I found this foam at a model train show I went to last month. It is used for making scenery for model train lay outs. As I watched a demonstration of how it worked I thought, Damm, this would work great for holding up latex casting.
The photo's below are of my first experiment with the foam. The foam is like Grate Stuff triple expanding foam we buy at Home Depot, but better.
First, I made some simple latex molds, a head, a hart, and a brain. The molds I used are those Jell-O mold making ones that you can by at H-shops for around $10, or like I did at Pic & Save for $3. I used three layers of latex. I think you can do it with two layers, but these are for me and I want them to last.
When the latex is dry and before you start to pull it out of the mold, you need to put a light coat of baby powder over the latex. And then as you slowly peel the latex out of the mold, you need to dust the other side of the latex as you go. This is to keep the latex form sticking to it-self.
The foam comes in two bottles and is mixed together as you need it. It's a real easy mix, 50/50. Once it is mixed you have about four or five minuets to brush it on the mold and freely move it around. Then after that, it is kind of soft or bendable for about 30 minuets.
Use rubber gloves!!!!!!!!
What I apply the foam; after pulling the latex out of the mold, I cleaned off all the baby powder I could. Then I put the latex hart/head/brain back into the mold and secured each side with a little piece of tape. (So it would not fall down onto itself when applying the foam on) I mixed up about 1oz of each bottle and poured it onto the mask. Starting at the edges and letting the liquid flow to the bottom of the mask. As it flowed to the bottom I tilted the mold back and forth and all around to try and cover as much of the latex as I could. The areas I could not get by moving the mold, I used my fingers as a brush to cover these areas. You can us a brush if you want, but that bush will no longer bee any good when you're done. Let the mold set for about fifteen or twenty minuets and then pull the mask out.
With the 8oz sample bottles, I have foamed two heads three harts and two brains and steel have just under half a bottle left. If you interested in trying this stuff here is where I buy it from, Bragdon Enterprises, www.bragdonent.com. They call it Geodesic Foam Scenery. Or you can stop by your nearest model train shop.
If there is not a train store near you, you can substitute a marine two-part poly foam from Home Depot. It is normally found in the paint department area.
While the foam was drying in the head mold I worked on its base. I took a piece of foam board and cut it into a 2.5 by 2.5-ft sq. I then placed the latex head in the center of the foam board and secured it with a drop or two of hot glue. Just enough glue to hold it in place. I then used Great Stuff spray foam and sprayed around the head. After that was done I then used my airbrush to paint it.
