Topic: Doc Outland's Custom Figures (updated 3/26/14)

[DocOutlands]

Thought you might feel that way once I showed ya how they were turning out.  I plan to try some more later tonight and see if I can beat the air out.  I'll mix up a minimal bunch of plastic and make the visor the FIRST - and only? - pour.  Devote my attention to working the plastic into the recesses.

[Clonehead]

I had mentioned placing my airbrush compressor on my casting table and using it's vibrations , before.
I don't do that all the time as it is too noisy to do when the wife is sleeping but it does seem to help in some cases.

[Clonehead]

Now you are getting the idea. Some molds just seem to require more attention than others.

[Tamer]

looks like you have it all figured out now Doc!

[spudafett]

How much vacume does it take to help with the air bubbles?  You could get a simple air pump and convert it into a vacuum pump and afix it to a container and possibly get it to work...

something else that might work and I am just spouting off ideas as they come to me here, is one of those vacuum food savers which attach to canning jars.  you could place your mold and resin in the jar and then turn it on to suck out the air bubbles... of course you'd have to be quick as fast as the resin starts setting up. 

[spudafett]

have you ever tried to use clear resin clonehead?  (sorry I'm kind hijacking the thread, great casts btw doc, I realy need to get on this myself!)
back on my question... they sell some clear resin stuff at hobby lobby and I was wondering if it would cast well enough for helmets and such.  I think that a few clear helmets would be a great way to make some clear or opaque visors where you could actually see the face inside the helmet.  That is something I have NEVER seen on any figures yet and I think would simply be awesome.

I know I'd buy them in a heartbeat if it worked hint hint clint!

[Clonehead]

I have thought about that but havent tried it yet, Spud. You are right, that would be a killer way to have a see through visor on a helmet. i know that some sellers use this stuff to make aftermarket lightsabers.
  I think that you could apply see-through paint to the visor to add a tint as well.

[DocOutlands]

My understanding is there are different resins with different cure times so as to work with vacuum or pressure casting.  Heck, at this point, all I've tried is squeezing the molds - I haven't even tried a vibrating surface yet!  I remembered we do have a real (non-sex-toy) massager that gives off some pretty strong vibrations - it's still packed away at the trailer house (60 miles away) waiting to be brought south.  I've still got tricks to try before hitting up the far more technical & production-oriented processes.

[Clonehead]

That sounds like a possible winner, Doc. Remember that I watch and sometimes use a construction grade vibrator to work trapped air out of concrete during foundation or wall pours. Works like a charm.

[spudafett]

that is exactly what I was thinking.  Use see through paint like with the hot glue flame effects and such.  you could make light sabers, blast effects, visors etc using clear casting resin...

[Clonehead]

that is exactly what I was thinking.  Use see through paint like with the hot glue flame effects and such.  you could make light sabers, blast effects, visors etc using clear casting resin...

I may have to keep an eye out for that clear resin. That would be pretty cool.

[narceron]

oooh yeah, clear resin sabers would let us choose any color with that tamaiya paint.

[DocOutlands]

No worries, spud.

Ran another pull on the visor, playing with working the mold to squeeze the resin down into the corners.  That WORKED by gum!  Perfect legs on the visor!!  The giant airbubble in the front of the visor kinda ruined it, tho...

I mixed just a tiny tiny dab of resin, managed to pour a flawed visor (proof of concept - WORKED), a perfect Starkiller head -PERFECT!, a flawed Boushh helmet, and a partial R7 dome I need for proof of concept on James' astro-ball-mech droid.

So, undaunted, I mixed up some more resin and repoured the visor!!  It's curing now.  I also poured an R5 head and am trying to "slush-mold" approach on an R2 head, trying for a hollow cast.  Another proof of concept run.

Can't find a functional vibrator in the house!!  ...heads for spencers.com...   

Undaunted!!

[Clonehead]

It's kind of like a mass experiment, isn't it, Doc? At least you don't get frustrated.
  That visor mold, is the visor cavity flat or do the legs point down?

[narceron]

Can't find a functional vibrator in the house!!  ...heads for spencers.com...   

Let me send my in laws over there, they can always find them,