Latex casting

[BLAST]

I want to replicate a prop, that I think is originally foam latex. After looking around at how to cast things in foam latex, I am pretty sure I don't want to go through that. My question, is plain ole latex sturdy? What are the advantages of Foam Latex?

It'd probably be about half an inch thick. In my mind, Latex just seems floppy and flemsy...

 

[propsculptor]

You could coat the mold with Liquid Latex and back it up with a soft Polyfoam.

Originally posted by BLAST@Apr 2 2006, 03:04 PM
I want to replicate a prop, that I think is originally foam latex.  After looking around at how to cast things in foam latex, I am pretty sure I don't want to go through that.  My question, is plain ole latex sturdy?  What are the advantages of Foam Latex? 

It'd probably be about half an inch thick.  In my mind, Latex just seems floppy and flemsy...

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[TheSt.LouisKid]

Originally posted by propsculptor@Apr 2 2006, 11:23 PM
You could coat the mold with Liquid Latex and back it up with a soft Polyfoam.

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What he said.

I've seen that done and its got good suport.
If you wanted it to be really rigid you could coat the mold with liquid latex and instead of polyfoam you could use the insulation foam that comes in a can.

Guess it also depends on what you are making specifically.

 

[Magic Man]

Owww...depending on what you're molding, I wouldn't recommend backing it with insulation for (ie Great Stuff). It is rigid and may not release from the mold. I got a friend, a member of this board, who used it as a core and took him 2 days of prying to get the mold apart.

 

[propsculptor]

You can buy a Rigid Polyfoam that works much better than Great Stuff, from the same suppliers as Polyfoam, like BJB Enterpirses and Polytek.

Depending on the level that it's Rigid you can still pull it out of a mold.

Originally posted by Magic Man@Apr 2 2006, 03:56 PM
Owww...depending on what you're molding, I wouldn't recommend backing it with insulation for (ie Great Stuff).  It is rigid and may not release from the mold.  I got a friend, a member of this board, who used it as a core and took him 2 days of prying to get the mold apart.

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[TheSt.LouisKid]

Originally posted by Magic Man@Apr 2 2006, 11:56 PM
Owww...depending on what you're molding, I wouldn't recommend backing it with insulation for (ie Great Stuff).  It is rigid and may not release from the mold.  I got a friend, a member of this board, who used it as a core and took him 2 days of prying to get the mold apart.

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Just fartin' around I have shot Great Stuff into molds and was able to remove it with no problem and now I have a communicator that can also be used as a floatation device. If you design your mold to accomodate the removal of the part then you should have no problem. Sometimes a part calls for a simple open face mold and sometimes a multipart mold. I had to make a 5 part mold for one wierd shaped project.

Like I said, all depends on what yer making.

 

[Lord_Gita]

As an aside, do not perform latex casting indoors or without ventilation. The amount of ammonia foam latex will discharge while mixing and while curing is very high and you will get sick.

Also if you are using a liquid latex skin try to use a concrete mold, fiberglass won't draw out the chemicals as well and any recesses have a strong chance of pooling up and not curing all the way through leaving spongy spots. Use multiple thin layers either way.