Lifecasting Advice & Tips https://bbrotherhoodofthebat.runboard.com/t190095 Runboard| Lifecasting Advice & Tips en-us Fri, 29 Mar 2024 11:58:32 +0000 Fri, 29 Mar 2024 11:58:32 +0000 https://www.runboard.com/ rssfeeds_managingeditor@runboard.com (Runboard.com RSS feeds managing editor) rssfeeds_webmaster@runboard.com (Runboard.com RSS feeds webmaster) akBBS 60 Re: ? Questions About Life Castinghttps://bbrotherhoodofthebat.runboard.com/p1807062,from=rss#post1807062https://bbrotherhoodofthebat.runboard.com/p1807062,from=rss#post1807062The water temp will effect your set times. Use cooler water for a slower set. Warmer water will set faster. Do not use hot water. And I would not recommend using dental alginate. It sets in about a minute. That is not enough time to do a face. You need at least 3-5 minutes to get everything covered well. You should start at the top of the forehead and work your way down. Take extra special care in the nose area. Save it for last. Tell your subject to breathe in and hold it their breath while you GENTLY press alginate into ONE nostril. and then have them abruptly exhale through the nose. This will push out the excess alginate while leaving enough to get a good cast of the nostril. And repeat for the other nostril. Go over your steps and what you're going to be doing with your subject before starting the whole process. So this way they will be ready. And assure them that the alginate can be removed very easily if they feel panic. Also have your plaster bandages ready to go once the alginate sets. One other thing, use a marker pen and draw on the bald cap the hair line. This will tell you where to stop your sculpt if you choose to do a prosthethic mask later. And if your alginate tears when removing it from your subject's face, superglue will stick it back together. Important: Do not do this while its still on your subjects face. Be sure to reinforce the nose area when doing the plaster bandages. This way when you pull the whole thing off the face and place it on the table to pour your ultra-cal or plaster in it the nose will stay shaped like a nose and not squished. Hope I didn't confuse you. Just make a check list and be prepared and all should go well. Good luck! Michaelnondisclosed_email@example.com (GOBBY)Wed, 07 Apr 2004 20:27:28 +0000 Re: ? Questions About Life Castinghttps://bbrotherhoodofthebat.runboard.com/p1807061,from=rss#post1807061https://bbrotherhoodofthebat.runboard.com/p1807061,from=rss#post1807061One last thing. If you are the guy to be casted, shave the beard (it's in your picture). You will tear the alginate to pieces, and be picking chunks out forever. The other pain in the but is the application of a bald cap. takes practice to get it right. good luck.nondisclosed_email@example.com (youngbat)Tue, 06 Apr 2004 09:43:54 +0000 Re: ? Questions About Life Castinghttps://bbrotherhoodofthebat.runboard.com/p1807060,from=rss#post1807060https://bbrotherhoodofthebat.runboard.com/p1807060,from=rss#post1807060Thank You all for your great responses. They've been a lot of help and have given me a good direction to go in.  :up nondisclosed_email@example.com (troilluss)Tue, 06 Apr 2004 00:21:31 +0000 Re: ? Questions About Life Castinghttps://bbrotherhoodofthebat.runboard.com/p1807059,from=rss#post1807059https://bbrotherhoodofthebat.runboard.com/p1807059,from=rss#post1807059I've seen casts done on people who didn't want to totally shave. -Use vaseline to slick down the beard. If possible trim it down so it isn't bushy, similar to eyebrows. -Also get prosthetic alginate. Dental alginates set faster and have flavor additives that may irritate skin, cinnamon and mint especially. -Get one of those flour sifters, it helps. Sometimes the alginate will be "lumpy" 'cause the powder is slightly compressed during shipping. -Prepare everything beforehand, like bandages, etc. -Get someone who knows what they're doing if possible. Otherwise walk the person through things, so they're comfortable with the procedure. -Hand signals help the person applying the alginate know if you're ok or not. Some poeple find out they're claustrophobic during lifecasting. -Sit in a comfortable straight back chair and focus on a point on an opposite wall that will put your head in it's most natural position. sounds odd, but looking slightly to the side or up or down will throw off your cast and sculpts. Plus the chair helps to keep you from slouching. -Use big-a$$ plastic bowls. It helps when mixing. -Find you "zen" place. It's easy to nod off while under the alginate and bandages. DON'T! Your head will probably lean forward if you do. -Plaster bandages get HEAVY. Don't be too alarmed at the weight. nondisclosed_email@example.com (BatDemon)Mon, 05 Apr 2004 16:41:52 +0000 Re: ? Questions About Life Castinghttps://bbrotherhoodofthebat.runboard.com/p1807058,from=rss#post1807058https://bbrotherhoodofthebat.runboard.com/p1807058,from=rss#post1807058i like that one TitaniumBat it loocks cheper :cheers :up