Need help with flexible casting material choice.

[Harry Bardwell]

Hey guys, I'm working on a custom Flash suit, and I'm wanting to cast the ear wings in a flexible material, rubber, silicon, urethane, I don't really have a preference. Here is the catch, I want it flexible enough to not break or warp while in storage or transport, and stiff enough not to wobble around like crazy when running in the suit (yes this suit will be ran in, a lot, and I don't want it to look dumb). I'm also wanting to tint/ color it before it goes into the mold. I don't have a pressure pot or anything like that, so it needs to be just a mix and pour solution, I was thinking of making the mold out of plaster of paris since the end product will be flexible I've read a ridged mold is fine, but I am open to hearing any suggestions, but mostly I just need to figure out what material to get for the casting. Please help me RPF your my only hope.

 

[RevChumley]

Hard mold is fine, I'd probably go with a Vytaflex 50 shore, but you might want to buy some sample kits of a few shore hardness so see the one you want. You can use So-Strong tints to color it. VytaFlex™ Series, Liquid Urethane Rubbers

 

[Harry Bardwell]

Hard mold is fine, I'd probably go with a Vytaflex 50 shore, but you might want to buy some sample kits of a few shore hardness so see the one you want. You can use So-Strong tints to color it. VytaFlex™ Series, Liquid Urethane Rubbers

Thank you that looks like exactly what I need! Wonder how I missed that running around the smooth on site. You're the man! errr... woman...er PERSON!

 

[udog]

Careful with urethane an porous materials such as plaster. Urtethanes are glue, make sure you release the dang out of that mold. I preffer silicone molds for urethanes if possible.
Another flexible option would be latex, thick dwell or reinforced with cheesecloth, fiberglass or others...or using latex hardener, or fioam filled. No release here and plaster mold wllll be ok for that.

 

[Beaker]

All good advise.. Plaster isn't ideal for urethane but the Vytaflex is the right choice if using urethane. It is what Burton and 6 flags use for their batman suits as well as what David Pea used when he was producing. Ideally if using gypsum for urethane, I would use a denser gypsum like ultracal. Try to bake the mold or let it really cure out of humid environments as moisture can cause a urethane to fail as it cures. Spray the casting surface with a spray shellac then a good coat of Universal Mold Release and go to town!! As mention, latex works with plaster of paris.. The only disadvantages there is it is hard to intrinsically color latex, not impossible, just a pain and latex cures at a lower durometer so many layers will be need for the dreaded flop not to occur... Remember also latex is a natural rubber which means it will start to decompose... How rapid usually depends on sweat, skin oils, amd how well it is cleaned and stored after each use.
Hope this helps

 

[Harry Bardwell]

Careful with urethane an porous materials such as plaster. Urtethanes are glue, make sure you release the dang out of that mold. I preffer silicone molds for urethanes if possible.
Another flexible option would be latex, thick dwell or reinforced with cheesecloth, fiberglass or others...or using latex hardener, or fioam filled. No release here and plaster mold wllll be ok for that.

is there a recomended silicone to use for the mold itself if I am using it instead of plaster. also the first post recommended the vytaflex 50 is there a reason to go with that over the vita flex 60 for a stiffer cast?

 

[Beaker]

Vytaflex 60 is also a great choice.. It is a matter where you are using it for the ease of mobility. You would want to use a platinium silicone simply for ease and the fact you do not have to post cure prior to casting urethane rubber into the mold. You can also cast urethane into itself with the right release saving the cost of buying an additional product. If you want to do a brush up mold I would look at Rebound 25 if you are going for a pour on mold I would look at Mold Star 30.