will not be making very many castings, so get one while you can. -Thanks for looking.

Announcing the MARVELMAN / MIRACLEMAN garage kit!

noreply@blogger.com (ADAM) — Thu, 13 Mar 2008 03:03:00 +0000

Okay, after a few months of rest, I'm back at the sculpting again!

This time around, I'm getting a little more serious with my hobby and invested in a better rubber for my molds and better mold making practices. This increased the quality of the casts and the ease of casting. Plus, the stronger rubber will enable me to make more than the 2-4 casts that I got with my Lord of the Rings kits, allowing me to seriously enter the independent garage resin kit market.

My first "resin kit" produced as unfinished/unpainted parts is a long beloved character for me, Marvelman (UK 1950's), aka Miracleman (USA 1980's). This character was a very popular British hero of the 1950's that made a short-lived comeback in the 1980's; migrating to the states under the name "Miracleman", due to legal issues imposed by Marvel comics. Through the years, Marvelman has gained a large "indie" following, but has fallen into legal obscurity.

Those of you who know the character, love him (you know who you are). Those who don't are probably wondering "who the @#$%^ is this guy"? I dedicate this kit to those fans out there holding the Marvelman flame and hoping that we see more of this character someday.

My Marvelman / Miracleman kit measures a whopping 15 inches (base to head), and comes in 9 white resin pieces (including mounting screws). The chest symbol and gloves have both the 1950's option and the 1980's option allowing the kit to be built up into either character.

I will be primarily selling these kits on eBay, so check there soon and from time-to-time. If interested, you can contact me for extra availability. Keep in mind that this is a low-run garage kit with a proposed run of only 50 or so kits, so get them while you can. -Thanks for looking.

Gollum is complete! I'M DONE!!!!!!!

noreply@blogger.com (ADAM) — Fri, 20 Jul 2007 04:02:00 +0000

Well, at long last, I have completed my Lord of the rings model project! Thank you for hanging in there and reading my blog of the progress.

All said, it's taken me about 3 1/2 years to get to this moment, and "whew!" I'm tired. Heh heh. The journey has just been slow, with many delays along the way, but I stuck in there determined to see all of my models finished.

This is the end of the Lord of the Rings series, but not the end of my modeling "career". I have lots of new ideas and things that I would like to try molding and casting. I have just made my mind up that I will not "plan and attempt" ten models all at the same time. Heh heh. What was I thinking??? No, I think from now on, I'll plan, design, and complete one at a time so that I can stay fresh and not get overwhelmed by the project (like I was on this one).

So what we have here, is Gollum. Clocking in at 7 inches tall (from rock bottom to head), which is about the height of one of the standing hobbits. Gollum is, of course, hobbit scale, just seated. The rock helped me get him up to about the same height as the others so that Gollum would not appear small.

I decided not to cast the hair into the resin and, instead, chose to glue individual strands of a very fine doll hair (that I got from one of my daughter's old dolls that had a head scale about Gollum's size). The strands were first attached (after sealer) with light drops of a white glue, then sealed on with a glaze of white glue. I achieved the "greasy" and clumped look by combing the hair with white glue, and I finally re-sprayed the acrylic sealer over the dried glue to bring back the luster and make the model's polish consistent.

I hope you like him as much as I do. Gollum is now my favorite of my LOTR models.

I made 5 complete Gollums, in all. I'm keeping one (of course), stay tuned as I decide what to do with the others. I might try one or two on Ebay at some point. Maybe look for him in a couple months.

I do hope that you've enjoyed my blog. Check back later (might be a while , as I take a break and do some other things) and I'll start working on some new model ideas (This isn't just a blog for LOTR models after all, heh).

- ADAM

My Gollum sculpt is done, at last!

noreply@blogger.com (ADAM) — Fri, 02 Mar 2007 02:04:00 +0000

I was a little lazier than I wanted to be on my Gollum sculpt. I should have had him finished a couple weeks ago, but nevertheless, done at last! And he's my best and favorite of them all!

I need to get the ball rolling on getting my molds done so that I can finally complete my LOTR model project!

