Green Stuff Casting
A little known trick of skilled model converters and sculptors is to take an aspect of a model, say a shield or shoulder plate decoration, copy it, and transfer it to other parts of the model or use it on an entirely different model. This process goes by many names, but I’m going to call it Green Stuff Casting, or GSC. GSC is a great technique, but it can be a bit on the fiddly side, so don’t get frustrated if it takes you a few tries to get right. You’ll get better the more you try. Today I’m going to show you how I used GSC to copy a Khador icon from a Juggernaut model for use on the models fists - I thought they looked a bit plain
Here’s what you’ll need. The model detail to copy, green stuff, vaseline, and a exacto knife with a few brand new blades. You’ll also want a desk lamp with a high watt bulb to aid in the curing process.
STEP 1: Spread a small amount of vaseline on the area to be copied. Keep in mind to use just enough to slick up the surface. If you use too much to where gobs form in corners and details of the area to be copied, use an exacto knife to scrape out the excess - it will show up in the mold you make. Be careful to get any surface that will be touched by the green stuff, if you don’t, it will bond to the surface of the model.
STEP 2: Mix equal parts of blue and yellow stuff into a glob of green just big enough to cover the area to be copied. Make sure it’s thick enough to be easily pulled off when the time comes. Once mixed, rub in a little vaseline and mix again - this will make the green stuff very slick, and will keep it from bonding to any unlubricated surfaces of the model in case you missed any
STEP 3: Press the mixed putty firmly over the area. You’ll want to leave plenty of space on the sides of whatever you’re duplicating for ease of removal later. Make sure you apply enough pressure to capture all the detail, but not so much as to run the element straight through the putty. Let this sit until it cures fully, usually 24 hours.
NOTE: You can speed up the curing process by placing wet putty in front of a high watt bulb for about 20-30 minutes. Don’t place it right next to the bulb, because if the temp is too high, it will cause the putty to swell. After the heat soaks in, the putty will begin to look glossy - remove it and allow it to cool. Test the hardness of the putty by lightly poking it with your knife. It may take a few tries to get fully cured. WARNING! Dont heat if you are copying plastic parts. Plastic + heat = BAD.
STEP 4: Slowly remove the cured putty with your knife. If it bends at all, it’s not ready - allow it to cure more before removing. You should get a perfect copy of the detail - this is the “mold” that you can use over and over. This is the hardest thing to get right - it may take a few tries to get all the detail. The biggest cause of ruined molds is excess vaseline in corners and such that much up the detail.
STEP 5: Mix some green stuff with vaseline like you did to make the mold, and make as many blobs as you need copies. Press them firmly into the mold and remove. Set these aside on a lubricated surface to prevent bonding, and allow them to cure. You may want to make a few extras in case you make a mistake in the next step.
STEP 6: Once cured, use a brand new blade and carefully remove the copy. Just take your time and do it right the first time. You may need to trim up the edges after you’ve removed it.
Now place wherever you want! Just use super glue to affix it in place. Whats cool about the green stuff is that even cured, it’s flexable, allowing you to glue it to surfaces that are unlike the original location. Once in place, you can use your knife to fix up any imperfections.
Using the GSC method, you can do all sorts of conversions from the simple to the complex.
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DEACON
