Raised patterns in miniature (part 2)
Almost every product requires making relief details and drawings. I mean three-dimensional drawing where the pressed ornament can be pressed onto the detail itself. The production technology is pretty much the same everywhere: flatten strap is stuck on to the surface of the detail and the picture itself is formed with the instrument. This is probably the most critical moment that requires maximum attention, visual effort, time, and arm steadiness.I would like to share with you another method of creating horsecloth that I've recently tried out. Please do not judge it for quality – these are the first trials of the technology. The method is rather simple to produce and cheap as for the required materials and instruments. As they say here "cheap and serious!".
First we need some kitchen foil or the foil from chocolate or candy bar. Having tried different kinds of the foil I personally prefer the kitchen one. It is really thin that is why it produces more distinct trace than the thicker ones. I used regular sewing needle with flattened and polished needlepoint as an instrument. The needle should be flattened and polished to avoid tearing foil when "drawing". You can also use a regular ball-point pen yet it gives rather thick trace. You should place some flat, smooth, and solid underlay under the foil, I use a piece of PVC. If you use few sheets of paper the trace will be more clear and deep, BUT this can lead to tearing the foil and having sloppy edges of the trace.
I exsect the future horsecloth and try it with the horseseat, then I cut the outlined pattern to have the more precise delineation, and "draw" the pattern elements with a needle by gently pressing it. Yet I have had several try outs on the foil to estimate the most optimal pressure. My trial job is sized 30x40mm and is for horse model scaled 1/32 (54mm):
The zoomed part shows how small and even the "drawing" with needle can be even having no experience.
On image you can see me trying to get fringe, yet regardless of the result I would stick the patty parts over it.
On the image you see the pattern progressing, and a zoomed in part of the tool – the sewing needle. It appeared that there is no need to flatten the needlepoint, the opposite part of the needle is very good for the operations as well as it's already rounded. You have to be really careful and gentle to the surface of the foil when working ("drawing"): one single clumsy move and you'll get a trace from the nail or scrunched surface. When finished with pressing the pattern we get a kind of a dish-shaped plate.
This is the reverse side of the pattern. Have a look at my logo – if you have an intention to write anything, the reverse side will eventually show everything mirrored. This was the most important and time consuming part of the work. It took me about 30 minutes to draw the ornaments.
Now let's see what we can do with this shiny "carpet". We need to take a regular epoxy. I recommend using the one in squirts in equal portion (1:1) and preferably with filling compound. This all was already tried experimentally: it is better to have quick-drying one – 3, 5, 10 minutes. It is nice to use nitrocellulose enamel for color and elasticity, I used Tamiya paint from a model shop. The paint not only adds some color yet makes the resin very elastic. Which means that it will snatch quickly as said in the instructions, yet it will fully stiffen after two to five days. This allows having some time to remove the filling from the foil and fix it in the required form before it stiffens completely.
Images show both the jar with epoxy and filled foil form. There's no need to take much attention to the thickness, for my sample it hardly exceed one millimeter.
I've spent another half our waiting for the resin to dry, and with no fear that I can leave fingerprints or some folded fragments of the pattern I started… no, I didn't start ripping the foil right away in case something goes wrong – I poured some molding rubber on the opposite side. This is a kind of insurance: if I ruin the front of the detail, I will have the form with the pattern in reserve. As the foil is really thin the image will remain if the same quality as on the front size. Moreover it is more solid with the dried epoxy inside.
Image shows the form reproducing all tiny details of the ornament. The foil itself was not damaged at all.
Casting itself. Eventually the foil will be ruined when removed. Even if you use "Fairy" or any other lubricant you will still crumple the foil when separating parts. I used aluminium powder as the filler, and you can see shiny grains of filler even through the paint – accidental effect of "wet asphalt".
Another issue: epoxy with the filler does not have air bubbles even after intensive blending which is a huge plus for epoxy casting!
One day after my 1-mm thin horsecloth can be rolled and tied without any damage to the ornament and glossy surface! It can remain in such state for up to two weeks if you put a bit much paint in the mixture. One of my horse models was in this state for over one month while it completely stiffened to allow drilling and grinding.
Now I apply this horsecloth to the model of the horse:
"A" – I fixed the cloth to the model with the straps of polythene to ensure correct form and configuration. Polythene does not leave any marks and traces as the casting itself is not completely stiffened and the polymerization process is not over yet. If I use threads or wire those can leave pressed traces. This option was just perfect for the first try! "B" – I have removed folding after two days (to make it certain). "C" – opposite side view. "D" – I have removed the horsecloth which stiffened. The horsecloth is completely hard now and it mirrors all the curves of the model horse! And it suits and latches perfectly back on to the horse. You can fine it if required and add some fringe if you want.
The image shows the horsecloth from both inside and outside. Both sides have ideal smooth surface and pretty clear three dimensional ornament. That's it – our experiment is over and it is successful. This is simple and cheap method to produce… almost anything you need! Horsecloth, cape, elements of harnessry and horse seat, armors, flags, bannerette, parts of the walls with relief and tables (subject you are good at mirror writing). If we exclude the time required for the epoxy to polymerize – the whole process, including creating pattern, filling it with resin and separating from the form, took me about 50-60 minutes.
While my sample was casting strapped with polythene I've tried to develop this subject further more to show the possible applications of the method. As it is far after midnight now and there is no time to make anything serious I've tried to produce some kind of a flag on the foil from the candy bar just for fun.
On image you can see both sides of some offhand drawings while having a cup of coffee – just searching the areas of application for this technology. Some fantasy flag, elements of buckles, some shields with drawings and the fragment of the medieval horse armor.
After my cup of coffee I decided to have a cigarette. While opening a new pack I discovered that a protection foil in there is embossed. So when adding some drawing the final product will have an effect of grain of cloth due to the embossed foil. Yet this is a paper based foil and the image is pressed not that deep, and the relief is not very good. But still this option is worth remembering.
I think I have quite acceptable results for the first try regardless of the saying that the first step is always lumpy. I'll try to repeat it again and to complicate a bit. "The early bird catches the worm" I said to myself and decided not to go to bed but continue my research. The second part of the article will describe the process of making two-sided flag with this technology.
Author: Zlobov*S (Sergej Zlobov)