CedB Posted March 24, 2017 Author Share Posted March 24, 2017 Thanks Stew, me too! Thanks Keith, very kind - they may look OK but the proof is in the molding! The moulds are out: Untitled by Ced Bufton, on Flickr The resin has been mixed. I'd forgotten just how quickly this stuff goes off: so for further attempts I mixed less - a lot less - somewhere around 20ml. I used a pipette to pre-coat the moulds and to 'inject' the resin. I also used my nail file sander to vibrate the moulds a bit (the blue thing): I'd also forgotten that the moulds leak: I must think of a way of holding the halves together. We'll see in a while how they come out. I'm not confident; prepare for skeletons! 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CedB Posted March 24, 2017 Author Share Posted March 24, 2017 Look, I sprayed some Mosquito bits: Untitled by Ced Bufton, on Flickr having realised I could just paint the PR's bits on the sprue. I think I'll do them separately as I'm not very good at juggling... 9 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CedB Posted March 24, 2017 Author Share Posted March 24, 2017 Pilot moulding results. I suggest you 'have a visit' now or the laughter may cause an accident. Silicon putty mould - the hole should have been filled: PR (no longer available) copy mould which needs to be held together as it leaked: I have no need for a skeleton crew New mould on the three small pilots. I thought I'd squirted resin in the legs but... There's also a problem with the 'pour tube and reservoir' - you get a molding that can't be removed without attacking it with edge cutters: Duh That said, and ignoring the lack of legs, they're usable: especially for this really tight cockpits. I'll try again sometime, they're certainly worth the effort, but the mould has been binned. Next one was a leaker too: but only the left one suffered. The other three are OK (even though the iPhone won't focus on their features): and finally the 'Defiant crew': another problem with the mould not being held together. This guy seems to have been shocked by something: and, again, the pour tube idea is not perfect. Does my bum look big in this? Yes. nano-saw required. That said, another four usable figures, toes or no toes: So the results of this round - say "Cheese" guys: In summary then, in comparison to the chubby 'Archies' in some old Airfix kits they're great. The process is reasonable straightforward, if somewhat messy, but worth it especially for the rare figures. Probably. Why doesn't someone make some to buy though? Limited market I guess. I don't like the new PJ Production RAF ones (see them painted above) but I'm beginning to realise that the reduced detail on this version may be the result of problems molding the old, more detailed ones. Hmmm. The other thing of course is that the materials have a shelf life - 6 months unopened for the resin I bought and Keith says about a year for the rubber? Better do some more molding soon then. Maybe. 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bbudde Posted March 24, 2017 Share Posted March 24, 2017 Hello. You should make a diorama with a hospital and sctratch some wheel chairs. Otherwise they look good. Perfect for bomber turrets. By the way, you have an electrical nail sander? Sure? Could be also anther thing that vibrates. Lol 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tonyh Posted March 24, 2017 Share Posted March 24, 2017 52 minutes ago, bbudde said: ..............Could be also anther thing that vibrates. Lol For my sins I was thinking the same thing...…! Tony 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CedB Posted March 24, 2017 Author Share Posted March 24, 2017 Thanks Benedikt - turret gunners! Brilliant idea! Hospital diorama not so much Yes, I'm sure it's a nail file (thanks Tony): Untitled by Ced Bufton, on Flickr It even has a safety feature - you can't turn it on without removing the top, presumably to avoid, er, abuse. Last round of moulding, promise. I have a cunning plan that cannot fail. Remember I had to pull the legless pilots from the mould? That made me think I could do a 'body parts strip' from the great sprue @keefr22 sent me. If I put the parts near the top with pour holes straight onto the part then do a two-part mould BUT with no release agent on the bottom half I SHOULD be able to sort of peel the top of the mould open. Body part strip prepared: and a similar technique for four skinnies and the two 'non worn' Archies: Just 50ml of rubber was enough: De-mould time is 8-24 hours so I'll check it in the morning. 9 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bbudde Posted March 24, 2017 Share Posted March 24, 2017 (edited) The first picture shows, that I explained to you some time ago to cut the moulds (people) horizontal, because of the wider opening to fill without a fuss. So we shall see, what will be there after it is finished. Cheers Hope your thing don't vibrate on the back Edited March 24, 2017 by bbudde 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
giemme Posted March 24, 2017 Share Posted March 24, 2017 More fascinating moulding attempts, Ced I still have no heart to try that ... Ciao 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keefr22 Posted March 24, 2017 Share Posted March 24, 2017 9 hours ago, CedB said: Why doesn't someone make some to buy though? Limited market I guess. Or it could be that you're achieving an industry standard reject rate Ced - maybe as you suggest with PJ, they're just too difficult to mould succesfully on a consistent basis? As to shelf life, I've used rubber over a year after I've opened it, but that certainly wasn't under measured conditions so it may just be a fluke! I don't throw stuff away until it's proved to be completely useless, so I just try using stuff to see if it still works!! I did mean to send you the following link, (forgot!) to see if the type of mould might be useful, but I think you've already come up with your own variation, in your latest design. https://www.alumilite.com/PDFs/Printables/How to make molds/Split-Glove-Mold.pdf Fingers crossed for the latest attempt! Keith 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beard Posted March 24, 2017 Share Posted March 24, 2017 10 hours ago, CedB said: Why doesn't someone make some to buy though? Because, although most of my income comes from owning the copyright