The Rubber Mould

[Beano Boy]

………………. TIMBER FRAMED BUILDINGS FOR THE CASTLE TOWN PROJECT



Using a casting as a guide to get the apex of the roof right.



I had to re-scribe the barn doors using a sharp pointed craft knife.











The Barn,had some tricky bits to cast up that just broke off in the mould. In the end I used match sticks that were placed into the rubber mould replacing the roof supports then the mould was cast up. It was successful and they can be seen in the photograph above and also in the first picture on show here






These are my first three samples, two houses and the barn.



They went together easily with my silicone gun. As the roofs are removable I can plant many a converted roof style onto them. These are ready for windows to be set in, and painting.



Presently there are another 18 buildings ongoing with all their castings made. Chimneys are needed too so lots of hobby work to do. These will eventually go on the Honey Well railway layout.

Perhaps you`ll visit again? BB

[Beano Boy]

Plan A, I cast up the moulds but the castings produced broke into several pieces.
A classic sample test of misfortune,that I thought might happen, but after shoving the results into the waste bin, plan B came into play.

Duly entered in the Log. Never mind BB. Ride on ,ride on to the end of the rainbow.... sang out the cowboy who always sleeps in his boots.
yes the sun will rise upon another much better English, slap dash dawn.
Said the little Button who never speaks in capital letters.




Cheap Styrene Sheet was glued into place on the top and bottom and scribed out using a cheap black pen. Hopefully these will look quite old upon the first colourwash dipping?



This double sided re-configuration is now very tough indeed.



There is a gap showing at the bottom so...…..



….. a spacer card was inserted into the box to make it the right size for the pattern to be slid into place.



The box was turned over this makes it easier to smooth over flat with the hand. Everything is brushed with baby oil including the moulding box.



The box was filled with my rubber mixture and the pattern pushed into the soft stuff up to its halfway point then smoothed over. Guidance pin holes were made with a brush handle.



More bricks added built up the moulding box.



After 20 minutes everything was oiled up, and the top half of the mould was filled.




Stuff left over was not waisted but used to mould ancient Greek & Roman stone columns.



When the rubber had cured the whole thing was simply pushed through and out of the box.




















The two part mould which is wide open on two sides needs the flash cut off, and washed in soapy water. Then it will be ready for the first sample casting to be poured.



And so it happened to be the case on the following day,`Bank Holiday Monday', that both the ancient stone columns and the main mould were filled. Pouring it into the rubber block mould assisted by height and natural gravity sent the plaster of Paris into the middle of the mould forcing the air to escape as it rose up the two side cavities.



A thick elastic band around backing boards is just tight enough but not to tight. With this type of rubber band around the block mould, I like to be able to flex away both parts of the mould with my thumbs and upon release see it spring back into place. So tight enough to stand up to the pressure involved with the pouring of this tiny item.
A flat faced styrene card was also pinned onto the bottom which can be seen in the photograph. The dress makers pins were pushed in at differing angles making this seal very strong indeed.





These were slipped in here as all were cast up on the same day.



Percy who happens to be HO OO railway scale takes a stroll along the window sill. He`s looking for his cottage but it seems someone or something has half inched it. Ad it away, Pinched it.

As they dry out after colourwash dipping,

i they certainly do look very medieval monastic old.



there will also be a plan c conversion later. Yes a little later. BB

[Beano Boy]

Plan A, I cast up the moulds but the castings produced broke into several pieces.
A classic sample test of misfortune,that I thought might happen, but after shoving the results into the waste bin, plan B came into play.

Duly entered in the Log. Never mind BB. Ride on ,ride on to the end of the rainbow.... sang out the cowboy who always sleeps in his boots.
yes the sun will rise upon another much better English, slap dash dawn.
Said the little Button who never speaks in capital letters.




Cheap Styrene Sheet was glued into place on the top and bottom and scribed out using a cheap black pen. Hopefully these will look quite old upon the first colourwash dipping?



This double sided re-configuration is now very tough indeed.



There is a gap showing at the bottom so...…..



….. a spacer card was inserted into the box to make it the right size for the pattern to be slid into place.



The box was turned over this makes it easier to smooth over flat with the hand. Everything is brushed with baby oil including the moulding box.



The box was filled with my rubber mixture and the pattern pushed into the soft stuff up to its halfway point then smoothed over. Guidance pin holes were made with a brush handle.



More bricks added built up the moulding box.



After 20 minutes everything was oiled up, and the top half of the mould was filled.




