instamorph moldable plastic

[Seregir]

Seeing as thisis the only place the site will let me post a thread, has anyone heard of or tried using instamorph moldable plastic as a material to build armor/weapons/props?

http://www.instamorph.com/

 

[EVAkura]

This looks to be a pellet variation of Worbla. Interesting stuff. Melting point is 140F, and can be reused.

 

[nerdtron99]

i actually use instamorph all the time, really great stuff!

 

[Molag Bal]

Seeing as thisis the only place the site will let me post a thread, has anyone heard of or tried using instamorph moldable plastic as a material to build armor/weapons/props?

http://www.instamorph.com/

Yup i have made a few items out of it. Imagine Working with warm wax that turns into pvc type plastic when cool. Best of all you can work with bare hands witthout fear of toxins and its pretty much idiot proof. If you mess up just warm it and keep working. Although ive never attempted to paint it so im unsure If its surface would accept paint

 

[nerdtron99]

i've actually painted items made out of instamorph multiple times and it paints very well.

 

[Nephtis]

I used Worbla's Deco art on the Jagged Crown (the white stuff)) - and according to your description this seems to be a similar product. http://nephtis.deviantart.com/art/Jagged-Crown-426408810

An interesting option, that I haven't tried myself I must admit but seen in the end product is, that those two can be dyed by adding acrylic paint to the hot mass, kneading it thoroughly and letting it cool down.
Accoring to the one who showed me what she did with it, it doesn't stain after re-heating but creating your custom colors can be a bit messy.
But again, I haven't tried it myself.

You can find youtube tuorials for both Worbla's DECO Art and Friendly plastic (make sure it's the pellet variant).

Best part is it can be easily adjusted / changed.
It would probably be too expensive & heavy to cover a whole armor with it but for decorations & sculpting details it's great.

I do suggest working with wet fingers though . It's sticky and fairly hot.

I've painted it before, all you'll need a primer suitable for plastic then it works fine.

 

[Seregir]

Yup i have made a few items out of it. Imagine Working with warm wax that turns into pvc type plastic when cool. Best of all you can work with bare hands witthout fear of toxins and its pretty much idiot proof. If you mess up just warm it and keep working. Although ive never attempted to paint it so im unsure If its surface would accept paint

can I buitld say, a helmet, out of 110lbs cardstock and do a modling over it?

 

[Zaff]

To those who have mentioned using this: How does it react to rubber/nitrile gloves? After checking the link in the OP, it mentions that instamorph can stick to fabrics during the pliable stage I got to thinking put on a rubber/nitrile glove (or put it on a dummy hand), put the costume glove on over that (like a basic black spandex/lycra glove) and then apply the instamorph to create the finger plating for the Halo gauntlets (mainly the knuckle and fingertip armor as seen in in Halo 4). I figure if it bonds to the fabric strongly enough, that may very well work better than trying to sew/glue plastic, fiberglass, or foam pieces to recreate the same effect, and if it's done while either wearing the glove or having it on a mannequin hand of proper proportions, that will ensure a much better fit than trying to attach it to an empty glove.

The potential complication, and the reason for my question, is that if the instamorph also bonds to rubber/nitrile gloves then you'd be stuck with having to try and peel that glove out, or else have to wear it as-is, and from experience wearing rubber/nitrile gloves on a hot day, or even for prolonged periods of time quite simply is not fun.

 

[Nephtis]

The variant I work with is really sticky and I attached it to other thermoplasts without any additional glue.
However, that is done in places where there is no movement, push or pull on the attached part since I sculpt on top of a solid underground.

I suspect trying to attach it to the gloves would work the same way using hot glue would. It might keep it in place for some time but with movement it would come loose eventually.
However, shaping it anatomically for a good fit sounds great but maybe you better add some holes so you can either sew or rivet it to your glove.

 

[Molag Bal]

To those who have mentioned using this: How does it react to rubber/nitrile gloves? After checking the link in the OP, it mentions that instamorph can stick to fabrics during the pliable stage I got to thinking put on a rubber/nitrile glove (or put it on a dummy hand), put the costume glove on over that (like a basic black spandex/lycra glove) and then apply the instamorph to create the finger plating for the Halo gauntlets (mainly the knuckle and fingertip armor as seen in in Halo 4). I figure if it bonds to the fabric strongly enough, that may very well work better than trying to sew/glue plastic, fiberglass, or foam pieces to recreate the same effect, and if it's done while either wearing the glove or having it on a mannequin hand of proper proportions, that will ensure a much better fit than trying to attach it to an empty glove.

The potential complication, and the reason for my question, is that if the instamorph also bonds to rubber/nitrile gloves then you'd be stuck with having to try and peel that glove out, or else have to wear it as-is, and from experience wearing rubber/nitrile gloves on a hot day, or even for prolonged periods of time quite simply is not fun.

Id go with a relatively thin black cloth glove and after making the pieces and they cool hot glue them on to the glove.

 

[Molag Bal]

can I buitld say, a helmet, out of 110lbs cardstock and do a modling over it?

I wouldn't use this as your main material when building a prop as it is really expensive.
Id use it as a way of making fine detail like the halo 4 hand plates... that being said no one can stop you.
If you do go forward make sure you seal your pep first with either epoxy or fiberglass resin or you will have a mess on your hands.