Please help with silicone question!!

[TheCaptain96]

Anyone know if RTV SuperSil 20 Silicone safe for lifescasting? And before anyone starts Ive already used our good friend google

Silicone Rubber 1kg

 

[RedHowler]

That silicone is not ideal for life casting as it takes a long time to set (you're model may not appreciate holding the same position for a long time) you preferably want a silicone that will set in under 15min, mould life do a great two part silicone that is easy to get off your model and sets in a good time, or alginate is another option and possibly cheaper depending on what you intend on casting.

 

[TheCaptain96]

Hey man thanks for the info, the only reason i asked is because in ireland that supplier is 1/3 the price of smooth on body double for a 8kg bucket. I will life casting my head, so setting time important to say the least! much thanks Red

 

[Storagejin]

You use alginate to lifecast, not silicone. Silicone is not safe for body casting.

You first rub on the mixed alginate onto the model, and then you get some plaster bandages to create a hard shell to support the alginate(so it doesn't warp when you release it from the model).

Then you pour in the silicon into the alginate mold, to create the skin.

This is a good youtube channel to help you get start with
Mold Making Face Cast With 880 Alginate - YouTube

 

[Mr Mold Maker]

That is NOT true at all.

Silicone life casting is not only safe, it is generally replacing alginate completely now a days. The benefits of silicone far out-weigh the low price of Alginate.

Both Smooth-on and Mould-life sell skin safe silicone, Body Double and Life Form, respectively for a start. Supersil is NOT recommended for life casting.

The same YouTube channel linked above has great Silicone life casting videos as well.

 

[TheCaptain96]

Hi storagejin, please correct me if I'm wrong but I thought smooth on body double IS silicone. Its whst I used first to make my first life cast? And from watching a Stan Winston school video I learned they used silicone?

 

[Alaneye]

Yeah, there are silicones safe for body casting, but I doubt that RTV SuperSil 20 is one of them (you'd think it would say so in the description). You really should call the supplier and ask to be sure.

Brickintheyard tend to use Smooth on Gel-10

Lifecasting Tutorial: Gel-10 Body Mold Part 1 - YouTube

 

[Storagejin]

Hi storagejin, please correct me if I'm wrong but I thought smooth on body double IS silicone. Its whst I used first to make my first life cast? And from watching a Stan Winston school video I learned they used silicone?

RTV SuperSil 20 doesn't seem to look like a silicone for life casting. Smooth on body double is silicone, and I think it is safe for skin. But 8 KG is a bit much if you just want to cast your head. (casting a head is much harder than just casting a face!)

I have a bucket of BITY Gel-10 but I never know it is safe for skin.
Does anybody knows if silicone capture as much detail as alginate?

I think alginate is much more cheaper if you are making a mold for one time cast.

 

[Viking]

Brickintheyard tend to use Smooth on Gel-10

Lifecasting Tutorial: Gel-10 Body Mold Part 1 - YouTube

Mitch from Brickintheyard (Bity Mold Supply) uses Polytek products. Platsil Gel 10 is a great product for life casting.

Polytek
Polytek Development Corp.-Polyurethane & silicone mold materials and casting plastics for making rubber molds to cast concrete, plaster, wax, resins & foam from Polytek Corp.

Bity Mold Supply
BITY Mold Supply - Mold Making & Casting Materials & More | Home

Good people work at Bity, give them a call and they will answer any question you got on mold making and casting.

 

[Alaneye]

Yeah, there are silicones safe for body casting, but I doubt that RTV SuperSil 20 is one of them (you'd think it would say so in the description). You really should call the supplier and ask to be sure.

Brickintheyard tend to use Smooth on Gel-10

Lifecasting Tutorial: Gel-10 Body Mold Part 1 - YouTube

Sorry, it's not Smooth-on Gel-10, it's Platsil which is a Polytek product as Viking rightly points out... I thought I had corrected that before I posted it.