Sith Acolyte Mask (Version 3)

After making a few masks, I decided I wanted to simplify the process a bit. I've been researching many different aspects of mold making for quite some time now, and the more I thought about it, the more rotocasting (or slush casting) seemed like the way to go here.  

I began by making a master mask (version 2 kind); I came up with a decorative pattern design I liked, and took extra care applying it, since any imperfections in the surface detail would be captured during silicone moulding

This step took almost a week, and in the end, I ended up with an untrimmed, primed master mask, ready for silicone application!

I also made a "back cap" piece the same way: I vacuum formed two masks, cut out the Sith Empire pattern from the forehead section of one mask, and glued this onto the forehead of the other, thus creating the back cap mold. For some reason I can't find the photos I took of this step, but you will be able to see it in the next section.

After doing some research, I decided to go with Smooth-On's Rebound 25 brush-on fast setting silicone, however my local supplier did not have any in stock. Instead, he suggested I use Mold Max 30 (which is a slow setting, liquid silicone designed for pouring) with a Thi-Vex thickener to make it more suitable for vertical application. He had plenty of this stuff, and I was too impatient to wait for him to order Rebound 25. So, I bought the Mold Max 30 gallon kit.

Mold Max 30 is the kind of product that requires absolute precision; I had to go out and buy a food preparation scale for measuring amounts when mixing part A with part B. (For information on preparation and usage of Mold Max 30, have a read here).   

Because silicone mold-making is a procedure that can take several days, it is IMPERATIVE that there are NO MISTAKES during any of the steps! And perhaps the most important thing to NOT screw up on is the application of a release agent to whatever it is you are trying to mold prior to siliconing. I've watched a number of videos on YouTube where a guy spends days making a mold, does not apply enough release agent, and ends up destroying not only the silicone skin, but the original mold as well. Epic fail.

So, before I even started mixing my silicone, I sprayed both molds with mold release; I spread it with a brush, waited 5 minutes as per instructions, and sprayed another coat on. 

The first coat I applied was not thickened with Thi-Vex. I mixed the silicone, poured it onto the molds, and distributed it evenly over the molds with a brush. I let this dry for 24 hours (the recommendation is 14-16 hours, but because of work and other engagements, the waiting time in between coats was usually longer).

I applied a second coat with a few drops of the thickener, and let it sit for another 24 hours or so. Third and fourth coats had the maximum recommended amounts of thickener, with the waiting time between these coats being 16-ish hours.

The last thing I did was apply globs of silicone in an "X" pattern top of the molds. These would act as "registration keys" for easy insertion into/removal from a fiberglass support shell that would allow the rubbery silicone to maintain shape during slush casting.

I am not going to get into the details on how to make a fiberglass support shell; in a nutshell, I put the master object inside the silicone mold, flipped everything over, sprayed the outside with mold release, and applied fiberglass. And after several hours, viola: a hard shell that fits perfectly over the silicone.

I was now ready to cast the new two-part helmet!

The material I chose to cast the helmet in is called Smooth Cast 325. It's a liquid plastic (resin) that has a very quick cure time of approximately 10 minutes. 

I found it to be great for 3 reasons:

1) it's mass sensitive (meaning the more of it there is, the quicker it cures);

2) special pigment paste can be added to it during mixing, allowing you to make the plastic whatever colour you want. I loved the black hair cell ABS look of the inside of versions 1 and 2, so I wanted version 3 to be black on the inside also;

3) after the plastic has cured, it remains very flexible (almost rubbery) for several hours, allowing you to trim excess material quite effortlessly with scissors and a utility knife. After a few hours however, it becomes rock hard and nearly impossible to trim with hand tools.

I've read on various forums that this type of resin (or any type of resin, for that matter) is very difficult to paint, and this troubled me. Smooth-On's website states that one of the easiest ways to paint their resins is to "powder coat" the silicone mold with baby powder prior to pouring resin. (There are other methods, however this way seemed most manageable.) Pourable resins tend to have very smooth oily surfaces when cured, and powder coating the inside of the mold causes the plastic to take on a "rougher" matte finish, which takes paint better. More on painting later.

