txtured base reproduction?

[revmatt]

Say I wanted t create a base for a mini, then make copies of it, what would be the best way? Silicone mold? Laytex? Then what do you make the base out of? Plastic? resin? plaster. Lemme know if yu have any success stories.

 

[freakinacage]

i have been using a silicone putty. it\'s 2 part and sets in about 10mins. then cast up with resin plaster. hth

 

[revmatt]

thanks for the lowdown. will that work for multiples, or is it a one shot deal?

 

[freakinacage]

should be fine for multiples depends on the level of detail. some fine bits of the mould may come off

 

[Einion]

Originally posted by revmatt
Say I wanted t create a base for a mini, then make copies of it, what would be the best way?

Made from what?

Originally posted by revmatt
Silicone mold? Laytex?

Latex can work fine but generally speaking silicone is tougher and a better option if you want to pull multiple copies with good detail retention. Latex is cheaper, sometimes a lot cheaper.

Originally posted by revmatt
Then what do you make the base out of? Plastic? resin? plaster.

Resins of one kind or another or plaster (more than one kind available) are the two basic alternatives.

Detail on plaster can be surprisingly fine but it\'s brittle and absorbent. Resins are tough, will reproduce even the finest details perfectly and are not absorbent; might need to have degassing equipment to get the best results though (depends on mould size, the amount of detail and the resin type).

Plasters are relatively inexpensive and simple to do, plus basic open-topped moulds made from latex are often good enough. Resins are more expensive; if you\'re buying in smaller quantities then it can be significantly more expensive.

If you buy a larger amount of resin though you have to be sure you use it up as once opened the resin component usually has a definite shelf life. Plasters can have an unlimited shelf life.

Edit: forgot about fillers. Powders like marble dust, even metal powders, reduce the cost of resin casting and the more you add the cheaper it becomes since they tend to be so much cheaper than the resin. They alter the ability of the resin to take detail though as they increase viscosity.

Einion

 

[lahatiel]

Originally posted by EinionIf you buy a larger amount of resin though you have to be sure you use it up as once opened the resin component usually has a definite shelf life.

One slightly different, but related, question regarding this particular point, Einion: I know resin has a relatively short shelf-life once opened... but do you know how long it will last if it\'s not yet been opened? I\'ve got a resin casting set (the Micro-Mark resin casting starter set, which included their CR-600 resin specifically) that I\'ve had for at least a few years now. I wasn\'t aware of the shelf-life concerns when I got, never ended up getting to the intended future project, then it\'s just been packed away in a box and forgotten as I\'ve moved a couple times since then. But, it\'s never once been opened... think there\'s any chance of it still being usable at all?

 

[Einion]

Originally posted by lahatiel
But, it\'s never once been opened... think there\'s any chance of it still being usable at all?

If the container is airtight, yes.

You can get sprays of inert gas to displace air in the open tops of tins of resin, to extend shelf life once opened, so it\'s definitely air (oxygen or humidity, possibly both) that starts the ball rolling on it going off.

Einion

 

[Spacemunkie]

Polturethane will last for months even after opening. If it\'s unopened I reckon it\'ll be fine - definitely worth having a go with anyway.

Use silicon for the moulds. Wouldn\'t bother with fillers for bases - the amount of resin used in a base is worth peanuts - just make sure you\'re casting loads up at once so you don\'t waste any.

Get a sheet of glass, some Lego (Duplo is great),some plasticine and you\'re away.

 

[revmatt]

the reason Im asking is because, well, Im lazy. I was just figuring a way to make alot of bases, rodway, cracked magma stone, tech flooring etc., maybe with a skull or helmet here and there. And doing it without having to sculpt an armies\' worth of them. Ill try silicone and resin. Where would a guy get resin? Never noticed it at the craft store.

 

[lahatiel]

Don\'t know where you are, Revmatt, but in the U.S. I\'d recommend Micro-Mark, following the links in my post above.

 

[Gussy]

Micro-Mak does not have resin kit.

I found this but don\'t know if it\'s any good or not. There must be others.

http://www.artmolds.com/product_details.cfm?product_id=217&page=0&cat_name=Resin%20Casting%20Kit

Originally posted by lahatiel
Don\'t know where you are, Revmatt, but in the U.S. I\'d recommend Micro-Mark, following the links in my post above.

 

[Jericho]

A couple weeks ago I got an email flyer from Micro Mark advertising their resin casting kits... so unless they recently stopped carrying them they should still have some in stock.

 

[Sand Rat]

I\'ve seen the kits Gussy linked to in Michaels and Hobby Lobby here in the states -

For larger quantities I\'ve seen some resins at the local Jerry\'s Artarama here in Austin - you might try their website or Blick Arts

 

[tomusannonymous]

i use silicone moldmaking rubber RTV to make the molds, its expensive and i was thinking of using polurethane rubber instead.....
for casting i use polyurethane resin, it\'s the one that sets an opaque white. it only takes about 3 mins to set fully, which is cool

i get the stuff from an Aussie company called aldax...

i fill the lego box with water first and weigh it to see what vol. of silicone i need (the weight of the water = vol of silicone you need), of course the water leaks out so i paint pva glue on the inside of the mold box, and that fills all the gaps after a few coats.... i only do this so i don\'t waste any silicone, or have to make up more silicone if i run out....

 

[revmatt]

Im in Toronto Canada.