Gollum will cast in 4 pieces (lower body and rock, upper torso, and 2 arms). Unlike all of my other models, Gollum is not wearing any shirt/coat where I could have hidden the seam between the pieces. I'll have to putty the seam on the arms when I assemble the pieces.

Aragorn Finished!

noreply@blogger.com (ADAM) — Sun, 19 Nov 2006 01:05:00 +0000

At last! The final images of my new Aragorn model. If you have been keeping up with me on the "Re-making of Aragorn" posts, thank you.

All said and done, it took about 2 months of work (4 hours a night - give or take) to take this model all of the way from the ground up. Be sure to check out the VR turn-around posted at the top of the page.

Next up, I'll be working on my final LOTR model (and final model for a while), Gollum! See you next post!

The Re-making of Aragorn (Step 17)

noreply@blogger.com (ADAM) — Fri, 03 Nov 2006 02:40:00 +0000

Well, you've made it this far, let's see this model finished! Welcome back to my "Re-making of Aragorn" model-making series. In this post, I will assemble the final painted pieces and mount the model to the wood base.

I chose to paint the model in a completely unassembled state for a deliberate reason. Due to Aragorn's dynamic pose, with many overlapping pieces, in was easier to get paint all around the model with the pieces loose.

Before I can assemble the model, I must scrape any paint from the surface of the joints.

I need to get the areas where the glue will go back to bare resin. With a little fore-thought, you could always mask over these areas. I find that with the area a little scratched and roughed-up, I get a better adhesion with the glue, so I don't mind scraping the paint.

This time around, I chose to use a resin-based "gel" glue. This glue has a little body to it and is great for filling in gaps and gluing hand-made parts that loosely match. Apply generously.

Drum roll (bum bubm bubm)... And the finished Aragorn! I mounted him to the final wood base using the foot pattern (from earlier) and re-using the same wood screws I used to mount him to the temporary base. I will finish the model with self-adhesive black felt on the bottom of the base and set him in a nice place on a shelf with the other characters.

I'll be taking my VR photos soon and will add Aragorn to my links at the top of this page. Check back soon for news of my next character... Gollum!

The Re-making of Aragorn (Step 16)

noreply@blogger.com (ADAM) — Fri, 03 Nov 2006 02:40:00 +0000

Oh, There you are! Welcome back to my "Re-making of Aragorn" model-making series. Short post this time. During coats of paint (last post) I prepared the final wood bases.

I don't use anything special. I buy simple pre-cut wood from my local craft shop. I inspect them for flatness and for the fewest defects (knot-holes, sap, knicks...etc).

I sand them and pre-treat them with a wood conditioner (helps the wood absorb an even stain)

5 - 15 minutes after applying the conditioner, I apply the wood stain (Cherry Wood). It is the same stain that I have been using for this entire series.

After allowing the stain to set overnight, I wipe off the excess stain and applying a polyurethane gloss sealer. 2 coats works best and makes this cheap wood look great!

Ready for final assembly!

The Re-making of Aragorn (Step 15)

noreply@blogger.com (ADAM) — Fri, 03 Nov 2006 02:35:00 +0000

Thanks for dropping by again for my latest installment in my "Re-making of Aragorn" series. We're in the home stretch now! In this step, I take the finished resin pieces and wipe a little paint on them.

First, I need to mount the body to a piece of wood so that I can hold and turn the model without getting my grubby fingers all over the paint job. For this, I re-use the wood base that I sculpted him on (something I don't mind getting paint on).

Since I will need to drill and mount a second Aragorn and the final wood bases, I need to take a pattern of the feet and mark the drill holes.

I keep the drill level and drill about 1" into the legs.

I use 1 1/2" wood screws drilled up through the bottom of the base to mount the models to the temporary bases.

Resin can be easy painted, but it is preferred to use an oil-based paint as a primer coat. Oil-based paints adhere more firmly to the resin and will not easy peel off. It also helps to seal the resin from moisture. In this case, I will be using darker colors for Aragorn, so a gray primer will work super.

For my paints, I have specifically designed a limited color pallete that I have used for every one of my Lord of the Rings models. Any and all colors that I need are mixed from these same colors in order to create a sense of harmony (oneness) with my set. They "feel" like they belong together and look great on a shelf together because the colors belong to the same family.

