Alumalite--Has anybody used this stuff for making parts

Forward Observer · Post by **Forward Observer** » Mon Mar 24, 2008 5:02 pm

I am in the process of customizing a 1:18 Panzer IV model. One is an RC new millennium and one is a copy of the same being sold currently on EBay by Chinese importers. These both appear to have been made from the 21st Century molds. However, they do not have the support arms for the lower tank body Schurtzen even though the holes are there.

My problem is that I want to add the lower Schrutzen to at least one of them--maybe both.

Even though the 21st Century models sold in the US did not come with the lower armor they did come with the bracket arms and rails. I also recent acquired one of these, so I do have one set of brackets and rails to act as masters to work from.

The armor shouldn't be too hard to replicate using styrene sheets, but reproducing the support arms and rails will be more of a problem unless I want to try brass. That would also probably require soldering work, which I would rather not have to deal with just now.

I saw this stuff for reproducing small parts at my local hobby store and wondered if anyone had tried it. The basic kit to make a rubber mold from the original and then produce some quantity of parts is $30, but I have no idea how many parts that would produce without having to buy more of the resin casting material.

http://www.alumilite.com/applications.cfm

I just wondered if anyone has any experience with it.

Thanks

wolf8564 · Post by **wolf8564** » Tue Mar 25, 2008 9:55 am

I have used it with great results. Make your molds from thier mold rubber
and cast with it. my only suggestion is to mix in small batches it sets up pretty quick. You can extend its setup time a little by cooling the 2 parts in the refridgerator. when the two parts mix it creates a chemical reaction
that creates heat and the heat is what makes the liquids solidify.

Forward Observer · Post by **Forward Observer** » Tue Mar 25, 2008 2:44 pm

Wolf

Thanks for the reply.

Do you think the basic kit would have enough material to make molds for the four different support arms and enough casting resin to make at least two sets, which would be needed for one tank?

Cheers

AirstrikeToys · Post by **AirstrikeToys** » Tue Mar 25, 2008 9:44 pm

If you're going to make a couple of parts, the starter kit should work for you. If you use the rubber compound to make your mold, you will get a more detailed cast but its more work for just casting 1 or 2 parts.

Watch their video and read through the tutorials for different casting methods and you'll see what I mean.

KAMIKAZE · Post by **KAMIKAZE** » Fri Mar 28, 2008 6:46 pm

F.O.,

If you want the look without the fuss of making all the hangers you can attach the side armor with plastic C-channel glued to the shields themselves. That way they can be removed just like on the 1/32 scale Stug.

Mark

Cabe · Post by **Cabe** » Fri Mar 28, 2008 8:06 pm

I have used it quite often to avoid buying diorama objects twice. I have casted wall sections roads, cobblestone streets nd sidewalk, chimneys, sandbags ect.
Whenever I buy something new I always cast it if its a reusable or repetitive accessory or scenery object that can be modeled out of light weight hyrdocal. I am going to investigate resin casting later in an attempt to create the missing hetzer MG mount.
Never seems to be enough for me in a kit, but if you look at most hobby stores they have a cheaper off brand (usually unlabeled and made or kit and chems put together by the guy in the store) that is tad bit more expensive, but gives you tons more in return.

Forward Observer · Post by **Forward Observer** » Sat Mar 29, 2008 9:12 am

Thanks for the input. Now I need upper hangers too. I bought an additional RC new millennium model off of EBay and it arrived with four of the upper Schrutzen armor brackets broken.

I think the RC controller got loose in the box and its antenna did the damage, but regardless some of the broken bracket pieces got out of the box in transit.

I worked out a deal with the seller where he refunded part of the price, so I kept it, but now I either have to fabricate some of the upper brackets, or take them off and convert the model from an Ausf H to a G or F2.

Both the 21st Century and the New Millennium Panzer IV models have errors and ommission for the Ausf H, and I have been able to correct most of them so far with various scrap plastic and other converted items, but the brackets are just not that easy to replicate.

Cheers

Resin casting seems my best option for this.

Cabe · Post by **Cabe** » Sat Mar 29, 2008 3:01 pm

what you need if you are not yet aware of it is Plastistruct
here is a discussion on it
http://www.armorama.com/modules.php?op= ... 241&page=1

or a very similar product by Evergreen Scale Models
http://www.evergreenscalemodels.com/

you probably do, but if you or others are not aware, this stuff is indispensable when scratch building parts.
Any Hobbytown or Hobby Lobby will have it. It is pretty common and easy to overlook. It is usually sold on a turnstile rack. An one brand is usually one dollar cheaper than the other, cannot remember, but for making mounts, brackets and even armor plates it um...the bomb?

