aluminite molding

[whiteraven17708]

so I was at the hobby lobby and seen this stuff so I bought it thinking it was the complete set turns out its just for the mold itself has anyone here used it before? what did you think of it? and what are you using for filling your mold? resin? what kind/brand? I want to try my hand at my own shoulder pads but dont want to carve that many times Id like to just make a mold and go kinda thing, It would be nice if there was a product that worked good with detail, was non toxic so my fiances asthma doesnt kick in, Thanks Much!

[Styg Greybeard]

I use Alumilite quick set RTV rubber for my molds and Alumilite Amazing casting resin for my true scale marines. I get good results but as I don't have a pressure chamber can get air bubbles. These are easily fixed with a little green stuff, and it is much quicker than using green stuff to bulk out every set of terminator legs into power armour legs. Making the rubber mold is not a quick job in that it takes 18-24 hours for the RTV rubber to set. Once made each set of legs takes roughly 10 mins to make with the resin, same goes for torsos and shoulder pads. However, using rtv rubber and resin can be dangerous unless taking the proper precautions. Always use a mask as even the fumes can be noxious and always use rubber gloves to protect the skin.

[ShinyRhino]

I have used Alumilite HS2 silicone extensively to make molds. I've gone through 3 of the one-pound kits, and made a bunch of molds.

I've poured pewter in the resulting molds and they hold up fine. I've also poured Alumilite Regular casting resin the molds, and again, they hold up just fine. Alumilite also has a series of tutorials on their website that you can follow to make molds of various different types.

 

There is somewhat of a chemical smell when working with uncored resin and silicone. Once the mold is complete, the smell from the silicone catalyst goes away. Same with the resin. Neither is severe enough (in my opinion) to fill a whole house with stink or something. Work in a separate room with the door shut and a window open, and you should be just fine.

[Jacinda]

I have about 40 or 50 molds of different sizes and different types of RTV. The harder, blue silicone can be used for press casts but for the most part I use poured resin. The pink stuff feels sticky and is incrediably elastic; it is what I prefer with undercut shapes like shoulder pads. Almost everytihing I have done is with Alumilite products picked up at a local hobby shop and I have been pleased with the results. There is very little odor at all with their casting resins and they mix at 1:1 so they are easy to work with. The silicone mold will have a smell somewhere between window cleaner and nail polish (not the remover, just the polish). Not bad, but it is there. Even if it is just in a seperate room, you probably will not be able to smell the rubber as it cures anywhere else in the house. Like ShinyRhino said, just open a window in that room and you wont notice it at all.

[whiteraven17708]

thanks guys ill have to look for it the next time i make it to the hobby lobby