instant mold

[cyberakuma]

I've got to say i'm in love with this stuff. I finally found a stockist for it in the u.k., it was a bit steep at £11 with postage (prob works out the same as getting it direct from america). It's easy to use the instructions aren't just overly simplified it is actually that easy to use so far i've only done one sided molds i did completely encase one bit to see how it would work and as other posts on here have said it'll be a bit tricker but not impossible just probably not the best idea to use it to cast a whole miniature.

That said, what i've been using it for it seems to work pretty well. The first project idea was to cast up the hex system pieces from aurora models In japan. they are great little tiles, walls, doors etc. that when put together will make up a 3d dungeon. So far i've just been doing the floor tiles and on my first attempt i've noticed little problems like slipped mold or not enough putty leaving a gap at the edge, really once I popped the pieces out and saw them they are no more than a couple of minutes of clean up work that you'd expect on any plastic or metal cast mini you'd get from a major company.

Sorry I've not got pics to show you as my camera is not really any good at doing miniature photos. i thought i'd put a post this, as all the others seem to be about professional needs or what not, rather than someone who has next to no knowledge of sculpting. Really this product is for us retards that don't have a clue about making molds from other materials and clamping pressure yadda yadda yadda. If you are looking to cast up bits for conversions this stuff is a dream, no doubt the more you use it the more ideas you'll get about how to use it. I wanted it for making some duplicates of back packs for sisters of battle since I've got a few missing back packs, I've not got round to that yet and it's going to be a while as I'm just having too much fun making a 3d dungeon map now.

So any newbies with reservations from reading other posts that this maybe a little out of your skill set; Stop worrying even if a mold isn't perfect it's completely recyclable, if you're using something like milliput to make the pieces, like i said it's just a few minutes of scraping, shaving, sanding or filling to get the piece looking just like the original. So give it a go already it's worth it's weight in gold!

 

[No Such Agency]

Easy to use, but I'd say tough to master. I got good results duplicating textures and some space marine shoulder pads as a test, and some other parts of miniatures... but anything seriously three-dimensional will not be easy to get a good cast of. Practice makes perfect, I guess, but I don't really think this stuff can replace proper mold-making substances.

 

[SkelettetS]

i second that. not that easy as it first seemed, hard to get sharp copies of surfaces. at least for me

 

[Einion]

...it was a bit steep at £11 with postage...

Not if you buy the generic stuff :secret:

That said, what i've been using it for it seems to work pretty well. The first project idea was to cast up the hex system pieces from aurora models In japan. they are great little tiles, walls, doors etc. that when put together will make up a 3d dungeon. So far i've just been doing the floor tiles and on my first attempt i've noticed little problems like slipped mold or not enough putty leaving a gap at the edge, really once I popped the pieces out and saw them they are no more than a couple of minutes of clean up work that you'd expect on any plastic or metal cast mini you'd get from a major company.

Out of curiosity, what are you making your casts out of?

i second that. not that easy as it first seemed, hard to get sharp copies of surfaces. at least for me

Need help with that?

Einion

 

[Spacemunkie]

Just a heads-up - probably best to not mention the actual bits that you're casting

I'd seriously recommend investing in some silicon to make 'proper' moulds and cast stuff up in plaster. Far more cost effective if you're producing a large amount of scenic pieces

 

[cyberakuma]

@einion I'm using yellow grey milliput and it's been working great. Tried out a two part mold for a pillar/door surround thing by just completely wrapping it with one stick and then slicing it open when cured. It's a pretty decent fitting mould with both parts sitting flush with one another, I slightly over filled each side seperately then squeezed them together and secured it with elastic bands as it cured. Other than a bit of excess that needed trimming and mold lines that need scraping it's not created a problem but what i'm duplicating isn't of deep detail with parts protruding at awkward angles so i'm guessing that it's been to my advantage but for other stuff it may be more problematic.

I had no idea there was a generic version I only knew about this stuff because of CMON what name does it go by? Just incase I feel the need to get some more.

@spacemunkie What are they going to do if they see this take me to court? with no address or no actual evidence of what's been duplicated or how many times? If I was doing it for profit then I can understand. At the end of the day it would cost them too much, the same as ordering the stuff and having it shipped from japan in large quantities. Atleast this way they've made some money out of me as the alternative after seeing the design would have been to scratch build a few walls and floor tiles myself and cast them up. The silicon moulds for me are a lot more complex to build and not nearly as versatile for the amount I need. Once I'm done I can use the instant mold to make other things where as with the silicon ones I'm left with a lump of rubber I'll never use again. As for the plaster although it's cheaper it takes longer to mix and longer to cure, so i'd need more molds to produce the same amount, where as with instant mold and milliput within an hour I can pop the piece out of the mold clean the mold and use it again. So it's doing what I need it for spectacularly i.e. clean duplicates, space saving, re-usable and I much prefer how easy milliput is to clean up and it's strength afterwards in damp areas like the u.k. eventually plaster will begin to crumble but milliput in the years i've been using it for i've had no such problems.