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A Make reader is wondering about using "Plastex" - "Have you heard of 'Plastex'? I'm interested in the home casting materials of plastex and friendly plastic - the former, in particular, anecdotally seems like it make have enough structural integrity to actually make useful items from and not just use it for gap-filling repair work as it is sold, yet seems much easier to work with than the entry-bar for other types of molding. I have not experimented with these items on my 'to do' list. (actually I did use friendly plastic as a kid - it melts however at high temperatures which could be a liability)." Have any Makers out there used this stuff? I've only see it here and here.
Using "Plastex" for molding?
A Make reader is wondering about using "Plastex" - "Have you heard of 'Plastex'? I'm interested in the home casting materials of plastex and friendly plastic - the former, in particular, anecdotally seems like it make have enough structural integrity to actually make useful items from and not just use it for gap-filling repair work as it is sold, yet seems much easier to work with than the entry-bar for other types of molding. I have not experimented with these items on my 'to do' list. (actually I did use friendly plastic as a kid - it melts however at high temperatures which could be a liability)." Have any Makers out there used this stuff? I've only see it here and here.
Posted by Phillip Torrone |
Dec 14, 2005 02:29 AM
Crafts, DIY Projects |
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How about alumilite:
http://www.alumilite.com/howto.cfm?ID=2
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Thats a good question. Anyone know how well vinyl dye works on the stuff?
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Lots of hobbyists, model makers, architects and special effects folks use various silicone, room-temperature vulcanizing, etc. casting technologies.
There are a few different technologies on the market, and they all work.
Using the stuff isn't super hard, but there are a few little tricks, like making a break-away mould, getting the parting line right so you can remove your item after casting, getting the surface detail to show, etc.
There's a good video (I've watched it a few times) called
"Reproduce Almost Anything" with Ben Ridge.
You can buy it at Eastwood.com, or you can rent it from
Technical Video Rental.
TJIC
(Note: I am affiliated with TVR).
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I haven't used it myself, but Magic Sculp sure seems promising. The Gallery on the manufacturer's website shows some incredible stuff.
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Alumilite really doesn't work too well and will prove to be quite frustrating for the beginning user. I found in my experiences with it that it tends to not mix well enough to produce a consistent casting. The stuff that I found to work the best were the various Smooth-On products, especially C-1508. Smooth-on also makes a number of molding silicones, some of which have amazing tear strengths and high detail replication.
To achieve a high caliber casting it's also necessary that you use a pressure pot to insure a gap-free end product.
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