Talaaya
Well-Known Member
Re: 3D Printed Samus Varia Suit
Alright, alright. Here's what I have of the shoulder stuff:
I decided to go with a single part silicone mold with a slit cut partially down one side. You can see the lump here where I built up the area where I would later cut it:
After covering the shoulder with silicone I used a clay shim and foil to ensure the Plastipaste mother mold would stay separate. I also applied Sonite Wax to everything just in case. I inserted marbles in the shim to make registration keys for the mother mold.
Here I'm applying a batch of Plastipaste. The sheets layered over the top are single layers of tissue (not a whole tissue, they're double ply by default so I tore the tissue apart). I saw this technique used in a video and it's so great! It allows you to pat down the paste, making a nice smooth surface. That way you don't rip apart your hands later when you're trying to rotate it around and cast while holding a super rough surface.
The mold came out great! There are a few air gaps that got stuck in the rectangular "holes" along the ridges, but it's fine - I have to cut them out anyway.
The mother mold is in 3 parts: 2 fronts and a back:
I took a dremel to the edges to make sure everything was nice and smooth.
Here's the first pull of the shoulder fin:
I didn't quite get the resin in the tips so some air got trapped, and there's another bubble on the side at the top of the pic. I just did the second pull and it's much better:
It's a single part mold. It's a little hard to get it out of there but it sure does make things easier otherwise. The second one is darker because I was experimenting with the black dye.
It's dark outside now so no more casting tonight. I'm so excited to cast the shoulder tomorrow!
Alright, alright. Here's what I have of the shoulder stuff:
I decided to go with a single part silicone mold with a slit cut partially down one side. You can see the lump here where I built up the area where I would later cut it:
After covering the shoulder with silicone I used a clay shim and foil to ensure the Plastipaste mother mold would stay separate. I also applied Sonite Wax to everything just in case. I inserted marbles in the shim to make registration keys for the mother mold.
Here I'm applying a batch of Plastipaste. The sheets layered over the top are single layers of tissue (not a whole tissue, they're double ply by default so I tore the tissue apart). I saw this technique used in a video and it's so great! It allows you to pat down the paste, making a nice smooth surface. That way you don't rip apart your hands later when you're trying to rotate it around and cast while holding a super rough surface.
The mold came out great! There are a few air gaps that got stuck in the rectangular "holes" along the ridges, but it's fine - I have to cut them out anyway.
The mother mold is in 3 parts: 2 fronts and a back:
I took a dremel to the edges to make sure everything was nice and smooth.
Here's the first pull of the shoulder fin:
I didn't quite get the resin in the tips so some air got trapped, and there's another bubble on the side at the top of the pic. I just did the second pull and it's much better:
It's a single part mold. It's a little hard to get it out of there but it sure does make things easier otherwise. The second one is darker because I was experimenting with the black dye.
It's dark outside now so no more casting tonight. I'm so excited to cast the shoulder tomorrow!