One Ring : Casting the Round Fort

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Home > Tomes of Wisdom > Building Middle Earth > Terrain Foundations > Casting the Round Fort
Discussion Forums One Ring Chatroom Member List Member Groups An explanation of the process of Description making a latex mould and casting with plaster Author Date Painting Guides Terrain Modelling Conversions / Sculpting Gaming Other Viewer Comments [6 - Post your comments] Category Type Terrain Foundations Technique Natarn Ulka Sun Apr 12, 2009 10:40 pm

The time now is Wed Apr 15, 2009 1:53 am

Complexity Advanced

Casting the Round Fort

My Personal Gallery Member's Galleries Public Galleries An explanation of the process of making a latex mould and casting with plaster

Casting the Round Fort

An explanation of the process of making a latex mould and casting with plaster

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One Ring : Casting the Round Fort

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[Tue 18:32] Dorthonion: I have spent hours trying to get a blasted application for my job to work... complete waste of time [Tue 18:36] lorderkenbrand: painful, but least you're on here now, much better :) [Tue 18:39] Dorthonion: Yeah... but if I get called during the night, it means a journey to the office...:( [Tue 19:49] Corsair: Hey Captain - I just missed you in chat care to go back? :D [Tue 19:59] Captain Ingold: I'll be there, again! [Tue 20:01] Corsair:

Introduction
Having spent countless hours sculpting my original fort, I thought I'd spend countless more making a mould of it so that I could quickly make copies by casting in plaster. I admit that I didn't realise that it would take quite so long... This is not a particularly complex process but it is certainly long-winded. Was it worth it? Well, judge for yourself with the finished ruined round fort. The painted fort in my Ruined Round Fort article is not the original sculpt: it is one of my casts. If you ever have the crazy notion of making a latex mould, then this article will certainly be of interest to you. If not, well, I hope you find it interesting anyway.

Materials: Acrylic Paint Board Plastercine Latex (liquid rubber solution) Latex thickener Modeller's casting plaster Water Sand

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Equipment: Face/dust mask Jam jars with lids Old Large/medium brushes Bellows (a bike pump should do) Measuring jug Scales Old spoons Plastic buckets Old washing up bowl Stirring sticks Old washing up brush Modelling knife

This was the largest tub of latex I could find; it contained 5 litres. The larger the quantity, the cheaper the unit price. I didn't know how much I would need so went for bulk. I estimate that I used only 1 litre to make two moulds of the fort, so I've lots of latex left for future projects. Far smaller bottles of latex are available. This tub cost about 16 so one fort mould cost about 3 to make. I ordered the latex online through eBay. The company selling mould-making materials is called TOMPS.

whafrog

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The latex thickener cost 1.25 and it was a 100ml bottle. The bottle label shows the amounts needed and I started cautiously but ended up just tipping it all in to my large jam jar full of latex! I bought the thickener from a local pottery supplier but it can also be ordered through TOMPS online.

Ultramix is a great casting plaster for models. Again, I went for quantity to reduce the unit price but, of course, smaller bags of plaster are available. This one was 25Kg I think, and it cost about 27. Each cast that I make uses 2 worth of plaster. The pottery suppliers I went to decant large bags into 500g or 1kg bags and hike the price per unit. If you are lucky enough to have a local potter's supplier near you, then it's a good idea to purchase locally. The same type of plaster can be bought online but of course the postage adds to the cost.

Work area and precautions:

a) Make sure you work in a well ventilated area . Some of these materials, such as the ammonia (an ingredient of the latex) stinks. Inhale too much and your lungs will rot. b) Don't breathe in plaster dust. Over time, a build up of dust in the lungs can cause silicosis. Make sure you use a dust mask while you work with it. c) These materials can (and will) stain or scratch easilly. Make sure you don't forget to protect the surfaces of your working area.

1. Preparation of the model

Paint the model with acrylic paint. This stops the latex sticking to it and ripping pieces off when you demould. Next, mount the model on a board and build up a rim of Plastercine. This will increase the size of the mould and will act to catch any plaster overfill.

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2. Applying the latex

Heart-in-mouth moment - painting latex over my model! What if it doesn't come off? Will my terrain piece be utterly ruined after those mind-numbing hours of sculpting putty?

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The first coat needs to be applied thinly and with great care. After all, this is the coat which will capture the surface details of the model. It is essential to take one's time and do this bit right (even if you might be tempted to be a bit sloppy later).

Brush from the top of the model and allow the latex to flow into the crevices.

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3. Avoiding blemishes
Where's the fire? Why the bellows? Air bubbles, is the answer. By massaging the thin layer of wet latex with a stream of air from the bellows, the air bubbles trapped in the latex get blown out. This prevents air bubbles spoiling the first few layers. I imagine a bike pump could perform the same function.

Now comes the boring bit - and it lasts a long time. When the first layer has totally dried, apply a second layer. It is obvious that it has dried because the colour of the latex changes from white to golden yellow.

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When the second layer has totally dried, apply a third layer.

