Well you tried Ray, if you don’t know already you can cut the old mold up and use the pieces in other molds to take up space and pour around them and they bind with the new rubber. Saves mold rubber instead of just throwing it in the trash.
Vacuum assist could make a sprued mold work. Use a dusting of talcum powder (unscented) between the halves. The talc prevents the rubber from sticking.
I’d have a reservoir to pour into and sprues running to each tile and breathers leading half way to the edge from the other end of the tile. The vac draws the air out and the resin in.
Clamp 2 steel sheets to hold it together. Use a C clamp so you can adjust the tightness. I bet you could fabricate a plastic doohicky to hold the mold and the vac hose… and pour into the half round bowl opening.
John
I use talc when pouring low temp white metal in these
After spending a few days cutting up styrene tubes and turning them into Spanish tiles, I was ready to start gluing some to the main roof of the depot…
I’m using Dynaflex 230 paintable sealant to secure the tiles to the model. Naturally, the concave, “bottom” rows of tiles must be put on first. I began by gluing a single tile at the beginning of each row, in order to test that the spacing was correct. I determined that spacing them on 1/2" centers would be just about perfect:
The bottom rows must be placed with the narrow end of the tile facing “downhill” on the roof. I goofed and did the first row, on the right, the wrong way around. Since it’s on the end and not very noticeable, I just left it that way:
After all of the bottom tiles were glued in place, I left it to dry:
Then it was time to add the top rows of tiles. First I used more Dynaflex 230 to fill the spaces between the bottom rows. I only worked on 2-3 rows at a time:
Each of the top tiles was partially filled with sealant prior to placing it on the model:
The top tiles are placed with the narrow end “uphill”. Excess sealant can easily be cleaned off with water and a small, cheap, craft paint brush:
This side of the roof is now complete. It took 200 individual tiles for this. I figure in total, it’ll take at least 1000 to do the whole job:
Dang that’s teadious; cutting, shaping, glueing 1000 of those… But it looks great. Tera cota red?
Yes, I have a basic terra cotta color paint, and I’ll tint it a little differently here and there.
Ray, can you make a mold of the entire roof section? Would save some time if you have more tile roof to do.
Ray, Really nice work. This model will look real and have a unique flair. Just stellar!
my idea too… but i was always too lazy, to take on this amount of work.
about the quality - well, just a normal R.D., a pleasure to look at.
Ray Dunakin said:
After spending a few days cutting up styrene tubes and turning them into Spanish tiles, I was ready to start gluing some to the main roof of the depot…
Styrene? Ray, I thought for sure you’d be building a miniature kiln and MAKING your own tiles out of clay. (http://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-embarassed.gif)
Anyway, it sure does look nice, as usual!
Bruce Chandler said:
Styrene? Ray, I thought for sure you’d be building a miniature kiln and MAKING your own tiles out of clay. (http://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-embarassed.gif)
Anyway, it sure does look nice, as usual!
Bruce, that will probably be on the next structure.
and just in case he needs a kiln…
Ken, so are we expecting him to build one, in scale, and then fire his own roof tiles in it?
I wouldn’t put it past him…(http://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-wink.gif)
Jim Harris said:
Ray, can you make a mold of the entire roof section? Would save some time if you have more tile roof to do.
I plan to experiment with that someday but for now I just want to press on with this and get it done.
Ray Dunakin said:
Jim Harris said:
Ray, can you make a mold of the entire roof section? Would save some time if you have more tile roof to do.
I plan to experiment with that someday but for now I just want to press on with this and get it done.
I would try for a section of roof with the over hangs to hide the sections.
I’m amazed at your dedication, my Spanish style depot has been waiting two years for it’s roof!
John
Absolutely marvelous, Ray. thanks for sharing your techniques. I follow all your builds and have learned a great deal.
The one thing I have learned from his builds is … I’ll never be the next Ray!
Sean McGillicuddy said:
The one thing I have learned from his builds is … I’ll never be the next Ray!
i second that.
there is something else, i learned from Ray’s works: i can run out of superlatives!
Sean McGillicuddy said:
The one thing I have learned from his builds is … I’ll never be the next Ray!
Me neither.