Stuff left over was not waisted but used to mould ancient Greek & Roman stone columns.



When the rubber had cured the whole thing was simply pushed through and out of the box.




















The two part mould which is wide open on two sides needs the flash cut off, and washed in soapy water. Then it will be ready for the first sample casting to be poured.



And so it happened to be the case on the following day,`Bank Holiday Monday', that both the ancient stone columns and the main mould were filled. Pouring it into the rubber block mould assisted by height and natural gravity sent the plaster of Paris into the middle of the mould forcing the air to escape as it rose up the two side cavities.



A thick elastic band around backing boards is just tight enough but not to tight. With this type of rubber band around the block mould, I like to be able to flex away both parts of the mould with my thumbs and upon release see it spring back into place. So tight enough to stand up to the pressure involved with the pouring of this tiny item.
A flat faced styrene card was also pinned onto the bottom which can be seen in the photograph. The dress makers pins were pushed in at differing angles making this seal very strong indeed.





These were slipped in here as all were cast up on the same day.



Percy who happens to be HO OO railway scale takes a stroll along the window sill. He`s looking for his cottage but it seems someone or something has half inched it. Ad it away, Pinched it.

As they dry out after colourwash dipping,

i they certainly do look very medieval monastic old.



there will also be a plan c conversion later. Yes a little later. BB

[Beano Boy]

One of my lost pictures from The Rubber Mould, I found it safe on Face Book.
Here was a start to one of the strangest Fred & MayBell adventures ever as they find a Sarcophagus that in Sci Fi terms was an Alien life form Transporter. Fred scanned the thing and upon doing so activated it, and soon others of the kind that stood behind Fred, started to arrive. Trying to shut the darn repetitive thing down and failing to do so, MayBell insisted they both scarper as BB`s work table of dreams was in the process of filling up. It was at that point in the story that Wham! I lost all the photographs and abandoned the Epic Topic. I will re-shoot the entire thing later and update the story line,but I am quite pressed for time and snowed under with trimming the castles out buildings. Anyway the photograph is replaced here, and perhaps not that important to others,but to me it felt good and indeed quite magical to find these two lost Pals pictured here. BB

[Susofrick]

Hmm, the shape says the owner can look either like an Asterix-Roman or BB himself. Looking forward to see more.

[MABO]

Those barns are really good looking. I can't wait to see them painted.

[Beano Boy]

I put the shingle roof on upside down. BB

[Beano Boy]

Some more of my photographs and update went on twice. BB

[Graeme]

I put the shingle roof on upside down. BB

It's going to leak when it rains.

I really like the timber framed buildings, I'm looking forward to seeing them painted too. I like the way they don't have jettying on all four sides, I think that's the big mistake with most model Medievel houses.

The cloisters look fabulous as well, the weather-worn stone base you've put on them is perfect!

[Beano Boy]

Very kind of you to give my hobby style work a mention Graeme. On my production line today I glued up and completed two buildings, and also made enough parts for another six to take shape a little later. I think some wondering monks strolling along through the cloisters would look real good. BB

[Beano Boy]

FIXING UP WITH THE SILICONE GUN



The brush helps out as a good support.



A bead of glue.



The soap in an old sci-fi mould allows a one finger dip. Then a smooth finish is achieved as I run the soapy finger up the bead of glue. Tip of the day.





Inside not a pretty sight.



Outside doable.



Without the soap method some serious sticky fingers.







I always leave the top loose.

So it was onto the next one upon my little fold up table.





A rather neat hobby style production line. BB

[Susofrick]

This looks so good! I am very happy to follow this! We are travelling around the world here, first sunny Cannes, and then nice Fiddlewood. I am very happy!

[Beano Boy]

Thank you Gunnar, it is rather a quiet place here on tutorials, but as an author I can always talk to the smilies. In fact I seem to have become one. Yip E`s joined the gang. Eh?
And drinking tea all the live long expressive day.



The Cost £2.50 UK Stirling

A very simple push in rubber mould which will produce pantile roofs a plenty for my needs. With this in production two to a roof, i will have four types of rooftops to hodge - podge any scene i require for film and photo shoots. The place is overflowing with affordable housing..

yes a rather rustic outlook as they fold up in display.

Tip of the day; always do a sample run including putting the pieces together before making more.Any problem pit falls can then be worked out and overcome or even avoided.