I try to keep a good amount or random sizes and shapes handy for those last night...."hmm what I need is..."

Forward Observer · Post by **Forward Observer** » Sat Mar 29, 2008 10:39 pm

I am very familiar with Evergreen Styrene. In fact I used the sheet stock in the contruction of the turret auxillary motor muffler that I fabricated along with some work on the fenders.

I just has its limitations in some applications like this.

Cheers

Cabe · Post by **Cabe** » Sat Mar 29, 2008 11:29 pm

i assumed so,
there are other options my father mentioned when I was discussing my recent hobby of casting and alumilite.

I mentioned how costly it was and he said I should goto his old client and friend (my dad's a patent attorney) and check into what his bass pro shop sell to make rubber lures. Evidently he said what I use sounds pretty much like the same stuff and that there might be a cost difference, or in my case I would get a discount because of the friendship factor.
But a bass pro shop or similar might have this same material for casting in larger or cheaper amounts

I did also experiment with something I bought one somewhat of a curious whim at wal-mart. In the toys section where they keep the models (who knows some stores may keep it in children's crafts and/or children's toys) there was product made for creating a plaster of paris fist or hand. The box would not identify the material used to make the cast of your hand. So it being $11 I took a chance and got it home, opened it up and it had a generous mount of Plaster of paris, but also this casting material that was water based and had to be mixed from powder. From what I gather online it might have been seaweed based. I don't know since I was farting around on my cellphone and it doesn't much work very well for research on the internet.
I made several mods of broken and highly detailed wall sections and it really worked, it was very moist and fragile though, but since I was making broken wall parts I could get away with 5 casting or so before it really became damaged. It isn't meant to be used more than 3 or so times. Later it hardened and became grey rock, but I got some use out of it and for the record I still have some of it left in case I need an emergency casting some dark night.
It was a kit called "Cast and Paint" from Skullduggery http://www.skullduggery.com/castandpaint.htm
and the casting material was hard to identify because they were being evasive I guess to protect the product's ingredients, but giving way to the fact that these people had instructions telling you to stick your freaking kid's hand into a mystery goo in world were China is shipping liquefied lead as baby formula and you are buying this from freaking Wal-mart. I had to know that somewhere they had to list it's make up to calm worried moms across America

well it is called "alginate".
Here is a site that sell large quantities and types http://www.artmolds.com/category26.cfm

and here is another seller plus more http://www.smooth-on.com/lifecasting.htm

and a medical prosthetic company that make many types of molding equip
http://www.renewmaterials.com/?gclid=CK ... PAod90X1KA

but finding an article on alginate itself was elusive

Cabe · Post by **Cabe** » Sat Mar 29, 2008 11:38 pm

oh and Hobby Lobby actually sells Alumilite, they allso give out the 40% coupon that in instances like this when you are buying something for $30 and 40 percent off coupon is a god send

and it is going on right now as I just got my hobby lobby email tonight and, it 40% off week! YAY, I am going to go get another air brush, this time the top feed.
I signed up to be on the Hobby Lobby mailing list so I can alway
a) remember that I should wait for the coupon when considering a purchase instead of heading out to another store and paying full price
b) get reminded to DL and print multiple coupons
c) get inspired to spend money I shouldn't.

http://www.hobbylobby.com/site3/weekly/email/14.htm
this is how I bought my Iwata Eclipse airbrush and Silverjet Iwata air compressor for about $180 all together. Had 2 coupons and went to 1 hobby lobby, bought my Iwata airbrush, drove about 5 miles to the next Hobby Lobby and used the second coupon to buy the compressor, it was a steal.
Now if they would sell the airbrush jars as a set instead of individually I would be rocking.

Forward Observer · Post by **Forward Observer** » Sun Mar 30, 2008 12:10 pm

Cabe, thanks for the link. There is a Hobby Lobby not too far from me, so I printed out a copy of the coupon and will check them out.

I tend to forget that they do carry an assortment of modeling supplies and some of their craft stuff can sometimes be used for modeling too.

Cheers

Cabe · Post by **Cabe** » Sun Mar 30, 2008 12:48 pm

i also think they sell plastistruct or evergreen models stuff