to the words 'Spitfire' and 'Seafire', I have a lucrative income from the sale of spare Airfix pilots. Interesting progress with the moulding though, I think I might give it a try sometime 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Black Knight Posted March 25, 2017 Share Posted March 25, 2017 23 hours ago, CedB said: I'd also forgotten that the moulds leak: I must think of a way of holding the halves together. We'll see in a while how they come out. I'm not confident; prepare for skeletons! What I do for two-part moulds; get two small boards of thin material; MDF, plywood or plasticard. Each the same size, both the size of the mould or slightly larger, but not less than. Place on either side of mould and hold there using small ratchet clamps. Elastic bands sometimes work too. But not regular spring clamps. With a ratchet clamp you can apply a measured force to hold the mould halves together without squashing them. Place the ratchet clamps just to the inside of the edge of the mould, the boards will help spread the clamping force equally across the moulds 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheBaron Posted March 26, 2017 Share Posted March 26, 2017 Ah, here's you Ced - I might have guessed from the Body Farm! I found this such a great read with a Sunday morning cuppa - so much so that my tea went cold as I forgot to drink it. You have great perseverance with a tricky process and I'm glad to see it's producing results - Keith's dead right about how much better this gets each time for you. NF and PR Mosquitos? Consider me hooked. Good luck with this endeavour. Tony Ps. Have you thought of doing chocolate pilots for Easter? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keefr22 Posted March 26, 2017 Share Posted March 26, 2017 It's gone very quiet in here, all OK Ced? K 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bbudde Posted March 26, 2017 Share Posted March 26, 2017 As above. A bit unusal. Cheers 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CedB Posted March 26, 2017 Author Share Posted March 26, 2017 Thanks Gents Benedikt, BK and Keith thanks for the tips. Second pour curing, feeling a bit grot and today is Mothering Sunday AND our wedding anniversary... Hopefully more later 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wyverns4 Posted March 26, 2017 Share Posted March 26, 2017 20 minutes ago, CedB said: Thanks Gents Benedikt, BK and Keith thanks for the tips. Second pour curing, feeling a bit grot and today is Mothering Sunday AND our wedding anniversary... Hopefully more later Always a good idea not to upset the important women in our lives! Hope you start feeling better soon. After-effects of too much rubber/resin casting? Christian, exiled to africa 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keefr22 Posted March 26, 2017 Share Posted March 26, 2017 Happy Anniversary Ced & Mrs. Ced! K 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TonyTiger66 Posted March 26, 2017 Share Posted March 26, 2017 The same from me: Happy anniversary to you and your good lady. All best wishes TonyT 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
giemme Posted March 26, 2017 Share Posted March 26, 2017 Same from me too, Ced: happy anniversary! Ciao 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CedB Posted March 26, 2017 Author Share Posted March 26, 2017 Thanks Gents - very kind of you... 34 years, where did they go Still too shaky to attempt the Mossie interior but shaky is good for resin pouring so I got the moulds out. The body parts strip: Which row of dents is the one with the parts under? No problem, the mould split nicely. As did the 'skinnies and original Archies' one: Both needed cutting at the top of the pour slots. The theory with both is that I can hold the moulds open, fill the heads and bits with resin using a pipette, then close up, clamp the mould and top up the resin. Also, the skinnies mould has a leg in each reservoir so I could squirt resin in one side and watch it come up the other. Very satisfying (especially if it works). Done now: Thanks to Black Knight for the clamping tip - these are those cheap plastic ones with elastic bands so they grip, just not too much. Fingers crossed for the de-mould later. 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bbudde Posted March 26, 2017 Share Posted March 26, 2017 34 years ago ? I think, you know, where they have gone. . Congrats from Münster. Nice progress with the moulds so far. Looks good. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Spadgent Posted March 26, 2017 Share Posted March 26, 2017 Happy Anniversary dear boy.......and girl. great moulding skills Ced. johnny 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CedB Posted March 26, 2017 Author Share Posted March 26, 2017 Thanks Benedikt and John Well, there has been wine and 'Line of Duty' (OMG! Another gripper!) tonight and there were two options; leave the mould until the morning and have a restless sleep with an early, but excited, early morning experience or de-mould after the Rioja. Guess what won. Again I need to suggest 'a visit' to avoid accidents whilst laughing. PJ copy: Untitled by Ced Bufton, on Flickr Two arms and one body. Just not an arm on each side. Skinnies and Archies: A couple usable. And now, dah dah dah, the body parts strip: I wish Flickr would get their editor sorted but hey ho. I was going to do a 'head, shoulders, knees and toes' shot but it's too awful: I'll clean them up tomorrow but I think I'll be lucky to get a whole body. Rats. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Biggles87 Posted March 27, 2017 Share Posted March 27, 2017 Belated Happy Anniversary from me too. Are you making enough figures so that you can have them on the wings in ' Flight of the Phoenix ' style? John 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
janneman36 Posted March 27, 2017 Share Posted March 27, 2017 I like your efforts as i just stumbled in into your thread. What you should do is make an airchannel to the other side of your subject in that way trapped air will be forced out .. So make a channel at every end of the arms and legs and your succes rate will be higher. I did that once with a nine cilinder engin and it worked great.. Best regards, Jan 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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