04-05-2009, 07:27 PM
While RTV moulds are excellent for capturing details, they're probably overkill for obtaining simple geometric shapes. The styrene moulds are quick and easy to build, and probably a lot cheaper, too.
Another avenue of attack might be to skip the mould-making step altogether and simple build the bridges from styrene - probably less styrene would be required than for the moulds to make similar-shaped castings. Moulds are generally used when you want to make multiples of a particular shape.
In this view, all of the bridge piers and abutments are plaster (Durabond) castings, while the tunnel portal is styrene - I think that if the colour on the portal were improved, it would be indistinguishable from the others:
[album]863[/album]
In these two shots, all of the piers and abutments are made from sheet styrene (the piers are stacked .060" sheet, filed to shape, then carved to suit the terrain. Again, the colour needs to be improved:
[album]864[/album]
[album]865[/album]
If you're making something where you need multiples of the same shapes, casting may be worth the effort of constructing moulds. If you need only a couple copies of simple shapes, it's not likely worth the extra work. However, if you simply want to try casting, by all means do so.
Wayne
Another avenue of attack might be to skip the mould-making step altogether and simple build the bridges from styrene - probably less styrene would be required than for the moulds to make similar-shaped castings. Moulds are generally used when you want to make multiples of a particular shape.
In this view, all of the bridge piers and abutments are plaster (Durabond) castings, while the tunnel portal is styrene - I think that if the colour on the portal were improved, it would be indistinguishable from the others:
[album]863[/album]
In these two shots, all of the piers and abutments are made from sheet styrene (the piers are stacked .060" sheet, filed to shape, then carved to suit the terrain. Again, the colour needs to be improved:
[album]864[/album]
[album]865[/album]
If you're making something where you need multiples of the same shapes, casting may be worth the effort of constructing moulds. If you need only a couple copies of simple shapes, it's not likely worth the extra work. However, if you simply want to try casting, by all means do so.
Wayne