Anyone Ever Tried HydroSpan/HydroShrink? Possibility for new heads for Sideshows

[Promising Galahad]

The Hydrospan used was just ordered and received on Monday, with a lot number of Oct. 16 2008.

The bubbles are practically nonexistent where the casting was first poured into (the top of the head), but begin clustering at about forehead level and downward to the base of the neck.

I'm going to keep trying, I'll just have to come up with different methods, it seems.

 

[Anzik]

Hmm. thats odd. I've used several kind of resin and alumalite worked pretty well, polytek was crappy (about 8 years ago was the last time I used it) and I've been using smooth-on which I thought would suck but I'm pretty satisfied with.

 

[Mr Barlow]

I did a test w the Hydrospan, straight poured w lots o bubbles resulting. Ive just done another test and pressure potted the castings so Ill see the diff when I demold them.

R

 

[Darklord Dave]

Hmm. thats odd. I've used several kind of resin and alumalite worked pretty well, polytek was crappy (about 8 years ago was the last time I used it) and I've been using smooth-on which I thought would suck but I'm pretty satisfied with.

Hydrospan isn't resin. My one attempt using it turned into a ugly mutant, with huge boils all over - but I didn't notice any bubbles.

 

[Anzik]

Interesting. I was going by this post #39.

I wonder if the chemicals are reacting...

 

[Promising Galahad]

I tried again with even more bubbles than my previous two attempts, at least from what I can recall as I immediately threw those castings away after pulling them from their molds.

My last attempt was to spread a thin film of Hydrospan around the wall of the mold, hoping to keep the surface of the mold bubble free. It seemed to work but there were so many bubbles present (hundreds) within the casting I've thrown it out too. I may try this again but I need to ensure that I can keep the bubble count low to begin with.

I wrote to Industrial Polymers, asking for help with our problem. I'll let you know if they respond.

For the record, Industrial Polymers' website refers to Hydrospan as an urethane (part A being a resin, part B being the hardener).

 

[sueworld]

You're saying that you're trying to get Hydrospan casts out of what, a silicone mould?

So basically this stuff is pretty useless by the sounds of it which is a disappointment.

 

[Darklord Dave]

I know sculptors that use hydrospan for professional work, so it is usable. But perhaps there's a trick to it.

 

[Ironman1188]

I know sculptors that use hydrospan for professional work, so it is usable. But perhaps there's a trick to it.

Yes, I've seen some wonderful work done with, yet, I couldn't begin to tell you how.

 

[Promising Galahad]

I think I'm on my eighth (or ninth) try! No real success yet. I either have too many bubbles pouring the mix or the head is gooey from under-stirring it.

I think a pressure pot is the only real way to go with this, but I don't mind a few pock marks here and there on the casting so I'll keep trying to see if I get lucky. Now if I could just get myself to clean up my apartment in between castings so I don't get sick again.

I did find that pouring very thinly seems to create more bubbles than not, so I stopped doing it.

 

[Promising Galahad]

I finally have a casting that I'm reasonably satisfied with! It seems the tenth (or eleventh) time's the charm. There's still plenty of craters on the casted head, but I can fix that once I recast the head in resin.

Now I just have to soak the casting, and figure out how big I want it! "Yippee!" as Darth Vader would say.

 

[Promising Galahad]

I made my first successful casting of my Hydrospan enlarged head sculpt today. I'm pretty happy with how it turned out! Sure, there's a lot of tiny craters throughout the sculpt, but most take a mere few seconds to plug up.

Below is a pic of the recast next to the original, smaller head. The recast was enlarged to be used on a figure 12" tall unlike the painted original, which fits a figure measuring 11 1/4 inches tall.

Pretty soon all I'll need is someone with awesome painting skills to bring the recast to life!

 

[dwing]

Looks really good. Now to get a poll going on what needs to be done. What is the cost so far?

 

[sueworld]

Bumping this to see If there's been any movement on this so far?

 

[Anzik]

I read about Dave trying it but not much success. I'd love to finde someone who can work with and recast Spike's head so it will fit on a smaller body.

 

[sueworld]

Yeah, thats exactly what I want to do as well.

 

[Aerosmith]

I hope someone recast Spike. I need one for a Brainiac custom, but don't feel like spending what he's going for now.

 

[sueworld]

Are they still commanding high prices then? I thoughts some of these figures prices were starting to drop?

 

[Aerosmith]

Around $100.00, don't want to spend that much on one for a custom.

 

[sueworld]

Bloody hell, that is still a lot. I got one of mine for $25 second hand off of ebay a while back.