nondisclosed_email@example.com (Mexicanbat)Mon, 05 Apr 2004 16:19:15 +0000 Re: ? Questions About Life Castinghttps://bbrotherhoodofthebat.runboard.com/p1807057,from=rss#post1807057https://bbrotherhoodofthebat.runboard.com/p1807057,from=rss#post1807057Although I haven’t personally tried this method out yet I thinks it’s an interesting alternative for a full head life cast. The gist of it is to use plaster bandages and not alginate for the back half since you usually don’t need that level of detail for the back of your head and it cuts down on the amount of alginate you need over all. I’m hoping to try this technique out later this month and will post pics once I’m done. Here is the link with pretty good instructions. GOOD LUCK! http://www.accu-cast.us/broadband/ProcedureHeadCast01.htm nondisclosed_email@example.com (TitaniumBat)Mon, 05 Apr 2004 12:51:26 +0000 Re: ? Questions About Life Castinghttps://bbrotherhoodofthebat.runboard.com/p1807056,from=rss#post1807056https://bbrotherhoodofthebat.runboard.com/p1807056,from=rss#post1807056I have my own methods for lifecasting. Would take me a while to describe. Some quick tips. You can get a vacumn lock on your skin from alginate. Doesn't happen too often, but it can. A small amount of baby oil rubbed on the skin will help. In a vacummn lock, when you pull off the alginate, it creates a suction that pulls the blood to the top of the skin, and you will have a red spot for about a week or so. Doesn't happen often, so don't sweat that too much. Your biggest headache will be GRAVITY. Gravity pulls down the alginate as you are applying it. You will get the frustration feeling that you are chasing your tail a bit. A tip - While wearing rubber gloves use one hand to scoop up the alginate from the bucket, the other to apply. Do not switch hands!. Otherwise you get into having to constantly scrape the alginate from one hand off the other. This adds precious time to process, making the subject have to sit under this crap longer. Minutes is like days to the guy under this junk. Have a clock in the room facing you while you do this, so you don't start slowing down your pace. I would recommend doing just a face cast to get used to what you are up against. Also make sure you got a handle on the material you are going to cast in the mold before you do the lifecast. You got a window of about 30 min. before the alginate starts to lose water, and the alginate shrinks & starts cracking, so you gotta move quick. I would also go into the mold and blot out any excess water before casting with a paper towel. I would also get used to using fast setting alginate instead of the slow set. You want to get used to the idea of making this thing happen as fast as possible. Gravity and time are the main foes here.nondisclosed_email@example.com (youngbat)Mon, 05 Apr 2004 10:43:36 +0000 Re: ? Questions About Life Castinghttps://bbrotherhoodofthebat.runboard.com/p1807054,from=rss#post1807054https://bbrotherhoodofthebat.runboard.com/p1807054,from=rss#post1807054www.monstermakers.com Go there and look into getting some alginate from them. I believe they even have face casting kits. -Brinnondisclosed_email@example.com (Brin Londo)Mon, 05 Apr 2004 05:25:27 +0000 Re: ? Questions About Life Castinghttps://bbrotherhoodofthebat.runboard.com/p1807053,from=rss#post1807053https://bbrotherhoodofthebat.runboard.com/p1807053,from=rss#post1807053For checking timing of the alginate cureing test a smaller amount on your hand. this way you get an idea also how the alginate looks when its mixed. John nondisclosed_email@example.com (batmakko)Mon, 05 Apr 2004 04:56:28 +0000 Re: ? Questions About Life Castinghttps://bbrotherhoodofthebat.runboard.com/p1807052,from=rss#post1807052https://bbrotherhoodofthebat.runboard.com/p1807052,from=rss#post1807052Real dental Alginate wont stick to hair at all. I made a cast of my face and did the rest of my head in JUST plaster bandage (over saran wrap) and it worked out fine. Eventualy!nondisclosed_email@example.com (GoldenAge)Mon, 05 Apr 2004 01:49:10 +0000 Re: ? Questions About Life Castinghttps://bbrotherhoodofthebat.runboard.com/p1807051,from=rss#post1807051https://bbrotherhoodofthebat.runboard.com/p1807051,from=rss#post1807051this is a good start Making A Full Headcast i hope this helpsnondisclosed_email@example.com (Mexicanbat)Mon, 05 Apr 2004 00:58:01 +0000 Lifecasting Advice & Tipshttps://bbrotherhoodofthebat.runboard.com/p1807050,from=rss#post1807050https://bbrotherhoodofthebat.runboard.com/p1807050,from=rss#post1807050I'm going to be doing a life cast of my face or whole head soon and wanted some experinced opinions. 1. Do I really have to shave my face? How much would dental alginate stick to facial hair? 2. Would it be a good idea to start with a face cast first to get a good idea of the timing involved before doing a whole head cast? 3. Do you all ahve any good general tips or pointers for a first timer? Thanksnondisclosed_email@example.com (troilluss)Mon, 05 Apr 2004 00:34:44 +0000