Mould Making

[AlphaTech686]

In case anyone is interested I just stumbled across a Facebook page intitled Advanced Mould Making design & Casting Techniques. I don't know if anyone has mentioned this on here but if you want to see some incredible molding stuff go check it out. These guys are total maniacs. I have never seen anything like it. It is a must see if you want to get motivated the next time you need to  mold something.

 

[AlphaTech686]

By the way there are all sorts of behind the scenes photos of different suits and things.

 

[Giles]

I had a look at this last night as I couldn't sleep.  This stuff is pretty cool.  Didn't really quite get the multiple casts and moulds of the same thing although cores etc is a little beyond my skill set at the moment.  

I was a little intrigued by the magnetic cores but couldn't really see what the benefits were.  Can anyone enlighten me on this?

 

[AlphaTech686]

First off, sorry I put this post in the wrong place I see someone moved it. Thanks. The collapsable hands and other cores are for easy removal of the final silicone piece. The hand for example can be disassembled while still inside the finished silicone piece for easier removal, ie; less stretching

 

[made007]

In youtube theres some great videos from smooth on, also in the website, and i think in the hunt transmission forum meangene has like 5 episodes he made showing how to do it, i learned from those

 

[ptgreek]

we are going to start using collapsible hand and arm cores using rare earth magnets rather then pegs ..works much better i'll grab a pic later ..they were developed by my buddy Frank Ippolito ..if you find him on instagram, he shows them.

here is the benefit ...they come apart much easier ...you dont have to stretch the thumb up and out of the hand core. AND ..they snap together tighter ..not allowing for any product to get inside the "seem" at the sections 

 

[ThePriest]

Yeah i saw those they are awesome i learned alot from the different styles of the way they made them.

 

[Giles]

One bit that still doesn't make sense is how would you cut the core into pieces and still make it join up as you would have removed material during the cutting or does it not matter or have i missed something again?

 

[ptgreek]

on a standard "pegged" collapsible core, the sections are sawed off. they are pretty even cuts with a thin saw blade ..then the holes are drilled and pegged. The magnetic's are remolded and retrofitted with keying. they are a bit more work, but well worth it in the end..and if made with a strong epoxy resin such as 1630, will last a very long time

 

[Giles]

Cheers George.  Sorry to hijack the thread alphatech, just seemed logical to ask the questions in the same thread.

 

[AlphaTech686]

Hey Giles no problem. I wish George would chime in more often.  George are you listening? in looking though the hand build it appeared on this one they cut the thumb and forefinger and the little finger off, then did the work to them ie; built of an little bulge, placed a peg and inserted the magnets. All this was done on the cut off stuff then they placed the opposing magnets to the already placed magnets and put these pieces back in the hand mold minus the mane body of the hand. Judging by what I was seeing they then poured the body of the hand again with all the cut off parts in place in the mold thus having a mane piece that now fits perfectly to the apposing cut off pieces. That's how it looked to me and that is my plane for making the ones I am working on.

 

[ptgreek]

Yes ..that is exactly correct ..so it IS a bit of a process to get this done, but when completed makes the demolding so much easier. I have a clear cast demo hand at the shop ..i'll take a few pics today. Another great way to further this concept would be to cut at the wrist as well and magnet "peg" that area too. Our current cores run about midway between the elbow and armpit ..our silicone sleeves roughly extend 4 in above the elbow. demolding would be a pain without a collapsible core

Sorry ..i try to check in as often as possible ..but with the new shop, expansion and huge workflow, i seem to be busier and busier these days.

 

[ptgreek]

as promised here are some pics of the clear cast hand with magnetic pegs

 

[Giles]

Please excuse the free hand mouse drawing in Microsoft Paint. Although is this the general gist of it?

 

[AlphaTech686]

Thanks George and Giles. I'm just waiting on some silicone so I can get to steppin on the hands that I already cast. I sure do hate sanding and filling all that nice detail off of them though.