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!
Hopefully it's going well! Can't wait to see it at pax!!!
