Need tips on materials to use

Okay, so i'm new here, first thread and all.

And would like some advice on different materials for sculpting things.

Maybe something cheap non rigid to form a good base,
then something that i can put on top of it to make a shell so that it won't break or fall apart, also i want to be able to sculpt smal detail ou of since want to make a pit of it.

I'm modding a MX510 so it would be great with something not super stiff that could actually bend with the mouse without cracking up.

I have seen the Alien mouse mod video, seem like that meterial is a bit to stiff for my purpose though.

Any advicw will be reall appreciated.

Please, Don't strain your fingers just yet. :D

The forums have been pretty quiet recently...i think most of the regulars are either having busy months due to exams or are bogged down with a sh#tload of work. I'm one of the first and i should get back to studying, but hang in there, someone will answer your question.

Oh, and welcome to TBCS! ;)

-Dave

Many modders here have had great results with using filler foam as their base - the spray stuff you can get at most any hardware store that is frequently used as insulation. It is pretty rigid, and can be carved pretty well, but it will not hold minor details. From there, you can apply a layer of bondo or a two-part epoxy putty to give you a rigid surface to work with. This may set a bit quickly for your needs, however, as it sounds like you want to do some detaield sculpting with it. If so, try using bake-set clays, such as Sculpey, for your detail parts, set wires or pins into the back of the detail pieces, press them into the foam, then blend them together using a putty such as bondo or another epoxy. This may or may not work, depending on the individual piece you are trying to create.

Another great method, given time and resources, is to simply sculpt your piece using traditional materials such as clay, then create a mold and create a plastic or acryllic positive of your sculpture, providing you with your piece in a very rigid final model to work with.

Again, this may not meet your needs, but there are a number of informative and inspiring mods around the site which may help give you a better idea of what is possible.

Polymorph is good for moulding: http://www.maplin.co.uk/Module.aspx?...urce=2&doy=8m1

havnt used it on a case mod though (actually.... i havnt DONE a case mod :)..... YET)

From that Polymorph link:

Quote:

---

The revolutionary plastic that melts in hot water... This polymer has all the characteristics of a tough ‘engineering’ material yet it fuses and becomes easily mouldable at just 62°C

---

Might not be good in a case mod. It would suck to look over and see parts of your case dripping onto the floor.

ah yes :redface:

unless you know what you are doing, or have good contacts (ie local design school or whatnot) i would suggest rank's first option. Moulding in plastic is difficult in sweden (i know, i've tried it). especially financially. Getting material, you have to order it from Germany or Netherlands, and the freight alone will cost you 800-900 SEK per 3k material (which was the smallest volume i could find), this also depends on what you want, some are considered volatile material = really expensive shipping and probably not good to muck about with without serious experience / protection. You may have luck shipping stuff from US (read, pretty expensive shipping), there are a few online stores that carry hobby sized volume of plastics, but then you might need lots, what do I know.

I've got some links to plastic retailers in Europe at home (which is currently undergoing serious renovations, i.e. i can't get hold of my comp until next week), but if you want i can see if i can find them again.

I'd recommend trying to find something local that can help you out. Our design school is great, and they got the know-how. However, mine doesn't have a vacuum mould, which makes transparant plastic models impossible, at least if you need it bubble-free.

thread stealer: Does anyone know how heat resistant the filler foam is? Can it be used in an ordinary owen without producing deadly stuff and destroying the kitchen?

btw, where in Sweden are you?

-.erik

To start off, iäm located in Jönköping, Sweden.
To get a hold of the stuff i need wouldn't be too hard as my father is an experienced builder, now he sells these kinds of things.
I'm sure he can locate where i can get some of this stuff.
The polymorph is what i looked at recently, as it is a mouse mod it actually might be suitable.
But it's hard to get into positin the way i want :p

I wouldn't place the Filler Foam in an oven though, it might be possible at lower heating but my guess is that it would become pretty soft and melt.
So the polymorph stuff is pretty out of the question for me.

I wouldn't that much of it, since it's not a big area to fill.
It's gonna be a very miniature like terrain.

Filler Foam expands if exposed to high temperatures, so it is not a good option if you are planning on exposing it to hot environments, such as a kiln or oven environment, especially if you have a body filler or putty over the top of it, as it will cause it to break and crack as it expands.

How detailed of a piece are you looking to make, BuzzerMan?