I need to make a roadrunner for my sons school project (due tuesday). I have the McKenzie Urethane foam system. I just want to make a block of foam that I can carve a body out of. How do I use this foam. It is a 2 part foam...Polymetric Isocanate and Formulated Poly (Oxyalkylene) Polyol.
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you can make a mold out of wood or card board since its just gonna be to carve from. be sure to seal it tight so as the foam can compress and have a strong interior and make a small vent hole at the top for the excess to exit(and so your mold does not explode!) which ever method, wax the mold or use a releasing agent or you will have heck just getting to the foam or ripping it it half! also mix the heck out of it! if you mix it by hand cool down the foam in the frig first and that will extend your mixing time otherwise the foam may rise to fast and once again you will have heck.
p.s. if you or a buddy have an old deer form or something along those lines, use that. it is a lot easier to mold than the new foam!
Mix your foam in paper cups, equal amounts of both A and B. For a road runner sized body get a quart sized plastic ziplock bag and pour the setting foam in it. It will swell and make a big block of foam you can then carve. Just tear the plastic off when done. When you get good at it you can actually shape the foam a little as it rises, making it easier to start carving. The foam I use from Van Dykes it will take about half an eight ounce paper cup to make a block big enough for a road runner body.
Mostly I foam all my bird and fish bodies in sand molds. It takes minutes and bodies are the perfect size and shape from the start. Can explain it if you are interested.
Thank ya'll so much. I am glad my son is in the first grade since the roadrunner I just made looks like the work of a 6 year old. I appreciate your help. We used pheasant feathers and it actually looks kinda cute.
JW , do not put the foam in the frig . Cold foam doesnt expand as much as warm foam . Also , if your using the plastic bag method , you only need a few ounces of each . You can always add more after it foams up if you need it . One ounce will make a pheasant size body . Rick
ron, i have never heard of a sand method for molding foam? please explain.
JW put a plastic bag in the box then poor the foam and seal up the box , wait about 20 minutes , remove bag from box and it will be easier to put the plastic from the foam then cardboard from it.
If you are not sure ,call me at (705)476-0483 and I will walk you through it.
I have a 150 gallon tank filled with sand. Don't need anything that big but it is what I use. Take your bird bodies after skining, dig a small whole in the sand and put the body in it (sand needs to be wet) Fill in around the body with sand and wet some more to fill in voids. Leave enough exposed so you can gently pull the body out with out messing up your mold. Line impression with a piece of a garbage bag (this just keeps your foam clean, nicer to work with) then mix and pour your foam in. You will have a near perfect body with little carving. I use a pre-carved body for molding my turkeys. They are a little to floppy when thawed out to make a good mold.
I do all my fish this way also except I mold them before I skin them. I suspend a block of wood on a couple pieces of wire so the foam can expand around it, and this gives me a block in the middle of my fish to screw to.
Takes a few tries to get the hang of this but once you do you can make fish and bird bodies in minutes.