Kenner conversions

[Darth Domain]

I want to convert my kenner, i have seen a couple of kits on E-Bay but i felt that i want to do this the hard way for fun. I want to do what other members have done, research and sculpt the parts, then make moulds and cast them in resin.
This may be simple enough for others on the forum but i have no experience of this and so:
Can anyone point me in the direction of links/tutorials of scuplting and what i should use to sculpt?
When i have sculpted the parts, how do i make them into moulds?
How do i use resin to make the part?

I'm not even sure if these parts can be made in resin, i would have thought the folding stock would be the most difficult part to do
Any help and advice greatly appreciated
Mark. :thumbsup

 

[Darth Domain]

Hello, any one?
I know i have to make a clay sculpt first, so i could start with this, i've already been viewing the E11 and trying to get rough ideas of meaurements etc of the mag and housing etc. I'm still trying to find my SW VD as well to aid me (buried amongst many boxes).
I know that if i have a go at sculpting, i then have to make a mould but on step at a time eh
So, what clay should i be using which can have a mould made off it?
thanks

 

[Sidewinder]

Which parts are you wanting to do?

I would say a lot of the bits could be done with plasticard, like the stock and magazine parts.

If your just wanting to make the stuff for yourself then going the sculpt/mold/cast in resin route would be wasteful and unnecessarily expensive.
I would just scratchbulid using plasticard for flat areas maybe clad around wood for strength where possible/required and use milliput to sculpt the fiddly rounded bits etc.

SAS

 

[Darth Domain]

Originally posted by Sidewinder@Mar 17 2006, 11:38 AM
Which parts are you wanting to do?

I would say a lot of the bits could be done with plasticard, like the stock and magazine parts.

If your just wanting to make the stuff for yourself then going the sculpt/mold/cast in resin route would be wasteful and unnecessarily expensive.
I would just scratchbulid using plasticard for flat areas maybe clad around wood for strength where possible/required and use milliput to sculpt the fiddly rounded bits etc.

SAS

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Hi, thanks for reply. what is plasticard? and Millliput, is this US products? I'm UK based you see.

 

[Sidewinder]

I'm UK too. Plasticard is just that, plastic card or sheet styrene as our US cousins like to call it. It comes in diff thicknesses and sizes and is basically the same material as Airfix kits are made from. Milliput is a two part epoxy that you can shape like clay and sets very hard .
Both these things should be available in a hobby/model shop.
SAS

 

[Kevin]

Originally posted by Darth Domain@Mar 17 2006, 01:01 PM

Hi, thanks for reply. what is plasticard? and Millliput, is this US products? I'm UK based you see.

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Hi Darth,

I used to get all my supplies from the Model Maker's Resource but they closed at the end of February this year. Their website recommends this company
Hobby's

I haven't used them, but if you click on the "products" heading on their site you'll find Milliput and Plastic Sheet under their "materials" icon.

Kevin

 

[Darth Domain]

Thanks guys, so i assume that if i make for instance a mag housing i use the milliput to sculpt on it where there needs to be curves?

 

[Sidewinder]

Yeah, you can make the basic shape out of the card and then fill in gaps and make any curves/details using the milliput.
Milliput is easy to work with, mix with hands 'til its all one colour (I use the standard grey type) and have a little pot of water handy - drops of water added to the 'put makes it more smooth and pliable. To work it to shape on the part I use Games Workshop's sculpting tool that has a blade at one end and a flat 'spoon' at the other (i've yet to find a job it won't do.)

SAS

 

[Darth Domain]

Thanks again. It would seem the only part i am struggling to understand construction wise is the folding stock. Any one got any pointers at all?

 

[Matsuo]

The stock is a bit tricky, I made this one out of plastic sheet and perspex (for the thicker parts).

Finding some of the templates or blueprints that have been offered will help a lot.

*Images powerd by chimp.*

Matt

 

[Pilot]

DD, check out the templates by iambubby available for download at the Blaster Builders Club. Very good stuff.

Also, have a look at this image to see how the stock actually operates.

 

[Darth Domain]

Originally posted by Matsuo@Mar 18 2006, 01:33 AM
The stock is a bit tricky, I made this one out of plastic sheet and perspex (for the thicker parts).

Finding some of the templates or blueprints that have been offered will help a lot.

*Images powerd by chimp.*

Matt

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Nice work there

 

[Darth Domain]

yet another question
I had mentioned that i would wish to learn how to sculpt so i can make things such as the mag housing, the clip and the end cap front barrel etc. I have been advised above to use plasticard to make such things with milliput to do the more scuplting side of it. This was if the work was going to be for my balster
What i thought to myself is if i can make a resin cast of such things and my blaster turns out well then i may buy kenners to convert or offer resin kits etc because i love trying my hand at arty/crafty stuff.
So, i know there is an excellent tutorial/templates on blaster builders club and i have looked at these for reference. But the problem is with using those templates is the fact that that would be using someone else's work (dare i say the R word)..
So i still wisho go the hard way. so another couple of questions and sculptors/resin moulders please chime in

If i make masters out of plasti card and milliput, would this then be able to be used to make amould for resin casting?
Secondly, Does any one have any good all round pics or know of links where i can have good reference pics of the e-11?

