Bear Facts

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Lynne Chappell
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Re: Bear Facts

Post by Lynne Chappell »

Photos like these are so helpful when a newbie is trying to figure it all out. I perhaps still can't totally visualize the mother mold, but I just haven't done enough work yet.
The rubber that you have used must be a paint-on rubber. Is it an RTV silicone, or a latex rubber? It sort of looks like the latex that I purchased. I didn't like it much, it took way too long to set up, but it was undoubtedly a different brand. The other thing that I noticed in the photo of the bear on your table is that there is no mess around it. This was a wax sculpture, wasn't it? I thought it might be nice to carve away at something in my cozy family room. However when I looked around the studio, there were bits of wax everywhere. I had even set up a rather large container with sides that I was working over, but darn it, there were bits on the floor and on the table outside the container. And wax is kind of hard to clean up. What's your secret?

And I love the bear.

Back to your original post - what kind of Skutt product were you talking about?
twin vision glass
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Re: Bear Facts

Post by twin vision glass »

Hi Lynne, where to start with the questions. let's start with no wax bits. I scrape with my scrapers and scope it up, roll it up in my fingers and press it back onto the piece to make hair or change the nose or something. I use a wheller gun to weld bits and pieces onto or off of him as I go. It is a GREAT tool.I also have a warm pot and just melt the wax and turn off and scope out big melting knife fulls and paint it on too. Melanie has an electric controlled wax shaper and it is incredible but I have not the patience she was born with and like to get it on and get it off quickly. If you know someone to teach you a few tricks with wax you will fall in love with it I promise you. I ALMOST =D> converted Cynthia Morgan. [-( She did this forever.
As for the Smooth-On Rubber product, it is called Brush-On 50 and you can get it at Fairey N Comp. in Richmond I believe. They carry Smooth-On products and I like this very much as it is very plyable and brushs on so nicely. Just make sure you mix it one to one and you cannot make a mistake. Brush on a thin coat (blow bubbles if you see them coming up) and waite aprox. 1 hour, then the next coat , and so on until you have a good 1/8th to 1/4 thickness depending on size. Also on last coats begin to make sure it is REALLY smooth so that your mother mold does not have any undercuts. I STRONGLY suggest getting the video as it is worth a thousand words.
I love to work with wax and have painted it on clay and anything I can get my hands on, then a pull a rubber and use bit parts to make a whole piece. Very fun. If I have time I will try to post a better picture of the mother mold in pieces. Back to work I go. Les
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twin vision glass
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Re: Bear Facts

Post by twin vision glass »

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Lynne, here is the mother mold laid out after coming off in special pieces made specifically where no undercuts are , this is why all the 5 parts or whatever it takes. I will post 2 more pics so you can see it being build piece by piece and each one I have plastered on green polmolive green dish soap for my seperator between each section and use Keys so that it goes back together really well, as it has to fit VERY snuggly and perfect. Les
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Re: Bear Facts

Post by twin vision glass »

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I hope this has helped . The last one is the rubber cut so that it comes off well. It is also important as you are painting on the rubber to make sure that you thicken where you are going to cut the rubber so the seem is not flimsy. Nothing worse than flimsy rubber where the join is as wax seeps out. Also make sure that when you cut the rubber off the model that you have made the mother mold FIRST. Next VERY important hint is to make a bottom ledge to help hold the rubber in place when you turn it upside down. Almost an inch bigger than the bottom of the sculpture you are molding. Les (one more pic to come)
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Re: Bear Facts

Post by twin vision glass »

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Lynne, here is the last one that hopefully shows how thick it is and the overhang for strength at the edge . Les
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Tom White
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Re: Bear Facts

Post by Tom White »

Les, thanks so much for sharing your in progress pictures for this bear. It would seem that you document your work well as you produce it. For this type if instruction and sharing each picture is worth thousands of words for the information they convey. I look forward to pictures of the finished bear.

Best wishes,
Tom in Texas
Lynne Chappell
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Re: Bear Facts

Post by Lynne Chappell »

Thanks so much for the help. How do you hold it all together while you are pouring your wax? It seems like a couple of elastic bands aren't going to manage this one.

