Casting...you wanna know why casts cost so much....

[BatJack]

Someone asked awhile ago or at least could not believe that a cast could cost that much.  Well let me tell you I can see why.  I am new to casting for the most part.   I have made molds of many heads and have had great results, I got that down...minimal rubber, minimal resin, minimal error or waste.  Price of selling pretty low but I wouldn't say cheap.

Now on to bodies, a whole new ball game.  Two part molds are tricky and Stew and Glassman have had a lot of trial and error to perfect their craft which cost $$.   I am going to make a body that people are asking for and I am going to follow Stews tips.  No problem     I worked the body sanding, cutting, gluing, drilling and I have the perfect body for casting.  First attempt I let the rubber set up two long before I added my parts    10oz of rubber wasted $$ this is my trial and error.    I try again and the first half is a success but still $$.  Now I pour on the second half  and now my precious rubber is all but gone $$.

OK I go to separate the molds....hmmm......where is the seam....let me tug on it a bit.....let me try to pry a bit, wait is it coming apart... it is, whew!!!!  Just on small rip that I fixed by using the rubber as a glue.   Lesson learned and really need to prep those edges better.

Now on to the make the casts      Carefully measure out the two parts $$  mix it and pour!  Molds full and I have more resin left $$ where are my head molds???  Found them and filled them up!!   Now I wait for the resin to set up a bit to put the halves together.....wow those look full....man there is a lot of resins slowly spilling out all along the top of the mold....I poured way too much....this stuff expands as it hardens...geez  .   OK it is setting up put them together and wait.   Ready to take them apart...yeesh.       The resin has expanded and has added width to the arms and legs at the seams and  the posts are thicker.  The body appears to be ok as well as the lanterns  so not all is lost.   But wait there are hollow parts in one leg the body and one lantern!!!   I am assuming I didn't let the resin set up enough and it spilled out and caused the expand seams OR there was not enough even pressure on the mold to keep the resin in their molds.$$$   

So what is this rant about??   Making parts is not easy!   I will learn from my mistakes and I will get better.  However, in the mean time it is going to cost me $$ to get it down.   I don't think that it will ever be cost effective to buy casts of bodies from someone that will be less than a generic figure on ebay.  I would buy one that is rare or modified but for generic, no way. 

If you took the time to read this then I would love your thoughts and comments!! 

[Stew]

im glad you are trying it out. take some pics and i can help you tweak your technique. what resin are you using?

[Stew]

just to let you know, i use a trick to re-using wasted rtv rubber so on future molds i mix less to use.

[glassman]

.this stuff expands as it hardens...geez 

Thats what she said!  HA HA HA


Yes it is alot of work to make molds and casts. I have only had a few people balk at my price, but i tell them
I'll be here if you change your mind.
 
BatJack, you arent even factoring in costs of plastic cups/plastic spoons/ all the papertowel you use to mix/clean up those spills and run overs, the time to sand any excess flange, fill any airbubbles ( yes, i usually fill any air bubbles i find, so that my customers dont have to)
packaging envelopes ( i ship in padded envelopes), not to mention that i usually turn things around fast.( thats called customer service, and I would pay for good customer service casue mosr CS in this world has gone to Isht)

I've had a guy on a star wars forum, expect to buy a MOLD from me for under $5, Not a CAST, A MOLD so he can make as many copies as he wanted of a full figure, with articulation. Then proceded to try and drag my name thru the mud about how much i was charging...
Other casters ran down the list of materials he would need to just get started (trial kits run about $25)  and showed him the error of his thinking.

Stick with it Batjack, it will get easier and less costly. There will alwaysbe some waste, but you will learn to minimize it as you master the process. Great post..

RTV is almost recyclable. So dont toss those damaged molds.

[H-Balm]

Admiration gents.  That's what I send.

I  admire your work, some day, I may be there too.

[Rydgen]

I read the cast and mold tutorials supplied here, and it didn't sound like a very inexpensive task in the first place, so I know I wouldn't expect casts to be any sort of cheap. It's another reason why I chose to just do my own sculpting.

[Rydgen]

Hey guys,

I've been researching making casts here and there, and yeah, I read the tutorial here. It seems like it should be fairly easy to do, and I know it's costly, but I want to know if it's worth it in the long run. The one thing I would like to make a cast of is my custom Hal Jordan head made from a Kyle head base. It's come out very nicely, but I don't want to make another from scratch. I want to make a Rainbow Hal Corps, like others have done, as well as other Hal figures here and there, and it seems it'd be easier to make molds than to get more Kyles and make them from scratch again. Hobby Lobby has casting and molding material, which makes those materials easy enough to procure. I suppose it's a matter of practice and following these tutorials to a "T". As I said, it seems easy in principle, but I've read how many times one fails at it before getting it just right.

I suppose I've answered my own answer in my post, but I want to know how you guys who have done casts feel about it. Did it take long to get it right? Are your results fairly reliable after so many tries, or is it still hit or miss despite the practice? These are the things I'd like to know.

Would you recommend casting or building from scratch?

Thanks!

[Stew]

making head molds is for the most part easy but you do have to worry about getting any bubbles out when pouring the resin into the molds sometimes. sometimes that  could be tricky depending on the shape of the head that has been molded. but for the kyle head, i know from experience with my molds that i have of it, are pretty cut and dry on pouring. air pockets develop sometimes where the chin is on some head molds but they can be pushed out.
making the molds would help you in making multiple similar customs. i like to use them as a starting base to modify per custom. some guys do the same thing and look to me to get the base cast because it can be modified like the real thing.

hope that answer helps you decide. 2 part molds are a different molding demon.

[Rydgen]

Thanks for the info, Stew. Yeah, head molds are pretty much where I'll draw the line. Body parts are probably easier and cheaper just to buy when needed. Cool. I know what I'll be putting my hobby money towards next!

[BatJack]

Head molds are pretty easy and worth doing. Almost any body can be used for a custom but the right head will make or break a custom.   I say dive in, I am glad I did it.   

[graphix1971]

I'm hoping to dive into casting heads here eventually. Especially since I've got a bag of headless bodies and a bunch of Sinestros and Parasites from Big Lots

[Darth_Ennis]

I can use a few Sinestro heads if anybody has spares.

[graphix1971]

I can use a few Sinestro heads if anybody has spares.

I might have a couple for you ... haven't had a chance to even get to those figures yet. So far the only figus I can think of to use Sinestro's head for are Wotan and the Top.

[Darth_Ennis]

WEll the reason I need a couple of them is one is going to be resculpted with a larger more appropriate cranium to be more comic/Superfreinds accurate.

I hope to donate it to Stews casting corner for everyone 3lses benefit.

The others I have special projects in mind for which is why I need several. I figure everyone hates that sculpt so they would be more than willing to part with them. LOL!
 

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