My first attempt at casting 10 mm building parts

[Pruneau]

I posted an article on my blog: http://secondsquadonme.blogspot.com/2010/12/first-10-mm-building-casting-attempt.html

[Maenoferren]

I keep thinking to do some moulding, but always chicken out .
Yours looks good though

[Leon]

Good stuff, pretty good for a first attempt.

A couple of pointers on things you mention:

- You suggest making smaller pieces that can be put together to give an end result, which is a good method to use.  It'll save you a lot of time and effort, and will keep everything looking uniform.  Our Dungeon pieces were done this way, with only four originals needed, which were then cast and put together to form each corridor/room section.

- Watch out for too much depth on your originals.  We get similar problems with some models, usually roof overhangs, window sills, door frames.  A nice 3D casting is always nice, but sometimes you have to sacrifice a bit of the depth to gain more quality in the castings.

- If you're using a liquid resin to make your castings, a small piece of wire or wood, like a cocktail stick, can be used to carefully get the air bubbles out of the corners.

Hope that is of some help, and I'm looking forward to seeing how you get on with this project.

[Pruneau]

Thanks for the feedback!  You're definitely right about the overhangs, that is something I'll be taking care of.  Also I need to glue the rear of the windows shut, so that the putty cannot creep inbetween the shutters and the wall or the window and the board beneath.  This should avoid the thin layers that cover the detail.  In spots where I had no crevisses the detail is just fine, and this is just a plaster cast!  It's bound to be better when using resin.

I am aware of the toothpick method, I just stupidly forgot to get the bubbles out: I even have a little vibrator plate to shake the filled casts.  It has been some time since I used it last.

I just made a shopping list for everything I need to go the modular way.  I'm gonna try 2mm plastic board + 1mm brick structured board + 0,5 mm milliput layer to allow for cover and variation. Hope that works out.

[Leon]

Thanks for the feedback!  You're definitely right about the overhangs, that is something I'll be taking care of.  Also I need to glue the rear of the windows shut, so that the putty cannot creep inbetween the shutters and the wall or the window and the board beneath.  This should avoid the thin layers that cover the detail.  In spots where I had no crevisses the detail is just fine, and this is just a plaster cast!  It's bound to be better when using resin.

I am aware of the toothpick method, I just stupidly forgot to get the bubbles out: I even have a little vibrator plate to shake the filled casts.  It has been some time since I used it last.

I just made a shopping list for everything I need to go the modular way.  I'm gonna try 2mm plastic board + 1mm brick structured board + 0,5 mm milliput layer to allow for cover and variation. Hope that works out.

Good stuff, looking forward to it!

[Pruneau]

If anyone's interested, here's the painted cast.  With all it's shortcomings when you put a magnifier glass on it, it works just fine on the table.  It's the double floor one with the hedge in front.  To it's left another scratchbuilt, to the right some purchased ones I got at crisis.  Same thing for the hangars.  This wasn't a game, hence no minis, just a display to check what I have to work on next.

http://secondsquadonme.blogspot.com/2010/12/some-terrain-impressions.html

[Maenoferren]

Looking good, the only thing I would say is the shutters seem to stick out a bit, but it matches in well with the other pieces.

[Pruneau]

Looking good, the only thing I would say is the shutters seem to stick out a bit, but it matches in well with the other pieces.

Thanks! Indeed they do stick out a bit.  I use windows from railroad houses on this house, but I'll have to make my own anyway if I want to start casting them, and I'll be making them less thick.  The blueprint for the different modular parts is all but finished, and I have done some mouldmaking attempts using fluid silicone, as well as casting attempts with a material called Zellane, which has a smoother finish, much like resin, it's somewhere between ceramofix and resin, quite strong, not chipping, and it takes detail almost as well as resin.  And it costs $10 per 1 kilo pot.