Vacuum Forming Clay?

[Queen Hunter]

I used my clay to sculpt out multiple armor pieces before i get onto the big stuff like the head, skin, legs, etc. Now my only concern is that i don't want to make multiple molds, or fiberglassing anything. I want to try vacuum forming a few of the pieces but i'm afraid that if i try it will squish my armor pieces. Has anyone tried vacuum forming before and does it work with clay? thanks for any replies!

 

[MasterAnubis]

Clay in your vacuform will not work well. Unless it's cured water based stuff.

If you can squish it with your finger then it will be crushed under the heat and pressure. Best case is that you lost detail and it deforms.

 

[hellonearth]

Clay in your vacuform will not work well. Unless it's cured water based stuff.

If you can squish it with your finger then it will be crushed under the heat and pressure. Best case is that you lost detail and it deforms.

god , that's "best case" hate to see what "worst case" would look like....

 

[ptgreek]

you need to make a plaster "Buck" of your sculpted piece. Not exactly hard to do ....make a silicone mold of your piece ...then make a plaster bandage jacket for this mold. remove the clay from said mold and fill with stone ..plaster ..what have you ..now you have a stone positive to lay the plastic over

 

[Queen Hunter]

thanks ptgreek

 

[hez1]

If money is tight then you can use certain kinds of latex as a mold instead of silicone. There's a thread in the materials forum right now that mentions a couple that are suitable. It's $40 a gallon as opposed to $100.

 

[Darth Pinhead]

you need to make a plaster "Buck" of your sculpted piece. Not exactly hard to do ....make a silicone mold of your piece ...then make a plaster bandage jacket for this mold. remove the clay from said mold and fill with stone ..plaster ..what have you ..now you have a stone positive to lay the plastic over

In lieu of the silicone, couldn't you just use plaster to make the mold. Then, vasoline the inside of the mold and do a plaster pour for the buck, skipping the silicone step? Just curious...

 

[Elkman]

In lieu of the silicone, couldn't you just use plaster to make the mold. Then, vasoline the inside of the mold and do a plaster pour for the buck, skipping the silicone step? Just curious...

Only if there aren't any undercuts. If there are any undercuts, or if the pieces fit together too closely, then you'll have the pieces locked together forever. Think of a jigsaw puzzle in three dimensions and you'll get the idea.

 

[ptgreek]

Rule of thumb. Pull hard from soft and soft from hard. Ya.. You run the risk of the casting getting locked up in the mold

 

[Darth Pinhead]

Only if there aren't any undercuts. If there are any undercuts, or if the pieces fit together too closely, then you'll have the pieces locked together forever. Think of a jigsaw puzzle in three dimensions and you'll get the idea.

Yeah, forgot about undercuts. Chalk that ridiculous suggestion up to "DUH" on my part...