For these models I am using Liquitex acryllics:
• Cadmium Red Deep Hue
• Yellow Oxide
• Ultramarine Blue
• Emerald Green
• Burnt Sienna
• Ivory Black
• "Apple Barrel" Antique White (off white)

For an easy paint job, you have to start with the lowest areas (areas lower than surroundings). I start by laying in deep base tones and build colors up in layers. Paint the pink of the eyes. Then the yellow/white. Then the pupil. Then the eyelids (building in layers).

Then I paint on the deep base tones for the face...

...then the highlights.

For small details, I use a technique called "scumbling", or dry-brushing. It is where you wipe off most of the paint before you start applying it. This helps prevent the paint from entering the crevices and allows you to brush over just the top of the details. You can create varying degrees of contrast with deeper undertones and lighter dry-brushing.

Still working in layers, I paint the inside of the tunic (between the legs), then the tunic and boots...

...then overlapping areas like the coat, then the bedroll, and finally the hair and any small details not yet painted.

With the paint-job finished, I must now assemble the model!

The Re-making of Aragorn (Step 14)

noreply@blogger.com (ADAM) — Fri, 03 Nov 2006 02:34:00 +0000

Ah! And here I am again ranting about this "Re-making of Aragorn" model series, and there you are reading it! In this post, I will cover the "crap my model didn't form all of the way" phase of casting. Here, I rescue parts that WOULD be good if it were not for a large bubble or un-formed area.

This part can be very dusty. Dust-mask optional.

First off, that bag of white powder is NOT what you are thinking it is (unless you were thinking it was resin dust and then, well, it IS what you think it is). Make a habit of saving a few small bags of your resin dust as you sand and clean the extra bits and smooth the bottom of the model's feet. Then, get you some liquid resin-based glue (Super glue, or Krazy glue... liquid NOT gel).

Find a pock hole that you wish to repair...

... and pack it with some of your resin dust. Now watch-out... the next part happens fast, so don't blink!

Drop a little of your liquid (NOT gel) resin glue into the hole... and PRESTO! it hardens nearly instantly as it reacts to the resin.

You can repeat the process a few times (as necessary) to fill larger holes and rebuild areas. The final result is firm resin that can be sanded and carved just like the white resin. And you don't have to throw away the part!

*In varying degrees, I have successfully managed to mix a certain ratio of resin-glue to resin that I create a quick-dry resin putty that takes 30 seconds to a minute to dry. It can be sculpted onto your part and used to form larger re-builds (and is VERY sticky... don't use your fingers).

On to the paint job!

The Re-making of Aragorn (Step 13)

noreply@blogger.com (ADAM) — Fri, 03 Nov 2006 02:32:00 +0000

Thanks, once again, for visiting my "Re-making of Aragorn" series on model-making. In this post, I will be assembling the molds and pouring a quick-set resin into them to see what I get!

Depending on your "neatness", or desire to keep a clean work area, you may wish to lay a drop-cloth and cover your work surface with something easy to remove and discard. Resin bonds hard and permanent to many surfaces (including clothing). Plus, you may wish to wear protective gloves during the mixing and pouring. As resin is setting, it chemically heats up and could cause chemical burns, or could absorb into your skin (also, don't drink it. I'm sure it is not good for you).

I like to use "Model-Cast" brand resin that I get from a company in California. A 2 gallon kit comes with a gallon of both parts A and B and is mixed with an easy 1:1 ratio (like the rubber). My particular favorite formula is the 43-321 (odorless, white slow). There are a few different ones to choose from, so find one you would like to work with. This resin starts setting in 3 minutes (instead of the 2 minutes for the fast) and fully sets in about 5 minutes for mold removal. It is a nice bright white, and is easy to sand and glue.

Re-assemble your separated molds and use a generous amount of firm rubber bands to hold the pieces together. Try for a firm hold, but not too strong, as you can easily deform the inner cavity and distort your casting (no good). You only need to keep the pieces together firm enough that resin doesn't leak, and you can handle the mold without the pieces falling apart.

I pour the resin through the larger holes (in this case, the feet) and watch that the resin makes its way up through the chase holes and level with the top of the mold. This is usually a good sign of mold saturation and that most of the part has formed (fingers crossed).