Once three or four layers have been applied it is good to add latex thickener, which will speed up the process (but not much). This product does what it says on the can. Just add the amount directed to your latex and stir. The latex then becomes more viscous and will stick to verticals more readily.

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Latex thickener is useful because it means the thickness of the mould can be built up more quickly. The downside is that drying times between coats are extended. So, it means you have to apply fewer coats but the time the project takes may be just as long.

The application of latex for this one mould took about a day and a half! I worked on a hot summer's day and took the mould out into the sunshine to dry after applications. It is not advised to heat the mould with a hairdryer because it can cause the latex to vulcanize. This means that the layers bond and any subsequent layers will not bond, but will peel off once dry.

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In the evening of day one, I gave it a thick coat and put the mould in a cool place to slow the drying process. This allowed me to continue the next day. The following picture shows a dry layer. Note the golden colour. The mould is obviously thickening well and is becoming more opaque.

Eventually a thick enough layer was built up.

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It ended up looking like some kind of weird cream cheese.

A mould should have a thickness of about 5mm. The thicker the mould, the less likely it will be to deform when casting. However, it is harder to demould if it is very thick and delicate details can be broken.

4. Demoulding
Demoulding the original model is almost as magical as demoulding a cast. It hasn't been destroyed! My model's okay!

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I left it about a week before demoulding (showing amazing self-restraint on my part). This gave the mould time to vulcanize in a warm room. Some people advise putting the mould in a cardboard box for a few days to ensure a constant temperature, which aids the process of vulcanization.

Peel it off with care to avoid tearing. The latex is tough but needs to be treated with a degree of respect.

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The inside of the finished mould.

The level of detail picked up by the latex is extraordinary.

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5. Preparing for casting

To limit deformation caused by the mass of the plaster in the mould I chose to support it in a bed of sand.

The sand needs to be damp in order to hold its shape. I pressed the original model into the sand to make a depression ready to receive the mould.

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The mould in place.

6. Mixing plaster
There is a wide variety of types of plaster. Polyfilla is great for rough and ready terrain such as cliffs but doesn't quite cut the mustard when it comes to casting. The best quality modeller's plaster is a very fine powder which helps retain detail. It is also relatively strong when compared with cheaper options, being far denser. It is important that the correct ratio of plaster and water is used for every cast. Too much water and the plaster will be crumbly when dry. Too much plaster and it will not pour smoothly into the

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mould. Ratios are available from suppliers and are often marked on packaging. Scales and measuring jugs are essential to maintain a good casting standard. To avoid wastage, it is a good idea to work out the approximate volume of the mould by measuring the amount of water needed to fill it. Just make sure that the mould is dry before you make a cast.

7. Pouring plaster
The plaster should be poured while still in a 'liquid' state. Do not pour it all around the mould to try to cover it because this can cause deformation and air bubbles. The plaster should be poured slowly in one place and allowed to flow into all the details. As it moves it expels the air. I do not pour the plaster onto the latex itself but place a small object in the mould and pour the plaster onto that. It runs over the object and into the mould, spreading from that central position. An upturned spoon is good for this. When the mould is full, bang the table to remove any air bubbles. Banging the table causes sufficient vibration to dislodge air. Do not bash the sides of the mould - this usually just creates unnecessary mess.

Wait until the plaster feels hard before demoulding. It is also a good idea to wait for it to cool off a bit (plaster becomes warm/hot as chemical reactions take place). If a cast is demoulded too soon the plaster will not have made sufficient bonds and will be likely to break. Remember, the cast is unlikely to be as strong as your original model. Demould with great care, unrolling a little of the mould at a time. Now is a time to move slowly. This (for me at least) really is a magical moment - peeling off the mould to reveal the new model.

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Although the model feels strong very early on, it will take a long time to fully dry. I advise leaving it for at least two weeks in a warm room before undercoating. Commercial mould-makers have drying rooms or cupboards with extractors to speed things up. Do not put your plaster cast in an oven to dry it out. When plaster gets too hot, it explodes. If necessary, trim the cast as soon as possible after casting with a sharp, strong knife. Now is also a good time for adding extra details, scratching into the plaster with a sharp tool. The plaster is relatively soft at this stage and cutting it will become more difficult as the plaster dries.

Conclusion
So, the big question: Is it worth the effort? I would give a qualified 'yes' to that. Through this

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project I learnt an incredible amount and really value the experience. If anyone would like a cast of this fort then I can make one at the drop of a hat. Lord Erkenbrand and Tidoco are pleased with theirs! Casting using latex is certainly not suitable for all projects. If you want lots of precision including straight lines and right angles, then you will be disappointed. If, however, your project is a ruin such as this, then I think latex is ideal. People who have seen the cast have been amazed at how closely the detail has been replicated. I will use latex again to make moulds (I have four litres left!) though I will probably use it on more generic terrain items such as walls or to add details to larger projects. In this way I can make one highly detailed piece and copy it as many times as I wish, which will save time and effort in the long run. The finished fort with extended base, sand and flock.

-= Natarn Ulka =-

See also: Ruined Round Fort - Natarn Ulka

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