Need some help with a clear acrylic mace prop

[Mycarhasnopaint]

Hi all. I'm a new member. Just started cosplaying last year - did a purple Twi'lek Jedi that came out great. This year I wanted to do something a little more complicated and I am making my own mace weapon. I want it to be clear glittery acrylic material and I'm going to run some lighting in it. I'm having trouble getting started though. I made a model out of styrofoam and it looks great but how can I make a mold of my styrofoam model? Do I need to coat it with something? Do I need to put it in a mold box build up half of it with clay? Is there an easier way to make a mold of this large 3d object? Should I use plaster mold or silicone ( I am just going to use it once). Also, I was thinking I could mix in glitter with the resin and do a manual slush cast so it is hollow for weight purposes and the lighting. Does anyone see any problems with this method? Any suggestions on the resin type to use (must be clear)?

Thanks everyone...I really appreciate any help you can provide.

<3 Sarah

 

[vidman]

Hello, Happy New Year and Welcome to the RPF,

I myself can not help you on this till you get to the electronics part of it.

I know that once somebody that has knowledge on this will chime in at some point.

May I suggest that you provide a sketch or diagram or photo of what is in your minds eye for this prop, this will go a long way for others to help you .

 

[ARKM]

Someone here recently made a lighted mace using a transparent hamster ball as the base. I think it was for a Hawkgirl costume. Just a thought.

 

[Duncanator]

You can mold the styrofoam in silicone without having to coat it with anything, however whatever texture your original has will be repeated on the castings. So if your original is rough, all of your castings will be rough too. If you want a smooth casting, you'll need to start with a smooth original.

You can do a brush on mold of your original to save on silicone, but it can be a bit daunting for a first time mold maker to do. You'll need to thicken and accelerate the curing of your silicone, and make a "mother mold" or rigid jacket to support the silicone for casting. The mother-mold can be made of plaster or fiberglass. I've even made made some from filled urethane too.

I've had great success with manual rotocasting. I think your idea of adding glitter and such will add a lot of sparkle to the lit-up part.

 

[novacat17]

Pictures or some reference images would be helpful; however, it may be difficult to fully cast the whole weapon (certainly not impossible, but the pouring may be annoying). You could make the piece in several parts (like making your own kit) and cast each part by itself. This would lower costs, as errors would not require a completely new cast or pour. Check out the smooth-on tutorials on youtube or the stuff from brickintheyard on youtube as well. These should give you basics for casting (very basic).

As Duncantor said, a brush on mold might be your best best for the whole piece at once, but it is a process that requires time and practice (dangerous waste of money if not done correctly on a first build).

If you are looking for a glitter effect, Duncantor's rotor casting would work. There is also powders that can be added if you want more of a glowing effect.