Re: Hellboy Costume - Getting ready to make the first cast! - pg 4
I have seen that. Ron is awesome!
So this evening I took a look at my liquid injection pump that I was going to use to cast the mask, and decided it really wasn't big enough to do the job. A trip to Home Depot later, and I had all the parts I needed to make my own supersize one.
(purchased pump is in the front)
I began by cutting a piece off the main body, and I filled it with urethane rubber and put it in the vacuum chamber. It gave me a chance to test it out. While it worked pretty well, I think I'd like to do as sskunky suggested and put a thicker lid on it, but I don't think there's enough room to do so with the clamps that are permanently attached to the body. I'll have to do some thinking on that one. If I do decide to go that route, I've already sourced a 1" thick piece of acrylic.
While the rubber was curing, I began working on the tip. I used a brass fitting that would attach to the hose I'm using. The other end of the hose will attach to an identical brass fitting inside the core of the mold. I have several vent holes at the top of the core to allow air to escape, and when the silicone reaches those holes, I will insert plugs into them and keep the entire mold under pressure while it cures.
When the rubber had cured enough to demold it, I pulled it out and checked the fit. I ended up having to trim it down a bit on the sides, because when the carriage bolt that runs through it is tightened, it squeezes out on the sides. But after trimming, it still provides are really tight fit! I'll have to add a thin layer of Johnson's Paste Wax to the edges, and give the inside of the gun a good waxing.
Next I assembled the plunger. Pretty straightforward here. Just a PVC pipe (sealed on the bottom) attached to a T junction.
And there you have it! It cost me about $20 and an hour or so to make.
Tomorrow's plan is to give the rubber mold and core a thorough cleaning, and then I'll be assembling the mold in preparation for casting!