After 5 minutes or more, remove the rubber bands and open your mold (you can peek through your fingers if you are afraid of the results), and viola! You now have a new casting that replaces your original clay part that was destroyed. Hopefully, you anticipated all of the trapped air and you get a flawless pull (snicker, snicker). I laugh only because that anything hand-made is bound to not be perfect. But, unless major areas failed to form, you should still be able to make minor bubble and mis-formed repairs (covered in the next post). If you notice areas that air was trapped, you can use an exato knife (and other sharp things) and cut right into the rubber of the mold and carve new chase holes for future castings.

Now, I have all of the parts that I need to assemble 2 Aragorn models! On to the repair and paint!

The Re-making of Aragorn (Step 12)

noreply@blogger.com (ADAM) — Fri, 03 Nov 2006 02:30:00 +0000

Welcome once again to "The Re-making of Aragorn" series on model-making. In this post, I will be removing my clay model from the rubber molds to preparing for pouring the resin.

This is one of the most crucial steps to my two-part molds, as I must carefully cut the rubber open following the red line I drew for the seam. If I make a bad mistake, or damage the mold, then I will most likely have to start over on sculpting the model (as the clay model is destroyed in the removal process).

I start by removing the wooden base from my model. It is secured to the armature in the rubber by four screws. Notice, that I had the fore-sight to install the screws up through the bottom to make this step easier. I simply remove the screws. With a little tugging and hitting the wood base, I manage to pull it loose from the hot-glue and the rubber.

I remove all of the cardboard and contemplate the cutting of the rubber. If you look closely, the red line that I drew on the wood (for the seam) has transferred to the rubber. I know exactly where to start cutting.

I carefully cut using sharp knives and exactos, prying the rubber apart so that I can keep an eye on the red line on the model. This part is a little more difficult than it seems and takes a bit of hand strength as the rubber is firm.

Carefully...carefully. Inch by Inch. * Notice the air chase holes around the top of the rubber. Those reach into the mold to all of those difficult areas that would trap air.

Ahhhh! I now have a two-part mold for the body. Depending on the wetness of the clay, and the amount of detail, you will need to pick and clean the mold to remove small bits of clay that remain in the details and tight areas of the rubber.

Oh, and remember what I said about the original being destroyed? Don't get too attached to your clay model, as they are (more times than not) broken badly while removing them. So, you really get one good shot at making a good mold (major rebuilding work aside). So, be careful cutting. You should definitely make small easy parts to practice on before going into a masterpiece with amateur mold knowledge.

The sword scabbard mold. Notice all of the air bubbles in the rubber, but that the part impression is fine. Smooth-On rules!

Now, let's tryout the molds and pour some resin!

The Re-making of Aragorn (Step 11)

noreply@blogger.com (ADAM) — Fri, 03 Nov 2006 02:28:00 +0000

Welcome back to my "Re-making of Aragorn" series on the model-making process. In this post, I will be pouring the rubber into my mold casings.

There are varying degrees of involvment to preparing rubber and pouring your molds, from professional to amateur. You will choose a rubber compound based on the level that you are prepared to put into your molds. Some rubber compounds require vaccuuming (degassing) in a chamber in order to remove the air bubbles, caused by stirring, before you can pour it. If the air is not removed, then you will cause bubbles to settle against your part and ruin your molding. Others, are more amateur friendly (but less durable), and do not require degassing.

I am only planning a very small run of my kits (3-5 pulls), and do not need to have durable, long-lasting molds. Plus, I do not have an expensive vaccuum chamber to degass my rubber. So, I opt for a "knowledgeable amateur" process with an easy rubber.

I have found that "Smooth-On" brand silicone rubber is great and, true to its name, goes on to your part smooth. I use the "OOMOO-30" formula, which is a nice firmness when dry. Since, you do not degass the rubber, the air stays in and can be seen throughout the rubber when you cut the mold open. However, this formula breaks surface tension against your part and forms a nice mold regardless.

It is a two-part rubber (A and B, Pink and Blue), which is mixed 1:1 ratio and turns purple so you can see it visually mixed.