As for the folding stock, i have received templates for this (cheers sidewinder), i have decided to try this out for my own blaster, but again, if i want to make them to sell conversion kits, then i need to make my own original. This i think is the most complex part of the kit, gonna take a bit of working out, not sure if it can even be cast in resin
Thanks for help folks

 

[Sidewinder]

Yes, so long as the master is sealed so the liquid rubber cant get in.
Some pics of my converted Real Sterling Deac here http://www.pointto.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/No2p19.html

For the stock, if you wanna cast it once made, then best to make it non-moving (it never did in SW anyway)
Most of the parts for an E11 can be done in a one piece (the easiest type) mold.
The most important part in molding etc. is planning it out first so that you anticipate any probs before you pour anything.

SAS

Originally posted by Darth Domain@Mar 18 2006, 09:04 AM
yet another question
If i make masters out of plasti card and milliput, would this then be able to be used to make amould for resin casting?
Secondly, Does any one have any good all round pics or know of links where i can have good reference pics of the e-11?

As for the folding stock, i have received templates for this (cheers sidewinder), i have decided to try this out for my own blaster, but again, if i want to make them to sell conversion kits, then i need to make my own original.  This i think is the most complex part of the kit, gonna take a bit of working out, not sure if it can even be cast in resin
Thanks for help folks

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[Darth Domain]

I've been looking at sites on how to make one and two piece molds and am now in the process of making cardboard models of parts for my kenner conversion just so i can get sizes right etc. When i'm ready to make the masters, what do/can i use to seal them so resin does not leak through? Any help appreciated
Thanks
Mark

 

[Sidewinder]

If you use hot glue to stick em together that works as a sealant.
If you just use superglue or whatever, seal the edges with milliput filler.
To test your masters either fill em with water or immerse 'em and watch for bubbles/shake them after you take them out and listen for sloshing
Make sure there is NO WATER on/in the masters when you pour rubber on.
Don't forget that lightweight masters will float in liquid rubber - double-sided tap em to the floor.

SAS

Originally posted by Darth Domain@Mar 21 2006, 07:09 PM
I've been looking at sites on how to make one and two piece molds and am now in the process of making cardboard models of parts for my kenner conversion just so i can get sizes right etc. When i'm ready to make the masters, what do/can i use to seal them so resin does not leak through? Any help appreciated
Thanks
Mark

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[Sidewinder]

If you use hot glue to stick em together that works as a sealant.
If you just use superglue or whatever, seal the edges with milliput filler.
To test your masters either fill em with water or immerse 'em and watch for bubbles/shake them after you take them out and listen for sloshing
Make sure there is NO WATER on/in the masters when you pour rubber on.
Don't forget that lightweight masters will float in liquid rubber - double-sided tape em to the floor.

SAS

Originally posted by Darth Domain@Mar 21 2006, 07:09 PM
I've been looking at sites on how to make one and two piece molds and am now in the process of making cardboard models of parts for my kenner conversion just so i can get sizes right etc. When i'm ready to make the masters, what do/can i use to seal them so resin does not leak through? Any help appreciated
Thanks
Mark

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[Darth Domain]

Originally posted by Sidewinder+Mar 21 2006, 07:23 PM--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Sidewinder @ Mar 21 2006, 07:23 PM)</div>

If you use hot glue to stick em together that works as a sealant.
If you just use superglue or whatever, seal the edges with milliput filler.
To test your masters either fill em with water or immerse 'em and watch for bubbles/shake them after you take them out and listen for sloshing
Make sure there is NO WATER on/in the masters when you pour rubber on.
Don't forget that lightweight masters will float in liquid rubber - double-sided tap em to the floor.

SAS

<!--QuoteBegin-Darth Domain

@Mar 21 2006, 07:09 PM
I've been looking at sites on how to make one and two piece molds and am now in the process of making cardboard models of parts for my kenner conversion just so i can get sizes right etc. When i'm ready to make the masters, what do/can i use to seal them so resin does not leak through? Any help appreciated
Thanks
Mark

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[/b]

Thanks once again, i had thought about the floating problem especially for a small piece such as the end cap part etc. I also thought that perhaps hot glue on the bottom of the master to secure it to the plastic base would suffice. Or would it be too lumpy, i.e. would there be a gap between the bottom of the master and the plasic base thus meaning resin leaking under?

 

[Darth Domain]

Originally posted by Sidewinder+Mar 21 2006, 07:23 PM--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Sidewinder @ Mar 21 2006, 07:23 PM)</div>

If you use hot glue to stick em together that works as a sealant.
If you just use superglue or whatever, seal the edges with milliput filler.
To test your masters either fill em with water or immerse 'em and watch for bubbles/shake them after you take them out and listen for sloshing
Make sure there is NO WATER on/in the masters when you pour rubber on.
Don't forget that lightweight masters will float in liquid rubber - double-sided tap em to the floor.

SAS

<!--QuoteBegin-Darth Domain

@Mar 21 2006, 07:09 PM
I've been looking at sites on how to make one and two piece molds and am now in the process of making cardboard models of parts for my kenner conversion just so i can get sizes right etc. When i'm ready to make the masters, what do/can i use to seal them so resin does not leak through? Any help appreciated
Thanks
Mark

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[/b]

Thanks once again, i had thought about the floating problem especially for a small piece such as the end cap part etc. I also thought that perhaps hot glue on the bottom of the master to secure it to the plastic base would suffice. Or would it be too lumpy, i.e. would there be a gap between the bottom of the master and the plasic base thus meaning resin leaking under?
Double post, sorry.

 

[Umbra]

this is a << very >> useful thread. thank you