Creature Hands: Two-Part Mold with Core Question
Hello!
I'm working on a ninja turtle build, using a mix of molds and foam fabrication. For the head, hands and (maybe feet), I'll be molding and casting in latex. This is the first time I've done any of this, so I'm definitely learning a lot!
As you can see in the image below, I'm modeling the gloves in monster clay, using a cast of my hands. I wasn't sure which hand position would be best, so I decided to give both a bent and straight position a try. (The gloves aren't finished, I'm still just blocking in shapes, but critiques are welcome!). As I near completion, I've got some questions regarding making a hyrdocal mold and using the original hands as a core.
I plan on converting the base hands so that they're break away by cutting off the thumbs and installing magnets so I can remove them from the final latex. Unless another method is better, I plan on making a two part mold (and drilling/carving some keys into the hands' hyrdocal base so they sit correctly inside the mold).
I guess right now, my biggest and most immediate question is what is the best way to set things up so I can pour the latex into the mold once everything's ready to go?
My first thought was to add pour spouts to the top of each finger during the hyrdocal mold process, but I'm concerned with/unsure if all of the latex would flow down around the wrists, losing thickness in the finger tips. Should I instead make the hyrdocal casts so that they sit upside down? In that case, what would be the best way to create the pour spouts? I'm prepared to modify the bases if need be.
Thanks for the help!
I'm working on a ninja turtle build, using a mix of molds and foam fabrication. For the head, hands and (maybe feet), I'll be molding and casting in latex. This is the first time I've done any of this, so I'm definitely learning a lot!
As you can see in the image below, I'm modeling the gloves in monster clay, using a cast of my hands. I wasn't sure which hand position would be best, so I decided to give both a bent and straight position a try. (The gloves aren't finished, I'm still just blocking in shapes, but critiques are welcome!). As I near completion, I've got some questions regarding making a hyrdocal mold and using the original hands as a core.
I plan on converting the base hands so that they're break away by cutting off the thumbs and installing magnets so I can remove them from the final latex. Unless another method is better, I plan on making a two part mold (and drilling/carving some keys into the hands' hyrdocal base so they sit correctly inside the mold).
I guess right now, my biggest and most immediate question is what is the best way to set things up so I can pour the latex into the mold once everything's ready to go?
My first thought was to add pour spouts to the top of each finger during the hyrdocal mold process, but I'm concerned with/unsure if all of the latex would flow down around the wrists, losing thickness in the finger tips. Should I instead make the hyrdocal casts so that they sit upside down? In that case, what would be the best way to create the pour spouts? I'm prepared to modify the bases if need be.
Thanks for the help!
1
Comments
Regular latex would not fill the gap between the outer mold an your mold core.
If you are using foam latex I would try and have the pour spout inside the core, so you keep the cleanup work on the outside of the gloves to a minimum.
You can also brush in some of the foam latex before inserting to core if you are worried about voids, but depending on how you design the molds that might not be needed or practical.
One option is to forgo using a core and just use regular latex to create a skin like you would if you were casting a mask. Dwell latex in a dry hydrocal mold for a few hours, pour it out, let it dry, and repeat as needed to build up the desired skin thickness. Then you could pad the inside with foam, or even use a 2 part expanding foam around a mold core.
/Chris