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Encasing entire models in resin


WelshZeCorgi

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Has anyone ever encased an entire model in resin? If so, how do you do it? I'm asking because I was thinking of casting an aircraft (F-14) in resin to give the illusion of flying through the air. I imagine this also protects the model from handsy people and makes cleaning dust off the model much easier, with no risk of accidentally breaking off a fragile part.

Edited by WelshZeCorgi
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27 minutes ago, WelshZeCorgi said:

Has anyone ever casted an entire model in resin? If so, how do you do it? I'm asking because I was thinking of casting an aircraft (F-14) in resin to give the illusion of flying through the air.

I assume you mean encased an entire model in resin?  (if so edit your title, to save confusion) 

 

yes, but the only one that come to mind are submarines or ship wrecks.   

 

I suspect  that a resin encase plane will look like it's in water, due to the refractive index of the resin. 

 

Others maybe to advise more.

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Nearly 50 years ago I knew a chap who encased some 1/300 model aeroplanes in clear resin.

He was thinking of producing a game.

Each aeroplane was in a cube of resin. They were meant to be stackable so that you could have different 'flight heights'

It didn't work out, the resin cubes were a. too heavy, b. too expensive to make, c. too time consuming to make.

He reverted to using just pole stands.

 

The way he did it was easy enough

Pour a layer of clear resin in the mould.

When it starts to gel, set the aeroplane on the resin. The gelled resin will be firm enough to not let the model sink, but you need the surface of the resin just at the point of gel, not hard

With the aeroplane in place pour over it some more mixed resin. Tip the resin around to expel any air pockets, then top up with more mixed resin.

The point of getting the first layer to point of gel is so that the later resin will mix into it and you wont have a tide line

You usually have to work it up-side down as the final surface of the resin will have a lip and maybe surface bubbles which need polishing out, this surface is best as the base

btw resin is exothermic and the heat generated can and will melt plastic models if its not controlled

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6 hours ago, Troy Smith said:

yes, but the only one that come to mind are submarines or ship wrecks.   

 

I suspect  that a resin encase plane will look like it's in water, due to the refractive index of the resin. 

 

Others maybe to advise more.

 

All I can advise with certainty is that there are many more aircraft under water than there are submarines in the sky.

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