TECHNIQUE - Group Sculpt 2004

Looks like a good start to me. Is that Super Sculpey?
Well, all the major sculpting is done for me. I have a few minor details to add, like buckles, hobnails for the sole of the right boot and shoelaces, but it's pretty much finish work from here. Going to try to have this done for the IPMS regional in September. I started my 1/6th scale Samurai Archer about this time last year, and was putting the finishing touches on the piece as I was getting ready to leave on the morning of the show, so I'm ahead of the game this year.

http://www.geocities.com/plymonkey2/front.jpg
http://www.geocities.com/plymonkey2/frtrt.jpg
http://www.geocities.com/plymonkey2/rearlft.jpg
http://www.geocities.com/plymonkey2/rearrt.jpg

Makes my stuff look sad but I am making progress, heres what Ive gotten done so far.
http://img1.photobucket.com/albums/1003/cplchilly/?action=view¤t=bills_models_034.jpg
And heres what I hope itll look like when finished.
http://img1.photobucket.com/albums/1003/cplchilly/?action=view¤t=bills_models_035.jpg
My son did the drawing for me as he has more talent in one of his sweat galands than Ill ever have.

Hey thanks. Here's some more progress shots.

http://www.geocities.com/plymonkey2/longshot.jpg
http://www.geocities.com/plymonkey2/shakoplate.jpg
http://www.geocities.com/plymonkey2/kitbag.jpg

When I get ready to prime the figure, the shako plate will stand out more. That's one of the finer points.

That looks great plymonkey. I havnt done anything at all except drawings but I just finished another group build so Ill get more time on this.

Very impressive! Excellent work!

That's very much like the pumps I've used on home made systems. A little too much money for me right now though.
We used pressure pots made by Binks, intended for production painting, at the first shop I worked for, before they moved to a much more complicated system that used meter-mix guns and a large vacu-pressure tank. They came in several sizes from 3 gallon up to like 30 gallon IIR, and were great for pressurizing molds of many sizes. We did do some parts that were just too big to fit in even the largest pot though. At the small shop I worked for, we used a simple large pot purchased from a cookery store for the vacuum system. It worked great for the smaller prototype parts we were casting.
At my last outfit, they had tanks made by a welder. For Urethane resin, they injected it with a meter-mix and shot under a vacuum, which suicked the resin into the mold, then they shut the vacuum off and pressurized it. For epoxy resin they had a smaller pot on top of the main tank and inside was a cup they put the resin in. Then they pulled a vacuum in the smaller pot to de-gas the resin and when that was done, they re-pressurized the small tank and pulled a vacuum in the main tank and poured the resin into a funnel on top of the tank. When the main tank reached full vac, they opened the funnel, which was attached to a tube that led into the inlet vent on the mold, and the vacuum sucked the resin in. When it kicked they would take the mold out and post-cure for X hours in an oven. The molds were stored in the oven as well to maintain a constant temp. Epoxy is funny that way. Very tempermental. But you couldn't argue with the results. Flawless castings, even clear and translucent parts. Neat technology.

As promised, here's some progress shots. Still lots of uniform detail left to do, and soles for his boots, but it's coming along nicely.
http://www.geocities.com/plymonkey/new1.jpg
http://www.geocities.com/plymonkey/new2.jpg
http://www.geocities.com/plymonkey/new3.jpg

I picked up a nice pressure pot from Alumilite (they market a 2 part resin and sell Dow Corning Silicone rubber). It was pretty cheap and can accommodate most of my figure molds. You just need a small vacuum pump- check out http://www.bestechind.com/car_air_conditioning.htm
Looking forward to more photos. Most of my sculpts are contract jobs- I'm planning on turning some into "more interseting" subjects. This is one reason I like working in a clay wax medium . I can do the original ,make a mold and casting and then change the original into something I prefer (military,civilian,character,etc...)
Cheers!

If it's the viscosity of water, smells like rotten fruit and kicks within 5 minutes then it's probably the same stuff. I've used it under two different brand names and am pretty sure that Micro Mark's stuff is also the same. It's a good, cheap resin and works well in an unsophisticated casting environment, like my operation.

Sure do miss the pressure pots and vac chambers we used at my old shop though. They had a really effective casting system. They got beautiful epoxy castings without a single bubble, even clear. The company I worked for before this one never mastered epoxy resin like this one did.

When I get ahead alittle I'll be outfitting myself with a vac system and a small pressure pot. I do get okay castings for my own work now. I can deal with a few air bubbles, but for the contract work I do I'd like to get a little more quality control. I made a bunch of 1/25th scale police light bar master models from which I've pulled molds and I want to start producing them in clear resin, but I need to be able to de-gas the resin and pressurize the mold after shooting the parts, to get the parts bubble free.

