(cannibalizing existing models) to cobble together
designs of their own mutant creations. By com-
bining existing kits with plastic stock (found at You will not be able to make anything this cool on
hobby stores and e-tailers like
plastruct.com), your first model-making attempt. Try for a chubby
you can create a unique model that can then penguin instead.
be molded and cast. Figure modeling can also
benefit from bashing existing kits as well as created by pressing brass rods into the model-
using armatures (wire forms that can be bent ing clay on top of the model. A foam-core
into desired poses). Sculpting materials vary molding box is built to surround the model and
widely, from Super Sculpey clay, to two-part contain the rubber molding material.
epoxy putties, to Casteline modeling wax. Every Once the rubber has been poured into the box
sculptor has a favorite, and different materials to create the top mold, and is allowed to cure,
are used for different models. the mold is flipped over, the clay bed is removed,
and the first mold is treated with a releasing
2. Mold Making compound, which can be as simple as brushed-
While garage kit making can be expensive and require serious dedication to the art of sculpting, beginners can get their hands dirty with minimal effort. The easiest way to get started is to buy a casting kit, such as Bare-Metal’s (bare-metal. com) Mold Making and Resin Casting Starter Kit. It comes with all of the materials you need to mold and cast a few small models.
Here are the basic steps to model making:
This part of the process obviously requires some talent, but beginners can use “kit bashing”
Once your master model is complete, you need on petroleum jelly. This prevents the two mold to create a mold from which the successive kits halves from sticking together. Once both mold will be cast. There are a number of methods and halves have been created in silicone rubber, materials for doing this, but the most common casting of your model can begin. approach is to create a two-part mold around your model, one half at a time (see MAKE, 3. Casting
Volume 03, page 135, “Squeezable Nightlight”). Before casting, the mold halves are treated with
The bottom half of the model is surrounded a spray-on releasing agent (such as Parafilm by a soft, non-sulfur-based modeling clay bed, mold release). With the two-part mold held leaving the top half of the model to be molded securely together with rubber bands, the resin in rubber. Next, RTV (room temperature vulca- is poured into the spout until the mold is filled nizing) silicone rubber is mixed and poured up. The most common casting material is a over the top to create the first mold. The two two-part polyurethane resin, such as Vagabond mold halves are later joined up securely, thanks Corporation’s Model-Cast ( vagabondcorp.com). to “keys,” a series of dimples that are pressed Once the casting material has cured, the into the clay bed around the model before pour- mold is carefully removed and the cast model is ing in the rubber. Air vents and a pour spout are cleaned up, ready for painting.
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