so, i ran across this product in another forum - i think it was Craft.

anyway, it's a two-part flexible mold making system from TownsendAtelier.com called Knead-A-Mold.
for anyone familiar with greenstuff, this is old hat.

I bought the 'starter kit'


I've just started with this stuff tonight, with a HISS Driver Head and Snake Eyes/Kwinns' Skull Necklace.

I'll start posting the results tomorrow.

here's the 1st shots:






ps. the same company sells resin/plastic --

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Ok, update #1,

the HISS mostly turned out great -- on the plus side, there is all the detail, and no voids. on the down side, it looks like the head actually 'sunk' a little deeper into the mold material after i left it alone - the deepest points actually pushed through to the work surface. Not a deal-breaker, as a little more mold compound should cover that w/o any negative side effects. Tomorrow night, Part two of the HISS

oh, and the skulls? worked great. then i noticed those stupid skulls have absolutely no detail in them. d'oh!

//sorry about the crappy pic -

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I use something very similar called 'Siligum' and make two-part head molds without any problem. Many of my customs over the last three years ahve ahd heads cast in car resin using siligum as the mold. Best two examples I can give are my Cobra-La Royal Guards from last year and my recent Red Skull. Those were done using that process and I did not lose any detail on the casts..

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Very interesting. Looks a lot cleaner than my results with the Alumilite and building mold boxes and mixing and pouring and rubber bands. Looking forward to seeing clearer pics and final results.

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I know this is going to be a stupid question, but... how do you go about making the other side of the head? I've never made a mold, and the process isn't familiar to me. I apologize in advance if my inquiry has an obvious answer : )

Tom

well, i'm not exactly certain, but based on what i read on their site, i'm going to put the head back in the completed mold, and then spread a small amount of petroleum jelly on the exposed/cured silicone to keep it from sticking to the new silicone, and just spread the new silicone over the back of the head.

as an aside, i'm using a sharpie as a sprue/pour hole. i'm thinking of either using a rubber band, or even a little lego box as a mold-holder -- suggestions?

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I'm really interested in how this comes out. Please keep us informed. It looks like a nice low cost solution.

- R

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I found something at Hobby Lobby similar to this (can't remember what it's called now, but it's yellow and blue that you mix together and cures to yellow). It works pretty well, and I like that the molds are ready to use a lot faster than the poured silicon molds. It's also not nearly as messy, and it's much more forgiving on the mix (you don't have to be exactly 50/50 on it, just close).
I've only used it for one part molds so far, so can't help you with the construction of a two-part mold. I'm interested in hearing your success, though, as I hope to mold the heads of the guys who came with the TRU Blackhawk so I can use them on some Cobra troops.

hm. no vaseline in the house.

after reading the website again, i see it calls for baby powder as a release agent.

which we also have none of -

i wonder if cornstarch would work -- anybody try that?

so, instead, i made the 'halves' of another two part mold -

i'll have to pick up some baby powder tomorrow ...

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additional note: i added some extra silicone to the HISS mold where it was thin (where the nose poked through) and it worked perfectly -- curing & adhering as if it were part of the original. Note to self: make sure! to put a seperator layer before putting other half on!

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try Pam ...I am serious one of my day job clients sells indutrial casting supplies (reverse engineering .... prototyping and the like) I got some stuff off him (mixed results) but for release agent he said Pam or nion stick spray

and yes to the other question, after the putty is dry do not demold but apply the mold release then putty up the back half

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Just in case anybody wants to know how well and detailed the casts come out of this, I made the Cthulhu statuettes using a very similar mold material.

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umm guys....

http://wiki.joecustoms.com/wiki/Customizing_Guide

just follow thoos einstructions, but using that material.

well, YJAGG, i took your advice... kind of -- the only non-stick spray we had was some buttery-smelling thing my wife had. at least they should smell nice..

the product is sold as 'food friendly' so i assume it should be ok, and should clean up with soap & water -
i think i read on their site that you could run these molds through a dishwasher -

i don't know if i'll be pouring tonight, due to the office marathon on my tivo -

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edit: so far, so good -- got a couple 'wimples' on the HISS head -- have to see what happens

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