seemless dreads (photos 11/16)

[alphatech686]

Hey all, I've been playing around with an idea that mel gave me of seemless dreads. I took a wooded dowl and ground and sanded the end to the right taper. I did a 3/4 inch first. I spray painted it with a coulpe of coats of high gloss. I wanted the dread smooth.Then I cut a piece of inch and a 1/4 pvc in half. I figured it might be hard getting the silicone tube out later and it was. I taped it back together and placed the dowl down inside. I drilled a little hole in the tip and placed a nail in it for two reasons. to keep the tip in place in the mold and to form the air flu for pouring later. Once the dowl was secured I poured the silicone. When it cured I tried pulling the dowl out with out removing the pvc tube. NO WAY. After removing the tube you can massage the silicone off the dowl. I placed the silicone back in the pvc jacket and poured Monstermakers self skinning foam. I was real curious if I was going to be able to pull the dread free with out splitting the mold. It works beautifully. I'll try to get some photos up tomorrow. Maybe this should have gone to hunturials. Sorry.

 

[acerhater]

If you make another master you might try to use some compressed air to blow between the master and the silicone. The compressed air will force itself between the master and the silicone breaking the seal and making it easier to remove the master. At least with smaller masters that works, not sure about one thats around 2 ft long (I am just guessing at the length, its an average dred length).

 

[carlart]

Towards the back of the AVP book, you will notice a photo and small description of a guy at ADI making the dreds. Basically they took some PVC tubing and attached it to a wide piece of wood sitting on the floor. Inside of that is a one piece silicone mold into which the foam is poured. I have no idea what method was used to pull the dreds from these tubes. Acer's air idea does sound intriguing.
carlart

 

[alphatech686]

Thanks for the hint. The one inchers are next. I'll try that on that one. I am making them all 2 feet. I don't know that I will go that long but they can always be cut down.

 

[Dragonskinstudio]

sounds exsactly like my huntorial i did about one year ago on how i make my dreads thats where mel got it from lol...

 

[The Big Gunns]

No.. actually Mel got the idea from MeanGene.

 

[drgnfyre4]

Got any photos of them yet? Always eager to see how dreads turn out...one of the most important elements that can really make a mask look finished and cool.

 

[alphatech686]

I'll try to get pics up soon. family in town. By the way the foam dreads pull out of the mold pretty easy. The hard part is getting tho dowl out. is that how you spell dowl. The finished skin is pretty near perfect.

 

[carlart]

dowel

 

[yautja clone]

tho

the....

 

[carlart]

Here's a drawing I did for Gene last year when he was experimenting with seamless dreds-maybe it can work, maybe it can't but it might provoke some thought. You could bang out 10 at a clip. The top wire plate would probably need a set of cams on each side that engage tracks on the inside of the uprights to provide an even, straight pull. I have no idea how you would prevent the wires from being pulled out of the molds without the dreds attached to them. Would the cold foam stick to the metal?
carlart

 

[alphatech686]

Hey all here are some pics of some molds I used many years ago with my first pred mask. as you can see the rings were molded fight in with the dreads. This work out pretty well except now I have a bunch of rings I sculpted. Last week I filled in all the dreads in the molds. The first couple I poured the foam came out crappy. I believe now that there was a reaction with the mold release. Every cloud has a silver lining. I decided to try the seemless thing. Fortunately it all worked out very well. By the way thge little button of foam overflow gives you something to grasp when pulling out the dread. The pull out fairly easily.

 

[The Xcalibor]

damn thats nice, how well does it hang?

KEITH

 

[drgnfyre4]

damn thats nice, how well does it hang?

Kieth Kieth Kieth...take a moment and think before typing. LOL

 

[alphatech686]

It hangs well. What are we talking about again?

 

[RaptorArts]

This threads geting X rated here lol.

 

[STEVE0671]

Dam that made me laugh

Nice work though buddy!

 

[The Mortal Immortal]

Now that is one smooth looking dread. I like the looks of that, it don't have the swiss cheese look.

 

[The Xcalibor]

Mike, your right. THat was really funny when i read it back after you wrote that. But we all know what I was talking about.

KEITH