And while we were cleaning up the garage the other day, I found a couple of old small soldering irons that I spirited away into my studio to try out. I have a hot knife somewhere as well. But so far, I kind of like the chisels.
ellen abbott
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Post by ellen abbott »

Morganica wrote:There are some people whose creativity writes large. I think Les is one of them. ;-)
That's like me and detail. Everytime I finish a piece the next one is going to be simpler and when I finish the model, Marc is asking me...I thought this one was going to be simple?
The only religion I subscribe to is sacreligion.

read my blog: http://ellenshead.blogspot.com/
twin vision glass
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Re: Bear Facts

Post by twin vision glass »

Oh Ellen, isn't that funny. My family walks by doing this #-o as the piece gets larger and larger. I try to make things tiny, but well, if it is small it usually sits infront of something larger. I feel as if we are the luckiest people on earth to be able to create. I truly love the creation almost more than the finished piece as I know I will not own it. (I do get to keep a few broken things though and enjoy them as no one else would like them)
Lynne, Duck Tape is my FRIEND!!! And boxs to rest them in. Most of the time I will make a cap on the top of his head say, that will make him stand all on his own, it is important to plan that out before you begin. Lots of planning is crucial to success for all that work.(Don't forget that the mother mold is what holds your rubber in a perfect position so it is VERY important to make it fit very well . DO NOT FORGET to spray universal spray release on the rubber before you apply your plaster mother mold sections. You could break it if you are not careful. Also the Plaster of Paris that you use (good plaster for mother molds ) is mixed abit warmer (2 parts plaster to 1 part warm water) as you are hand building it so it will not be HUGE. Otherwise it gets sooooo big you will need a truck to lift it . This will take practice , but once you understand the process , the sky is the limit. Also you can do things in sections and join them all together.
Careful not to heat up the wax tooooo hot though. The smoke is dangerous for your health. Melanie is really good with a torch, but I just melt it all to heck. Tom, do you work with wax too.!!!!! I need another studio just to hold all my molds I have created over the years, but do not have that luxury , soooo the house is filled with plaster and wax molds much to my family's dissapointment.
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Tom White
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Re: Bear Facts

Post by Tom White »

Les, I am more of a fuser at this time but am sliding toward some small casting. I have not worked with wax yet but do own some for use one of these days. I have reciently found a two part RTV silicone putty at Hobby Lobby which I have used to make molds over flat backed objects to reproduce them in the frozen frit technique for use as dimensional decorations tack fused to slumped items. I am having so much fun making and using the silicone molds that I have not yet got around to applying my small treasures to a slumped item yet. The silicone putty is so simple and fast for making these small molds. You just take equal amounts of part A and part B and knead them together using your fingers until the mixture is uniform in color with no unmixed streaks then roll it into a smooth ball and press that over your model to make your mold. It hardens and is ready to use in 20 minutes. The frozen frit shrinks 20 to 25% when it is fired to tack fuse temperatures so I have to choose my models with that in mind. I need to get/make more colors of powder grade or finer frit to take full advantage of this technique. I showed some of them to Ellen a couple of weeks ago and she was intrigued by them.

Best wishes,
Tom in Texas
twin vision glass
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Re: Bear Facts

Post by twin vision glass »

Dear Tom, there are sooo many great products out there . I am so glad that you are experimenting and loving the results. The nice thing about rubber is that it will last for many many years and is plyable so that undercuts are not a problem and it peels off like a glove. Would love to see some of your creations too if you have time. Can you pour molten wax into this product too. This website has some Great product lines too and films to go with them. http://www.smooth-on.com Hope you keep on experimenting. Les
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Tom White
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Re: Bear Facts

Post by Tom White »

Here are a few of the frozen frit items scanned on my flat bed scanner.

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This is the first check of these molds with the button model on the left and the fired glass on the right. These are just slightly larger than life on the screen.

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This was testing various pink frits for the original goal, a breast cancer awareness ribbon. Believe it or not the same frit is on the lampworked bead as on the lower pansy, turns pink from S 96. The shell overfired when I matured another color pink in the same firing. I have experienced a wide difference of temperatures needed for good results with different frits. The shell mold is about 1 1/4" long.

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The size of the frit used affects the size of the finished item. The two on the left are from grinder swarf, very fine, while the two on the right are a larger frit used in the same mold, a candy mold from Hobby Lobby.

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Wouldn't you know it, the only breast cancer ribbon I have here is one that had a bubble in it and is awaiting refiring with the bubble refilled with the same frit. It is about an inch wide by 2 inches long and less than 1/8 inch thick. It is cherry blossom S 96 frit. I have looped it on a satin cord and have drilled some for a pinch bail to make necklaces.

Best wishes,
Tom in Texas
twin vision glass
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Re: Bear Facts

Post by twin vision glass »

Just a very light dusting of spray though so you don't change the texture of the piece. Les
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S.TImmerman
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Re: Bear Facts

Post by S.TImmerman »

I just wanted to thank you les, and Brad (for the board) this information is invaluable!

I didn't even own anything (glass related) when this particular post was written. I was turning bowls - I just wish I could trade my wood lathe for a glass one!

Thanks!!!!
Shereen
Last edited by S.TImmerman on Mon Jan 13, 2014 5:52 am, edited 1 time in total.
twin vision glass
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Re: Bear Facts

Post by twin vision glass »

:D :) :o I have enjoyed answering questions and hopefully helping others with difficult situations so they will be able to create their visions into glass. Les
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