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Making a mold for casting silicone heads? Project start.

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matt gloss
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Re: Making a mold for casting silicone heads? Project start.

Post by matt gloss »

:D
Thanks i will be trying at some point...

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Re: Making a mold for casting silicone heads? Project start.

Post by rubherkitty »

Have you located a supplier of silicon in the UK?
We have Smooth-on and others in the US.
They sell a trial kit for $32.00 which is enough to do a head assuming you will have a closed cell foam or hollow core of some type.
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Re: Making a mold for casting silicone heads? Project start.

Post by matt gloss »

Yes we have a supplier in the uk https://www.benam.co.uk/knowledge/
Some tutorial stuff also on there also the plasti paste looks interesting.
Did not realise the trial size would be enough even with the core though I had not done the research properly at this time so thanks for that :D

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Re: Making a mold for casting silicone heads? Project start.

Post by rubherkitty »

RE: Trial size for head.
On second thought it may fall a little short. If you could keep the silicone thickness between the mold and core 10 - 15mm it may work. Most of us will probably manage 20 - 30mm thick. I can buy my silicone local and I assume I could buy a extra kit just in case, but return it immediately if I don't use it. Silicone has a shelf life and they won't take a return if you have the stuff on the shelf for 8 months before you get around to the project.

I also plan to attempt an oral function so there will be silicone in the lower part of head vs being able to make this area hollow as well.

Also depends on the head size. Mine is on the petite side at around 19cm tall & 14cm wide.
Best fit for a 145 - 150 cm doll which is what I want.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Here is the back of the head w/t front mold shell. I'll have to prep it for building the rear half of the mold. This MQ head had hair on it so I used a combination of shaving and burning the hair w/ quick hits of a propane torch.
IMAG0001 (2).JPG
IMAG0001 (2).JPG (68.2 KiB) Viewed 1172 times
Here is a pic of the head style I started with. I bought ones use for cheap as the hair was all butchered.
head chantal.jpg
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Re: Making a mold for casting silicone heads? Project start.

Post by matt gloss »

Looking good 8)
I will probably get a size up or two trial sized,as I think thicker is more kissable :whistle: I don't like hard faced women...

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Re: Making a mold for casting silicone heads? Project start.

Post by rubherkitty »

I see Bentley carries Smooth-on products. I can probably mail you a small sealed packet on silc-pig flesh tone tint when the time comes vs spending 37.00 for a whole container. I bought the 9-pc sample pack. The flesh tone in normal pale skin and I like a tan skin tone.

I'm trying to pick up some of this in the US, but the company that carries it is sold out for now.

This company is out of the EU.
https://www.formx.eu/pigments--paints-1 ... /index.php

Neill's also offers a flesh tone variety pack.
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Re: Making a mold for casting silicone heads? Project start.

Post by matt gloss »

That would be great when the time comes :thumbs_up:
8)
Matt

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Re: Making a mold for casting silicone heads? Project start.

Post by matt gloss »

Hi just kinda practising with my new second hand camera,heres my sculpt so far with some to do yet..
The attachment DSCF7117.JPG is no longer available


Yay it worked 8)
The ears are just for show :wink:
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Re: Making a mold for casting silicone heads? Project start.

Post by MannequinFan »

Hey RK great looking project!
Should be fun to watch your progress and see how this turns out. :D

So is your plan to make this a stand alone toy like the Novelleco head, or will it be designed to fit on dolls?

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Re: Making a mold for casting silicone heads? Project start.

Post by matt gloss »

:oops:
Matt

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Re: Making a mold for casting silicone heads? Project start.

Post by rubherkitty »

Looks great Matt. Very uniform and smooth. I'm taking the easy way out by copying a generic form already! :lol:
--------------------------------------------------
Thanks MF. The head will have a threaded post hanging down. Either 1/2" or 14mm fine threads.
So, could be screwed onto a number of things. I figure there may be some cloth dolls or home doll makers that would be interested in a head that will accept a simple thread on system.

I can also make a multi jointed steel neck piece for mounting in a home built doll. I will just have to know what they are using for a neck post now so I can mate it to their steel, PVC, etc pipe.
My plastic doll has a round top neck post and the head has a concave cut out of the foam. Attached via spring so the head can move any direction. Making this screw on head had me concerned that the head when mounted on my doll would only be able to rotate. I'm going to try and cut the neck post down and attached a jointed system for the head. The post will then be covered by a 3" dia pool noodle section which will be covered by a full neck choker.
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Re: Making a mold for casting silicone heads? Project start.

Post by MannequinFan »

Hey RK, have you ever considered using urethane products instead of silicone?
These can be cast in a platsil mold without release, and are much lower viscosity than silicone so air bubbles shouldn't be an issue.
Another possible advantage is they may be more compatible with TPE than silicone.
They make medical training models with these materials.
https://bjbenterprises.com/index.php/po ... specialty/

Skinflex5 (F-105) with SC-22 softener and SC-94 coating...


Here's their video making the squishy "zombie brain", lol...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xPxnRNXhnXU

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Re: Making a mold for casting silicone heads? Project start.

Post by rubherkitty »

Looks like something I'll have to study into.
Don't know if their pigmentation and painting options are as good as silicone though.

Is there a lack of TPE heads or do the dolls just need better head options?
Or are you thinking a broader market if the head will work on TPE doll bodies?

Anyway, I'll be doing a lot of experimentation over time. This is just a trial run for making a head.
Hopefully fantasy characters can be developed, animatronics, etc. I figure if I can make a decent head w/ all the issues involved in that, making a skeleton and body should be a breeze other than being larger work.
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Re: Making a mold for casting silicone heads? Project start.

Post by MannequinFan »

rubherkitty wrote:Is there a lack of TPE heads or do the dolls just need better head options?
Or are you thinking a broader market if the head will work on TPE doll bodies?
Just thinking of a broader market mainly.
If you have a unique product I'm sure many would consider using it on their TPE dolls.
As far as painting, I think the SC-94 product is intended for that purpose.
They also have another coating that is solvent based.
If it's not a high stretch area (i.e. small details), I think more types of paint would stick to urethane, where with silicone the only choice you really would have would be psycho paint.

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Re: Making a mold for casting silicone heads? Project start.

Post by rubherkitty »

Well, I tried to get input on head attachments most common w/ little input so figured I'd do my own thing and adapt later if necessary.

Nothing wrong w/ using the psycho paint system. The psycho paint is just a silicone base that you have to add pigment to. What I like about this system is you can thin it for airbrushing or make it thick for brush on application. I had thought about making a doll head that had eyebrows molded in that would just needed painting for a better 3D effect, but figured w/ psycho paint, I could just paint them on any style or thickness I want.

Smooth-on's Silc-Pig is about as sparse of paint options out there too. There are several other companies that offer a wide range of paint for silicone. One thing I don't like about Silc-Pig is it's a paste and if you custom mix a color once, trying to match it again is hit or miss. I think using pigment via dropper is a better idea. So many drops of this and that per Oz of silicone, etc.
Here is a company that offers a large variety of pigments and paints.
https://www.factor2.com/Complete_Functi ... kt-699.htm

But, I'm not put off on the idea of urethane. The more options the better. Just something I have to study and work with. Generally, urethane is cheaper than silicone too! Might be a better choice for an animatronic head.
Here's a good vid by BITY on casting and painting a urethane hand.
https://www.brickintheyard.com/products ... base-clear

Have you studied any into the reaction, if any, of urethane & TPE mated?
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