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11:12 pm
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Whoops and feh.
Mold attempt #1 failed after four coats of rubber. I've never used this particular type of rubber before, as I generally go for the two-part type that you pour all at once, then it sets up in a thermochemical reaction. But that stuff is pricey, so this time I opted for the latex based rubber that you use to make "glove type" molds.
For starters, it's too damned cold out for the rubber to dry, so I set up a pair of heat lamps to simulate a balmy summer afternoon in direct sunlight in my office.
Unfortunately, I learned the hard way why the instructions are so adamant about building the mold up in numerous thin layers rather than a few thick ones. Turns out that any rubber that isn't completely dry on the surface of the master object can be persuaded to turn to steam and inflate the unfinished mold like a balloon. Once that seal is broken, the mold is ruined. Any further coats will simply make the distortion permanent. Luckily, I'd built up enough layers that I was able to peel the rubber off the master and start over cleanly. The aborted mold looked rather disturbingly like human skin.
Mold attempt #2 is already underway. This time I know that it's far better for a coat of rubber to be too thin than too thick, and that each coat needs to be 100% dry before the next one goes on. Oddly enough, that will actually make the process go much faster, as a thin coat dries fairly quickly. I should be able to pour the plaster outer mold tomorrow, and maybe even try casting a papier mache tile.
:::crosses fingers:::
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![[User Picture]](http://p-userpic.livejournal.com/68818737/1875499) | | From: | ![[info]](http://p-stat.livejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif) grrli |
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| Date: | December 2nd, 2007 11:13 am (UTC) |
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Ooooh, human skin is cool, though. In a horrific sort of way.
Good luck!
Paper mache, cool. Is this for a personal project, or is this for the theater?
Theatre. There's a rendering of the project the tiles are for in the previous post.
| | From: | grrli |
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| Date: | December 4th, 2007 07:44 pm (UTC) |
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Aha! I wandered in from f-list, commented before researching back story. Brain fracture(figurative).
Yes, I wonder if this knowledge could come in handy later for other more horrific projects...
Ennis Brown house/F.L. Wright/Bladerunner tile, ain't it?
It is indeed, though scaled down to 12" from the original 16" blocks.
Beej
I've always wanted to do that same project. Though if you're using plain liquid latex, you might want to strengthen later layers with cheesecloth or nylon. A fan blowing across your mold makes it dry faster and you can also vulcanize the stuff in zee oven on lowest heat with the door open.
I wanted to reproduce the tile with a vacuuform set up and forget about plaster altogether. Lighter.
Lighter, sure, but pricey. I'm casting the tiles in papier mache because the budget of the show is tiny, and papier mache is dirt cheap.
Would you sell me one after the show's run?
Don't even have to wait that long, I have a clean plaster positive casting I could sell you now! Drop me a line at astrobeej@strafe.com to discuss.
Beej
| From: | (Anonymous) |
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| Date: | December 4th, 2007 02:56 pm (UTC) |
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| | Vat About...... | (Link) |
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What about good ole expanding foam insulation for the tiles once the mold is done?
Cheap & fast???
B
You are the handiest guy I know. Alive, that is. |
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