Even though the rubber goes on smooth, you do not want to risk inadvertently trapping air (air is the enemy) on the part as you pour, so DO NOT pour your rubber across and over your part. Instead, pick an area away from the part and gently pour your rubber into this spot. Allow the rubber to slide into the mold and around your part from the bottom, which will increase its chance of traveling into all of the small areas and details.

Continue to fill until you reach your desired level. I like to mark a level line on the mold wall, based on the part. You should shoot for 1/4" around small parts and 1/2" around large parts.

My molds are poured and drying! Next, I remove them from the molds!

The Re-making of Aragorn (Step 10)

noreply@blogger.com (ADAM) — Fri, 03 Nov 2006 02:16:00 +0000

Welcome, once again, to my "Re-making of Aragorn" series! In this installment, I am preparing the mold casings in readiness to pour my mold rubber.

In addition to predicting trapped air and making chase holes (last post), I have to consider how the final mold will be divided into two halves for easily removing the cast part from the mold. This can be tricky if you have very dynamic parts that do not seemingly have an easy half point.

I start by examining the part and then marking a seam with a bright pencil. I will later be able to see and follow this mark as I am cutting the Sculpey part from the mold.

I follow the contour of the part and try to make as simple a line as I can, because it is difficult to change directions in the rubber when cutting the mold open.

I try to avoid any fine details on the seem and to make sure that I don't trap too many difficult areas away from the seam.

I mark a base around the model to construct the walls of the mold casing. But, I notice that I don't have much wood beyond the edge of the feet with which to work. I sometimes don't think far enough ahead to plan for the mold walls.

To fix this, I overlay a cardboard base around the model with a cut-out for the model. I generously hot-glue this base to the wood and use the hot-glue to seal the corrugated paper so that rubber will not leak out of the mold casing. I then re-mark my wall pattern around the feet.

I also think ahead that I would like the mold rubber permanently labeled with the name of the part inside. For this, I use a punch labeler. I create a raised label...

...then, I push the label into some clay that I place on the model's base. This creates reversed letters in the mold and reverses back to normal in the rubber that is poured into this mold. Thus, permanently labeling my mold.

Here are some parts prepared for the molding process. Notice, that I have them embedded into some clay. This is to suspend the part off of the base (walls marked) to allow rubber to flow under the part. I'll have to remove the extra clay once the rubber has dried and do a second pour to fill those areas.

My "quick-and-dirty" mold casings are made from cardboard/bristol board, tape, and hot-glue. Mold walls are constructed of bristol board for the small parts and thick cardboard for the body. I use plastic shipping tape to seal the seams and generous ammounts of hot-glue around the wall/base to seal against leaks and glue the walls down.

On to the rubber!

The Re-making of Aragorn (Step 9)

noreply@blogger.com (ADAM) — Thu, 02 Nov 2006 00:57:00 +0000

Whew! Welcome back to my "Re-making of Aragorn" series. I apologize for taking so long to post again, but I have been busy finishing my Aragorn model and photographing the entire process! Now let's catch up.

In this step, I will be explaining the things to keep in mind when preparing your model for the molding process. The biggest thing to remember when casting the resin in your mold is that air is your enemy. Trapped air in a mold will prevent resin from reaching into that area and will ruin your casting by causing those areas not to form. This could result in major repair work to fix the casting, or the lost of material if you choose to scrap the piece because not enough of it formed. So you must consider the final negative shape in your mold and learn to anticipate trapped air and ways to prepare before you pour the liquid rubber mold.

A scientific fact (and a neat experiment):
When liquid is poured into a vessel, the pull of gravity will cause the liquid to level. This can be observed by taking two containers (like 2 liter bottles) and hooking them together. Leave the tops off of both and pour liquid only into one container. Gravity pulls the liquid down and allows it to flow into the other side of the container. The liquid replaces the air that was in the container as the air is pushed up and out of the second container and the liquid levels to the same height in both containers.

Now, close the top of the second container. Now pour your liquid... Gravity does the job again, but this time, the air has no place to go. When air is compressed, it builds pressure and can be very strong. the trapped air is stronger than gravity's pull and the pressure of the liquid. this causes the liquid to stop rising in the second container while it continues to rise in the first. this creates a situation where the liquid does not flow all of the way into the shapes and is un-level.

