resin casting vs heat/vac forming

[mac3kuby]

So I have a pretty broad question for everyone. I plan to build a new trooper this summer. Let's just call it a clone variation. I will be buying part of the armor (vac formed), but will have to make the parts that are specific to this trooper (no one produces it). I will be making back armor, shoulders, bicep armor, tank for the back, various small greeblies and a helmet. I will be eventually selling copies of the hard to find pieces.

I am confident I can do the resin casting; clay original, silicone mold, resin cast. I have also seen some people make their own home version of a vacuum former. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uMbX3bqfzsk&index=4&list=PLyr1VtW-L6cRMtypWugJjxemnz8idm1ty

What route do you recommend? Is there a big difference in trooping in resin casted vs vac formed? I am going to assume it is better and lighter to use the vac formed abs plastic. Will the abs sell better when I go to sell the pieces later?

Any help is nice. Thanks.

 

[Pedro]

Vacuform I say, though fiberglass is an option. I recently built some masters for AT-AT Driver armor and a simple vacuform machine. Some learning curve with wasted plastic but totally doable and the results are awesome. Here's my build thread http://www.therpf.com/showthread.php?t=225816

 

[mac3kuby]

Read both your thread and the original instructions to build it. Did you drill lots of holes for the base that sucks the air? I know most people do that, but it didn't look like that was what the instructions you recommended did. Am I correct in saying you pulled your front and back armor using this method? The plastic fit in your oven? Wow. Very cool.

 

[Pedro]

Just the 1 hole in the platen, seems to work as well or better than lots of little holes (most of which get covered right away when you pull anyway). I built a small vacuform box some time back and never had much luck, but this works fine. Yes, all the armor but the helmet and chest box were pulled on this "machine". The plastic barely fits my oven, I think the frame is 18"x22" or so. (can double check if you like) I recently got the Anovos TK kit (my first real armor), and I would definitely not be able to heat up sheets large enough for the larger parts of that armor. One day I hope to build an oven for this stuff too...one day. Anyway, I found it was not as hard as I thought once I got over the hump. Make sure your bucks are strong! I made many mistakes along the way, mostly in choice of materials.