Advanced GS Casting Tutorial

[Baron von Lexus]

I'm planning on using Gatorade caps for a couple bigger things I'm going to make.

[Lord Commander Erus]

Note to self/all:

Corn Flour.. Vegetable oil doesn't let the molds separate well at all. Also, pressing them and letting them cure probably didn't mean stacking heavy books on them all night, did it nano?

[Baron von Lexus]

I'd use rubber bands

[Lord Commander Erus]

Maybe the weight is what did it in but my molds were properly cured and in ONE piece, not two halves.

Otherwise, Nano's tutorial seemed spot on.

[Ion Raptor]

It would have worked better had you done one side and let cure, then did the other side.

Making the mold is a two day affair, one for each side, you can't do both at the same time for that very reason.

[Lord Commander Erus]

Originally Posted by Ion Raptor

It would have worked better had you done one side and let cure, then did the other side.

Making the mold is a two day affair, one for each side, you can't do both at the same time for that very reason.

I may try that now on the bolter... and just do the nub(s)/guide marks before I press the bit into the other side..

The deathwacth bolter and the DA head are what I really wanted molded. The pistol was just a cool idea.

[Nanolathe]

I did tell you to do ONE side first and let it cure.
What's the good of a tutorial if you don't follow it correctly?

make some secondary indents into your GS (I used the blunt end of my modeling knife... just use something to give a nice clean simple shape. This is so your mould will fit back in the same place each time you use it.)
Let it completely cure after this stage

A thought occurs. if you can't find something that's the right size for a mould... why not make one?

1.5mm Plasticard is more than sturdy enough. Glue it together with some decent poly-cement and you've got a box ANY shape and size you want!

[Lord Commander Erus]

Indeed Nano.. I mentioned it was my mistake. Your tut is a good one to follow! I was just warning others to make sure they did indeed follow it. IT doesn't seem to allow much room for forgiveness. although I think, on second thought/exam, that my plasma pistol mold will work, as will the bolter...

[Ion Raptor]

just made one for Chaos legs, I'll post pics up once my first cast dries.

[Lord Commander Erus]

Looking forward to that Ion...

I lost my mold of the hooded DA head... and the bit within it! >.<

[Lieutenant L]

Nice tutorial - however i would at least add 1 overflow hole in the mould - a flat area, then knife it off, will save alot of hassle trying to get a just right amount of GS ( i do some thing similar on shoulderpad moulds )

Just wait till the GS is dry and srill a hole through the base and GS mould

Also talking about doing casting of legs - i wouldnt do it in GS unless you have an armateur inside of the cast just because pure GS can be quite flexible - a few plastic rods in the centre of the cast will work and also bulk out the inside at the same time

On another note - when talking about bigger moulds, possibly consider if you could use a cheaper material to ' bulk ' up in the box / container before GS as it will cost alot and if the containers not strong, it will add strength - 1 material i could think of straigt away that could do this is milliput

In no means am i criticisng and i like this alot - just making some suggestions based on my own experiences with moulding and casting

thanks,
L

[Ion Raptor]

Made two molds, the Chaos Legs and a marine back.

The Chaos legs did not work well for two reasons. It's difficult to get the green stuff smashed down into all the right places and back out again, and it was quite limp and tore off getting it out.

the marine back however worked great!

[Nanolathe]

Nicely done there Ion. Anyone doubting the method just needs to look at that result.

Remember that if you want 'tougher' Green-Stuff you can alter it's make up and add more blue than yellow. this should take longer to dry, but become a lot more stable

@Lt. L: I don't take it as criticism, it just makes my Tut more viable no matter what people are trying to do. Thanks for helping out

[iNsOmNiAc'S dReAm]

Originally Posted by Ion Raptor

Made two molds, the Chaos Legs and a marine back.

The Chaos legs did not work well for two reasons. It's difficult to get the green stuff smashed down into all the right places and back out again, and it was quite limp and tore off getting it out.

For something like that, you would need to put in an armature to give it some strength.

[SteveBerenyi]

agree with the armature comment, but for those less informed an armiture is a basic body shape made out of metal.

get a paper clip and bend it to the shape of the legs like an upside down "V" and then wrap the GS around it. THEN Lay it in the mold. should go a lot better.

[TerminatorinHell]

this can be useful, i just have to practice getting it right

[TonyzCustomz]

I know no one has posted in this for a while but I just wanted to say thanks for this! It will really come in handy.

[BrotherValliant]

i have a quick question, when the mold is totally dryed and complete, what do you fill it with to get your mold pieces out of it?

[Rhaalidor]

Originally Posted by BrotherValliant

i have a quick question, when the mold is totally dryed and complete, what do you fill it with to get your mold pieces out of it?

Green stuff, according to the tut.

Personally, I use Lego blocks to make my mold boxes (instead of GW bases) as I can make a modular mold, in whatever size I need, and RTV rubber to make the mold itself [instead of green stuff (which dries hard), and is a little less expensive than GS]. The RTV rubber has a lower durometer (hardness), and is more flexible, allowing for easier part removal, and since the rubber is liquid before it hardens, it allows fewer bubbles. I guess I'll have to do a tut on Lego molding myself. This one is great, though, as it uses items we already have. I also use liquid silicone spray, available from automotive parts stores like NAPA, for a mold release, rather than "corn flour" or corn starch in the USA. It won't break the GS mold down like vegetable oil, and is a little slicker than corn starch. Just my 2 cents.

[Brother Karr]

Hello,

I am new here and i just was reading this post and wanted to give you an alternative to using green stuff for the mold.

I suggest trying the same thing with for the mold using Sculpty III Or (oven cuing clay) for the mold material following the same method. But with plastic parts it might be a good idea to try it first and see if the part melts in the oven at the sculpty cure time. If it does, then it would be just fine with the Metal Parts, as pewter does not melt at 275 degrees (F) the recommended cure temp for sculpty.

Or an air drying clay may work just as well, but slower. This prevents you using a lot of Green Stuff in making the mold and then the castings.

Just an Idea.

[DuskRaider]

I'm contemplating trying this for my DG army... hmmm....

[Shonuff]

Good tutorial man. I'v don this before and when I nee on or two items ,you can't go wrong.