Now apply the above fact to a mold. If liquid is being asked to flow into an area that traps air and does not allow it to leave the mold, then the liquid resin will not flow into that area (see the illustration). Notice that the hand shape has several fingers that extend upward into the mold rubber and are cut-off from the pour spout. Air in the fingers does not have anywhere to go, so resin will not flow into them and will result in a cast hand that will not have any more than the finger used as a pour spout.

To allow air to escape the mold and fully cast the part, we only need to create air shafts from the trapped areas that flow up to the top of the mold. These are called "chase holes" as the resin will chase the air out of the mold. Remember that liquid will level, so DO NOT make the chase holes out of the side of the mold. Doing so will cause the resin to drain off at a certain level and not fully fill the mold (causing a mess and not forming the part). Chase holes always rise to the top of the mold allowing the liquid to fully rise to the top of the mold also. In this verison (see illustration), the chase holes allow air out of the fingers and the resin can flow fully into the mold and you get a full casting. You then only need to remove the extra resin, formed in the chase holes, from the part with a knife and a little sanding. It is vastly better to remove small extra bits, than to have to repair un-formed areas.

Another way to go would have been to cast the part with the protruding areas formed down into the mold. That way, gravity works for you and resin can flow down into those areas and air can flow out of the fingers. If you still have small areas that turn up into the mold (see forefinger in illustration), you only need to make a chase hole all the way up to the top of the mold or connect that area to another area that doesn't trap air (pictured). You can think of the way that plastic model kits are made with "runners". This extra piece can be easily removed and sanded and will ensure that the forefinger will form in the mold as air will be pushed out to the main area of the mold.

So, having the shape of my Aragorn body in mind. I know that I will be pouring the mold through the feet and need to identify areas that will trap air going up into the mold. For those areas, I need to plan and prepare chase holes before I pour the rubber. I know that the bottom of his traveling coat and the ends of the blanket will trap air and cause trouble.

So, I use dowel rods (cut to length) and bond them to those areas and connect them to the model's base (which will be "up" in the final mold). These rods and the Super Sculpey model will be removed from the mold and create the chase holes I need.

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Now lets's create the mold casings!

The Re-making of Aragorn (Step 8)

noreply@blogger.com (ADAM) — Wed, 04 Oct 2006 02:15:00 +0000

Welcome, once again, to my sculpting series "The Re-Making of Aragorn". In this post, I complete the sculpting of the model and have it ready for molding.

Now that I have the hardened shoulder key and hand, I rough out the arms.

I verify the arm positions a lot during the sculpting to make sure that I like where they are and to get the proportions correct.

I hardened the arms and went in to carving the small fabric details.

I sculpted the bed roll and quiver onto the back key...

And finished the sword hand.
Item to note: The sword hand is the only piece that I had to completely sculpt and leave wet. During early trials, I found that the clear casting resin that I used for the weapons will melt (or get really, really sticky) if I bake it in the oven. So I'll have to be careful not to damage the hand until I can get it into the mold rubber.

Viola! The completed "New" Aragorn model (some assembly required). I have mold supplies on the way and look to get these pieces in the mold early next week! Check back later for the mold making steps.

The Re-making of Aragorn (Step 7)

noreply@blogger.com (ADAM) — Wed, 04 Oct 2006 01:41:00 +0000

Not far from done now! In this step of my "The Re-Making of Aragorn" series, I am preparing the joints and keys that will allow me to easily assemble the model parts once I have cast them.

With the body hardened, I now need to get an exact impression of the "key" that I pressed into the sholder joints. Use wet Sculpey that has been lightly powdered (prevents sticking) and press firmly into the socket; making sure to get the full area around the key.

I do the same for the registration holes on the model's back (or anywhere else).

I harden the impressions and sand/grind them into the shape that I need (maintaining the impression face) and then drill holes into the keys for the adding of the wet clay to finish sculpting the parts. I must harden the key first to prevent it being warped out of alignment during the sculpting of the part onto it.

It was also necessary to sculpt the hands/wrist joints before I could add the wet clay to start sculpting the arms. I start by roughing out the hand, hardening it, carving out the details, and drilling the holes.