Latex Curing Times?

[skapunkninja]

Hi all
Im sculpting some suit parts, and have finally got around to casting.
Ive molded the lower arm/hand with a plaster mold and slushed in latex, but i cant get the latex to cure!!
how long should it take?

Ive only done a thin layer so far. The top part of the mold (forearm) has dried nicely, but the lower/more encased part (fingers) is still wet. ive left it in our kitchen for 5 days now.

How long should it take to cure? And any tips on speeding it up?

 

[MEANGENE83]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AtwETTesXio&feature=g-upl&context=G261bad7AUAAAAAAAEAA

Try this. It doesn't specifically answer your questions. But since it seems you are new to casting latex this may help you.

To force dry latex I use a Space heater blowing into the mold in the video.

Dry time depends on Local humidity, temperature, thickness of the latex in the mold, the mold material itself. I let my mold sit for a couple of days and forget about it.

 

[Darth Pinhead]

Yeah, fingers are FUN, lol. Gene is right; use a heater fan (For safety's sake, keep your eye on it and don't leave unattended). You need to get air flowing in there and if your mold goes from elbow to finger-tip, that's pretty deep and closed off. Also, where are these curing? As in, a cold garage or a temperature controlled part of your house?

 

[carss66]

I use a hair dryer to start it off,then heat the mould gently for other layers.

 

[Effects Guy]

It should take about 12-24 hours in a plaster mold in a 75 degree or higher room, in a cold room, cold take a really long time, so a heater works well, just don't get the mold too hot or the latex could distort or even burn in some rare cases. I assume you are using slip latex. Doing this in a dried mold works a lot better. I often bake out stone molds for about 12-24 hours at about 200 degrees and allow them to cool for 4-5 hours before putting latex in the mold. Also, if you used mold release, that will slow down the cure dramatically.