So, I decided to give this a try. I sprayed the release agent inside the molds, waited 5 minutes for the propellant to evaporate, and then shook some baby powder in. 

I used an air compressor to blow excess powder out, creating a thin uniform coat of the stuff inside the mold.

Next, I measured out some part B of the resin into a plastic cup, added a few drops of the SO-Strong black pigment, and stirred it for a solid minute with a popsicle stick (good thing I stocked up on these, because I ended up going through A LOT!) I measured out an equal amount of part A into another cup, stirred this for a minute, and then mixed A and B into a separate cup.

(NOTE: There is a "shake well before use" sticker on both cans; however, i found that if you shake, you get a ton of tiny bubbles in both solutions. If you mix the two parts right away, the bubbles will get trapped during slush casting, and the plastic will come out looking like Nestle Aero chocolate. So, if you "shake well", then you best let it sit for a while before mixing the two together. Even after letting it sit, you should stir both separately before mixing them together.)

Once I poured the plastic inside, I turned and tilted the mold in my hands for 10 minutes, making sure all parts that I wanted to cover were covered. Also, notice how it only did half the mask; that's because I used a small amount to test it out. Rather than spread a small amount across the entire surface area (which runs the rist of air bubbles and cracking), I concentrated on covering the middle first.

The second and third pour covered the rest. (For the back cap - left - I used a very tiny amount of resin, and only did one pour).

Once the plastic hardened sufficiently to be handled, I pulled it out of the mold, and trimmed the edges with my trusty Bondo-covered utility knife.

As I mentioned earlier, the plastic is VERY rubbery for several hours when first cast, and can easily succumb to gravity's deforming effects if left to its own devices!

I positioned the pieces over the master molds so that the mask and back cap could cure to the correct form.

Several hours later, both pieces were completely cured, with just the right amount of elasticity! The material is a lot heavier than the previously used ABS, and feels much sturdier. It is not indestructible, however; where ABS warps and "white-lines" when bent past its threshold, resin simply cracks. Take a look:


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As I mentioned before, I've read that many people have had a terrible time painting Smooth Cast resins. I however, have not had any problems whatsoever. In fact, I don't even prime the surface before painting. 

Powder coating the mold seems to have worked just as Smooth-On said it would. As an additional precaution, I experimented with acetone, mineral paint thinner, and even dish soap to give all the surfaces that would be painted a good rub to get rid of any oils that may inhibit adhesion. (Also, resin tends to "sweat" a little oil when curing, so it is a good ideal to clean it off before painting). All three worked equally well having no damaging effects on the resin. (DO NOT however, try to put acetone on ABS plastic. Acetone eats ABS for breakfast).

To paint the silver details on, I used Testors brush on enamel "Steel Grey". 

I then mixed it with some "Fat Black" to created the "wear and tear" effect.

One of the added benefits of using the Smooth-On SO-Strong black colour paste is that I don't have to paint the black areas in the end! See? Thinking ahead! 

To clean off any paint that may have smeared onto the black parts of the mask, I used the same mineral paint thinner as before, with some q-tips.

As mentioned previously, version 3 upgrades the Sith Acolyte mask into a Sith Acolyte partial helmet, complete with front and back sections. It is now made out of Smooth Cast 325 ColourMatch liquid plastic as opposed to ABS and HIPS. It's a little heavier than the previous vacuum formed versions, however it feels solid! Even though using this method it is no longer possible to customize each mask with unique detailing, the real benefit of the new method is that the production time is now only a fraction of what it was with ABS/HIPS!

Approximate dimensions of the front mask are as follows (give or take a hair):

Length: 13"

Width: 8"

Brow depth: 5.5"

Weight: ≈12 oz (weight varies slightly with each casting)

 

Thanks for looking!

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