…………………………………... BB`s BASIC PRODUCTION LINE EXPLAINED




Three heaped spoons of Plaster of Paris into the water, not water into the plaster. It will go hard in seconds and unable to mix. Cost only a few pence. Slowly mix using a cheap brush until mixture is runny cream-like, then slowly pour spreading it out with the brush. Vibrating the craft cutting board by hand raises a thin film of water to the top along with any air bubbles. This can be skimmed off with a knife. I use a butter knife quickly,because of its flat steel edges which is ideal for the task in hand.


Setting out the moulds on a cutting board in repetitive order means that with four small yogurt pots of mixture i can complete a house, barn or stone building within 10 minutes. As I am not in a race,` remember the Hare?' I make a few each day which dry out in a day ready for trimming and dipping.Then I construct them the next day. It is not rocket science unless you are building one.


Some kind of chimneys are next on the list to scratch-build. C U Soon BB

[Ben Bob]

Nice progress, Mr. BB

[Beano Boy]

Thanks Ben Bob.



Our Two Inseparable Friends

What do you think of all this MayBell?
Well, It sure is rather white Fred.
Yes it reminds me of my ski`s and a long ago snowy adventure.







Fred & MayBell, are a wondering,` When will BB finish this epic unfolding pattern of dusty time delight?'
I think hopefully this year, but i am in no hurry.

..................................... BB`s check Jacket is his trade mark.



i have a new student to train up as of this week.
So i `ll have to split up my day into another two hour slice.
It`s back to teaching survival training for BB, and in more ways than one.
Mrs B, sort of agrees. As she is the Student. Buying all the gear we`ll both need has given me a big personal lift.This is going to be fun.BB

[Beano Boy]

With all the Castle & House moulds now thrown out in the landfill bin, all the casting are now to be dipped in order to paint them quickly to a dry condition. They happen to dry quickly .


As i am very clumsy with everything these days i have to resort to quirky ideas to avoid accidents,and so what you will see is one of them.

viewtopic.php?f=15&t=18556#p200296

I was going to make some more boxes that i could stand these pepper pots in to make it almost impossible for me to knock them over,but in spite of cutting the paper card up to make three of them,i found that i had no p v a glue to stick the parts together. Well it has been yonks since i used paper card so it slipped my mind to order some more glue. An age thing i guess? Yes quite so.



With Mrs B,helping with the filling up of the pepper pots with a large spoon,i cut these odd squares out.



Well they are nearly square and i silicone`d them to each of their duly assigned large square, as Mrs B, nearly filled them from those very large tubs of emulsion pants that were stored up dusty like in the garage safely out of my reach.

The large size card is Just a temporary solution you understand? and a means to avoid me knocking them over while mixing my colour-washes up making the Splish-Splash in adventure nearly perfect for a Sundays dipping.



All i had to do then was avoid dropping the darn messy things on Mrs B`s floor.



After dipping a few castings it was time for a well earned brew!



It was just the ticket and i never spilt a drop. Now painting the wooden beams. BB

[Beano Boy]

I cut this section from an obsolete mould.



Hoping to make up a street view with this end.



The corner broke off this one. I`ll fill it in later as if this section had repairs done and dusted.







Narrow back lanes running between buildings is that squeezing in of medieval aim. Then little wider streets can skirt along past the front doors as they stand still , and it runs by.



I will take castings of this door and fix them onto some of the end walls.





DIPPING



Well Worn Steps Too







New Brush and Overalls

Trying hard to paint by hand



My Painting Table.

Spread out over three days It has taken over 12 relaxing hours to paint what is on view. BB

[Beano Boy]

I cut this section from an obsolete mould.



Hoping to make up a street view with this end.



The corner broke off this one. I`ll fill it in later as if this section had repairs done and dusted.







Narrow back lanes running between buildings is that squeezing in of medieval aim. Then little wider streets can skirt along past the front doors as they stand still , and it runs by.



I will take castings of this door and fix them onto some of the end walls.





DIPPING



Well Worn Steps Too







New Brush and Overalls

Trying hard to paint by hand



My Painting Table.

Spread out over three days It has taken over 12 relaxing hours to paint what is on view. BB

[Beano Boy]

Blast me old boots with rusty iron buckshot, it went on twice again BB. O dear.

[Graeme]

As the song goes:

"BB".

"BB".

"So good they post him twice".

I'm always happy to see your posts Paul, even if they are in stereo.

The corner broke off this one. I`ll fill it in later as if this section had repairs done and dusted.

Good idea, because sometimes the corners do break off things in the real world too.

In the previous post I was pleased to read that Honeywell has affordable housing, that's good town planning. They're very nice houses too.