Lab Metal, Aluminum Powdered resin, and techniques

Zam I Am

Well-Known Hunter
My hubby is testing the following and we don't understand how we're getting these results. We would like to finally get a product that looks Aluminum, sorta like rubnbuff on sintra, but all these weird shades are comming out. The reasoning behind these tests are because rubnbuff if not sealed with a clear coat of paint will rub off on the rest of your costume, and if dinged, your black or white sintra/styrene will show through. Same with regular paints.

Can anyone suggest a way for us to get aluminum coloring?

1) regular resin casted, cured, lab metal brushed on top, buffed (looks like chrome)
2) lab metal brushed in the mold, cured, resin poured behind it cured, demolded and buffed the lab metal(looks dark gray)
3) Aluminum powdered resin cured, buffed (looks like titanium color)
Let Zam I Ain't know whatcha think. We are clueless right now.
 
I think partial reason it's not looking like aluminum is becasue it's not aluminum. I'm not trying to be a prick or anything.

Have you considered using a colorant in the resin as a base and an alternate mica that is not aluminum. What I think this might do is give the color of aluminum but retain the vibrancy. It's hard to put in words.

If there is anything you actually 'need' in aluminum I may be able to help you out there. Obviously the problem there is actual metal weight.

hope this helps more than hurts :)
 
Correct, HS. The only thing that looks like aluminum is aluminum. If not too complicated, a sandcast piece of aluminum is not all that difficult to produce.

There is a product that is a sort of aluminum powder that is applied to the inside of a mold and then that is filled with resin. I have heard good things about it, but that's all I know. Not aluminum, but possibly an alternative.
 
Confused, cause I tried #3 concoction, and that's aluminum powdered resin premixed. So, What am i doing wrong? And if anyone knows of a better brand etc. LMK.. My items must be molded and casted. It's the only way to make them. My pieces are not machined parts nor just sintra/styrene armour.
They have too many details to involve real aluminum metal pieces worked into shape. So splain lucy... Oh, and I have seen lab metal look exactly like aluminum before.
 
Ok, Lucy, here goes. ;)

Sandcasting, and this is a VERY basic explanation, is the process by which the plug, or master, is pushed into very fine, and slightly humid, packed sand. It is lifted straight out, and molten metal poured into the resulting cavity. This is the oldest casting technique known to man. Research the technique at your local library or online.
 
Ah, so you think i shouldn't even use aluminum powdered resin? And just cast the real molten aluminum? See, my beef with that is that aluminum and it's sheer weight would totally make the costume too heavy in the front. That's evident from the aluminum resin that i have. It's more than twice the weight of regular resin painted aluminum color. Nah, I would rather stick to resin, rubnbuff'ed then weathered and clear coated than to sandcast.

These Lab metal test and and aluminum powdered resin test come really close, i just don't know how to make sure the mix will come out more accurate to an "aluminum" color rather than titanium.
 

Arn-Ma Brlou wrote:

Hi Zam,

Check my post at:
http://tdh.prop-planet.com/viewtopic.php?topic=7493&forum=93249783

Bare Metal Foil makes a foil from Aluminum.

Hope it might help.

Later!

Thanks, I just got around to reading that thread again. I heard, it's great for a model, but to wear could be a prob due to usage on the costume because of durability issues. It would look great at first, but i am hesitant to try because of how easily it could just scratch off and get damaged after wearing the costume again and again. And, I was thinking more for pieces that weren't "armor" parts but casted parts. Thanks though!
 
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