Guyver Helmet: Rubber Jacket Casting

Helmet Casting
Rubber Jacket Casting
In this section I will be showing how I cast the Sculpture for the Guyver Helmet.

Here I have the Sculpture Bisected with the sheet metal divider wall (as shown in the CASTING WITH SHEET METAL section) I have also applied a small retainer wall about 1/2 inch high around the entire sculpture.

Here is the Rubber I will be using to create the molds. There are various types of rubber and/or Silicone that can be used for this. You can get this type of rubber at most art/craft stores for around $50 per Gallon (cheaper in larger quantities) About 1 Gallon should be enough for this part of the project.

Next I begin to paint on the first layer of rubber using a small 1 inch brush. If you rinse out your brush right away after each application you should be able to extend its life for a while,... if you leave the rubber in the brush and it dries up, you might as well throw it away. With proper care you should only need about 2 or 3 brushes for the whole thing.

Here is a shot of the first layer of rubber right after it has been applied. While it is still wet it will be white / off-white in color. It is best to apply very thin coats of rubber rather than thick ones. The thinner the coating the faster it will dry.

Here you can see that when the rubber dries it will turn to a yellowish color. Now the next layer can be applied. You will have to repeat this process about 25 to 30 times to each side. (depending upon how thick you want it to be,... and how deep the undercuts are in your sculpture)

Here is a photo of the sculpture with about 25 coats.

Here I have removed the Clay wall and taken a sharp razor blade and carefully trimmed the edge to clean it up.

Now I have turned the sculpture on to one side (very carefully) and gently supported it from the bottom. (I rested it on a large bag of bubble wrap) At this point you could jump right to the fiberglass application,... but to make it a bit easier on myself I choose to add in an extra step to the process.

I'm going to apply a layer of plaster bandage to one side of the cast. I will be using store bought plaster bandages for this step,..(which you should be able to get at most art/craft stores,... 2 rolls should be sufficient) They are easy to use and less messy than making my own as I did in previous steps. Be sure that when you apply them you rub them down flush against the surface of the rubber and do not allow any air pockets underneath. (while this step can be skipped, it will save time later and make things a bit easier on a later step)

Here is a photo of the completed application of plaster bandage. I made the plaster cast about 6 layers thick,... or about 1/4 inch thick. (also note how I made a generous bridged area which connects between the horn and the top of the head,... This will help to stabilize and support the horn while molding)

NEXT: MAKING A FIBERGLASS MOTHER MOLD