Well, Production Platform 3 went back into production last night. I managed to find the top of my workbench *and* the side counter! I was able to pour up several new molds last night - a cargo container on loan from Master Sprywalker (here's hoping my approach to *that* rascal works!), two molds of small control panels, a mold of two old POTF/POTJ Hoth Trooper heads (gotta find a good cap-fit for the Snowbunnie Padme head!), the "survival lamp" from the Hoth Evacuation R2 (did *you* know that sucker was a two-piece model??!?), and a mold containing the RA7 BAD head and a 25th GI Joe BAT head. I also poured the second side of a two-piece mold and topped off a mold that was only partially filled last time. So tomorrow we'll demold and start casting! One thing I experimented with on this run was the use of sprue in some cases to create a reservoir for the resin, as I plan to start pressure-casting prolly by the end of the week.
On a related side-note - I need a bunch of Battleship marker pegs... Wonder what the local thrift store might have? (it's tiny - since the town only has like 2,000 residents)
I *still* have several masters sitting in the "ready to mold RFN" box, waiting mainly on appropriate boxes for molding. (some are too big for cig boxes, Clint) I also need to pour up and photo some of the two-piece molds I made during my last run. With the pressure-casting approach, I may have to revisit them and redesign them for easier resin pouring. Actually, I think that is the case for several of my molds.
I've got to go to HL and restock on my mold-making material. Another new thing I'm planning to try is a foam filler - thankfully, HL does carry a small sized kit. This way, I'll be able to "slush cast" large pieces like solid cargo boxes (slush-casting gives you a hollow "shell" by rotating the mold as the resin cures), then fill it with an expanding foam mixture for solidity and rigidity. It cuts WAY DOWN on how much resin you need for a large piece, as the foams expand 10-20x their mixed volume.
I also have ideas in mind for some entirely self-produced masters for some things, inspired by some wargame scenery I've run across.
Stay tuned both here and in my sale thread, as I hope to be casting quite a bit this week. Heck, you guys might even get a look at - and in - the Production Platform!
