The "plate" is basically a ceramic chunk. The ships are pretty hard, as hard as anything I've done before, and the detail is real good. I used some acrylic admixture instead of water to mix a smaller batch this morning, seems about the same.
Acrylic Admix is used in setting tile, and I happened to have some sitting around. I'll let this second batch cure for a while, and we'll see just how hard it is. They set up just fine, even though Garreco says that using additives isn't really needed or wanted. I didn't use water, just the mix.
Now for the slow process of making more models - ones that don't suck...
Making Miniatures
I used to add a decent amount of black acrylic paint to the water (the cheap stuff from the dollar store). It was more for terrain stuff-- I wanted any part that chipped not to be glaringly white. Worked quite well. I didn't notice any change to the final pieces beyond colour. Some people claim adding like 5-10% of the volume of the water in white glue gives the pieces a smoother finish and makes them more resistant to snapping. There are also polymer additives for gypsum based cements you can get, but I don't know anything about those.
nathan wrote:I used to add a decent amount of black acrylic paint to the water (the cheap stuff from the dollar store). It was more for terrain stuff-- I wanted any part that chipped not to be glaringly white. Worked quite well. I didn't notice any change to the final pieces beyond colour. Some people claim adding like 5-10% of the volume of the water in white glue gives the pieces a smoother finish and makes them more resistant to snapping. There are also polymer additives for gypsum based cements you can get, but I don't know anything about those.
Yeah, heard of that stuff, and started out modifying POP with latex additive, PVA Glue, and other things. Excaliber is a HELL of a lot less trouble.
The Admix I added is probably real close to the polymer additives used in gypsum. The pieces I cast as a test will have to cure overnight, but I don't think that it's worth the trouble unless the players want to throw them around on a regular basis.
It's just like using water, but it's just extra expense. I was curious to see if it worked at all. It did...
Becuz I'm da friggin' ART FAIRY - dats why!
Big Bang = Let there be LIGHT!
Big Bang = Let there be LIGHT!
I looked a bit more into admixtures. I see what they're for now. They should work marvelously with any gypsum based product. Though with the break strength of excaliber on it's own, I can see why you might not bother. Does the piece with the admixture have to cure overnight in the mold, or do you demold it first?
nathan wrote:I looked a bit more into admixtures. I see what they're for now. They should work marvelously with any gypsum based product. Though with the break strength of excaliber on it's own, I can see why you might not bother. Does the piece with the admixture have to cure overnight in the mold, or do you demold it first?
Nope, it's already demolded. I didn't time it, but it seemed to take a bit longer to harden up - it also seemed to have more time where it was 'soft' while still being firm enough to demold.
I'm at work now, it seemed as if it hadn't hardened much more before I left.
Becuz I'm da friggin' ART FAIRY - dats why!
Big Bang = Let there be LIGHT!
Big Bang = Let there be LIGHT!
Re: Making Miniatures
So, Jim, you done anymore with that Excalibur, or is it too damn cold to do anything there too?
Becuz I'm da friggin' ART FAIRY - dats why!
Big Bang = Let there be LIGHT!
Big Bang = Let there be LIGHT!
Re: Making Miniatures
just demolded more asteroids and looking to cast.
cold? in my basement?
anyway, I 'll have my hands full with painting the japanese minis I got from GZG...
cold? in my basement?
anyway, I 'll have my hands full with painting the japanese minis I got from GZG...
Re: Making Miniatures
Sorry about posting to an old thread. I figured the forum isn't fast paced enough for it to be a huge issue.
I've been making moulds of stuff I built and casting them with gypsum based putties for the last year and a bit.
I eventually settled on using silicone sealant, thinned with silicone oil (a non toxic alternative to naptha and easily available as it's used to put inside of shocks for RC cars), the curing accelerated with cheap acrylic craft paint. The moulds are flexible and strong and I've cast them all atleast 10 times and they haven't degraded.
I'm finding the dental stone stuff easier to work with than resin. I've been building my masters to be cast as one sided moulds, but have even had some luck making two part moulds and pouring them, plugging them and hand rotating for a slush cast.
I'll see if I can borrow a friend's digital camera, but sadly I don't have one right now.
I've been making moulds of stuff I built and casting them with gypsum based putties for the last year and a bit.
I eventually settled on using silicone sealant, thinned with silicone oil (a non toxic alternative to naptha and easily available as it's used to put inside of shocks for RC cars), the curing accelerated with cheap acrylic craft paint. The moulds are flexible and strong and I've cast them all atleast 10 times and they haven't degraded.
I'm finding the dental stone stuff easier to work with than resin. I've been building my masters to be cast as one sided moulds, but have even had some luck making two part moulds and pouring them, plugging them and hand rotating for a slush cast.
I'll see if I can borrow a friend's digital camera, but sadly I don't have one right now.
Re: Making Miniatures
Don't worry about posting to an old thread - not on my account, anyway.... haven't worked on this in forever (wow, two years already?), got busy doing other things.
Where do you get the silicone oil?
I can't see going to the trouble with polyester resins, either.
Where do you get the silicone oil?
I can't see going to the trouble with polyester resins, either.
Becuz I'm da friggin' ART FAIRY - dats why!
Big Bang = Let there be LIGHT!
Big Bang = Let there be LIGHT!
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