Learning to build hands

[ksj]

I have been trying to read through things and figure out what products to use to cast my hand and then do the Latex overly/build up on the hands.

Everything seems to indicate that Stan Winston's monstermakers.com is the bomb as far as high quality good product goes.

For certain ultracal sold there is the best bed for the actual casts.

I am having issues figuring out what product on there I should use to make the mould for the hand.

I do know that cardboard with a coating of some sort or just duct tape would work for the inside of the box and wood is an option for the box as well...

I also know that hand casting is a two part process as you have to do the top and then the bottom, but I was thinking what about doing a painted overlay on a live cast hand and then peeling it off some way.

Feet are a different story. You make a clay 1:1 model of it then cast that in ultracal. Then you pour your latex foam product in the created mould.

Heads are kind of the same way.

The problem is some of the vulcanized rubber product has this tendency to shrink as it cures...

Thoughts anyone?

 

[LunaticNic]

The hands are pretty much the same process as the head and feet. the difference is first you make a life cast of your hands, then use clay to sculpt on that. Once the sculpt is done you make a two-piece mold made of either Ultracal30 or Resin/Fiberglass. Clean the remaining clay from the cured mold, and then fill it with latex in scenario 1 or brush it into the molds in layers using a chip-brush for a resin mold.

Also Monstermakers isn't affiliated with Stan winston to my knowledge, but their RD407 latex is very good!

 

[vebo1]

KSJ ,LunaticNic is 100% correct . That’s the exact formula I used for my Wolf power punch gloves. lok at my page to see how I did it AVP:REQUIEM RE-CREATING WOLF PREDATOR
Note to the wise when sculpting account for at least a 3 % shrink .

 

[ksj]

So what material do I use for live casting my hands? Alginate is the term I keep hearing.

 

[ksj]

The hands are pretty much the same process as the head and feet. the difference is first you make a life cast of your hands, then use clay to sculpt on that. Once the sculpt is done you make a two-piece mold made of either Ultracal30 or Resin/Fiberglass. Clean the remaining clay from the cured mold, and then fill it with latex in scenario 1 or brush it into the molds in layers using a chip-brush for a resin mold.

Also Monstermakers isn't affiliated with Stan winston to my knowledge, but their RD407 latex is very good!

His videos are sold on there. That is why I thought that there was a connection.

Now doing it that way, is it an exact fit for your hands or with brushing it that way into the mould?

 

[LunaticNic]

Vebo would certainly be the one to talk to as I haven't made my own gloves yet.

I'd say follow this video up until after the demolding and removing your own hand. I don't think silicone rubber will make a good casting to sculpt on, so I'd opt for something hard like plaster, ultracal30, or resin.

 

[vebo1]

Alginate from Smooth on or search amazon for life casting materials. I use alginate from smooth on but purchase it through amazon . Casting will be an exact fit but , latex will shrink so beware . As a precaution when you sculpt you hands after it come out of the aliginate increase your clay sculpt a little bigger to compensate

 

[ksj]

Rhonda said something about avoiding potential knock off stuff on Ebay as half of it is not good and you can't tell until it is too late. Also do we know how much the latex shrinks as a percentage?

 

[ksj]

Vebo would certainly be the one to talk to as I haven't made my own gloves yet.

I'd say follow this video up until after the demolding and removing your own hand. I don't think silicone rubber will make a good casting to sculpt on, so I'd opt for something hard like plaster, ultracal30, or resin.

I was going to use ultracal for the actual casting. I have a christmas present I am thinking off for one cast on my first attempt though...

 

[ksj]

OK did some research and the latex will shrink about 3%. The base is rubber with a bunch of other ingredients, ammonia to prevent spoiling, and water. The water evaporates as things cure causing the shrinkage...