I'll have a nother progress shot or two on my effort for this build in the next day or so.

Smooth on Resin. I'll have to check the container for the specific type (don't remember it off the top of my head).

Is that Easy-Flo 60 casting resin by chance Jack?

Silicone rubber molds and castings. All that's left is clean up and painting!

http://www.msnusers.com/KeystoneDesign/workinprogress.msnw?action=ShowPhoto&PhotoID=121

http://www.msnusers.com/KeystoneDesign/workinprogress.msnw?action=ShowPhoto&PhotoID=122

http://www.msnusers.com/KeystoneDesign/workinprogress.msnw?action=ShowPhoto&PhotoID=123

John,
I hope potential clients take note. I'm easy to contact and do any type of figure work!

Very incredible!!!!!!!!!!!!! Did you consider getting a job with DML, Tamiya, Warriors Etc. I am sure they would take you!

And to All of you guys that can sculpt these things, my hats off to you

Here is my first finished "group"
http://www.msnusers.com/KeystoneDesign/workinprogress.msnw?action=ShowPhoto&PhotoID=120

My progress. Finally narrowing things down abit. He's an Infantryman of the British 59th Foot, c1809 Spain. He appears as he might around the time of the retreat to Corunna and is seen at the height of a successful charge. I think I'll title it "Huzah!". My plans are to set the figure in a winter environment.
http://www.geocities.com/plymonkey/front_CU.jpg
http://www.geocities.com/plymonkey/front_full.jpg
http://www.geocities.com/plymonkey/side.jpg

The Running man

http://www.msnusers.com/KeystoneDesign/workinprogress.msnw?action=ShowPhoto&PhotoID=118

http://www.msnusers.com/KeystoneDesign/workinprogress.msnw?action=ShowPhoto&PhotoID=119

http://www.msnusers.com/KeystoneDesign/workinprogress.msnw?action=ShowPhoto&PhotoID=116

http://www.msnusers.com/KeystoneDesign/workinprogress.msnw?action=ShowPhoto&PhotoID=117

http://www.msnusers.com/KeystoneDesign/workinprogress.msnw?action=ShowPhoto&PhotoID=115

http://www.msnusers.com/KeystoneDesign/workinprogress.msnw?action=ShowPhoto&PhotoID=114

Jack

"Man" is turning into "Man and friend"

http://www.msnusers.com/KeystoneDesign/workinprogress.msnw?action=ShowPhoto&PhotoID=112

http://www.msnusers.com/KeystoneDesign/workinprogress.msnw?action=ShowPhoto&PhotoID=111

Look forward to seeing it!

Look forward to seeing it!

I've gotten my son to finish a drawing of what I want to do jack but I might have to tone it down a bit as it's probably a bit much for my first try I'll download the drawing later for your viewing pleasure.

Here are a couple of progress photos

http://www.msnusers.com/KeystoneDesign/workinprogress.msnw?action=ShowPhoto&PhotoID=108

http://www.msnusers.com/KeystoneDesign/workinprogress.msnw?action=ShowPhoto&PhotoID=109

http://www.msnusers.com/KeystoneDesign/workinprogress.msnw?action=ShowPhoto&PhotoID=107

Nice work, Jack!
Domi, looking forward to your loonies too....

I need to get moving....sheeesh!

Dan

Amazing stuff, Jack! My subject will either be Scooby-Doo (that I promised to sculpt for my wife 2 years ago!) or Wile E. Coyote, to continue my growing family of Looney Tunes characters... More on that soon!

Has anyone given any more thought to what they are going to sculpt?
Here's my latest progress shot
http://www.msnusers.com/KeystoneDesign/workinprogress.msnw?action=ShowPhoto&PhotoID=107

Here's a little more Progress (mailman has a head and hands)

http://www.msnusers.com/KeystoneDesign/workinprogress.msnw?action=ShowPhoto&PhotoID=104

http://www.msnusers.com/KeystoneDesign/workinprogress.msnw?action=ShowPhoto&PhotoID=105

http://www.msnusers.com/KeystoneDesign/workinprogress.msnw?action=ShowPhoto&PhotoID=106

From now on, please disregard this thread and post messages in the Techniques Forum, under the sticky Group Sculpt 2004.

Thanks!

All right, folks, you've got an "official" group build: You've been stickied, and per Domi's request, I've moved this threat to the Techniques area. Good luck & have fun!