I got the joy of getting a chance to play around with a few different PollyPlastics materials recently. I have done a test of each of the Silicone Molding Putty, Moldable Plastic Sheets, Polypropylene Plastic Pellets and Moldable Plastic(which are also pellets). These are my first attempts ever using thermal plastics. Here’s how those test projects went.
Silicone Molding Putty was by far my favorite product of the line to test out. I have been looking forward to making molds for a while and this product gave me a chance to leap right in with a very simple and easy way to do that.
All it took was a ball of both part A and B of the same size and mixing it up. It starts to activate pretty quick and even though the steps say to mix for 5 minutes, I found 2 minutes of quick mixing worked for me. Once it starts to get slightly firmer and warm I slapped it into the mold base and but the pieces I wanted into the silicone.
For the first silicone putty test, I made a 2 part mold of a couple of pen nibs. Some of the other reviews I read had stated that this putty didn’t take detail well but I didn’t find that the case at all. As you can see from the pictures, every ridge and detail of the nibs was fully captured by the putty. Due to other reviews noting the greasiness of this finished product I decided to proceed and make the second half of the mold without using any mold release agent. It worked perfectly and the slight greasiness was easily wiped away afterward.
The second test was a mold of the twisted horn made from the Moldable Plastic(pellets in a jar).
From the reviews, I had also heard that the finished rubber could be crumbly so I also mixed up a test square and after it had completely cured, I cut and pulled the silicone apart to check it’s consistency. The finished product is quite firm and mildly flexible and while it does cut smoothly it was quite difficult to pull apart and did not crumble for me.
Here’s where you can find it for yourself: Amazon.com
Moldable Plastic Sheets were an interesting product to test. I decided to try and make something a bit basic so I settled on a bandaid station for my the workspace.
Cutting the pieces out of plastic was the easiest part I’m afraid. To keep the pieces from losing their form too much I opted to heat these and adhere them together through the heat gun method. After bonding the pieces into bandaid shapes I used a metal book to form them into the shape I needed and then painted them with acrylics. It might not be the most polished finished look but for the first project with the new material, I’m very pleased.
While working with the sheets I started running into the problem of having my tools stick into and creating a lifting/pulling problem with the plastic that I easily remedied with a glass of ice water as a resting place for my tools. And as working with all the Moldable Plastics by PollyPlastics working on a freezer or parchment paper surface is a must.
I feel like this product would be incredibly useful for model makers an anyone who does tiny crafts or works as you could recreate any little shape or piece or even create custom stands for things to dry in. I can’t wait to experiment further with some actual cosplay props and with Halloween coming up I’m sure I will get a chance.
Here’s where you can find them for yourself: Amazon.com
Moldable Plastic in pellet form is super fun medium to play with. For the first test, I made a 15in tentacle. I found it easiest to make the base arm of the tentacle and then build and apply the suckers individually. I used the pan of near-boiling water for all of this project with the exception being the adhering of the suckers, for which the heat gun worked beautifully. The plastic can get more than a bit sticky which is why I prefer the boiling water technique for heating.
For the second test, I got a bit more playful and mixed in some of the highly pigmented color pellets that are included in their 35 oz. Moldable Plastic and Color Pellet Kit and added some Pearl Ex Pearl White to the mix for a cute and shimmery pink horn. As with the tentacle, I found creating a base and building up layers of texture onto that base was the easiest way to get the desired look. In creating the horn I have re-melted and used the same batch of pellets at least a dozen times and haven’t found any change in durability, flexibility or texture. This is the same horn I ended up molding as a secondary test for the Silicone Mold Putty.
Working with these plastics are very different than working with clay but that being said the “Easy to Use” tag is accurate with this product. I have hosted a plastic party where everyone enjoyed playing with the new medium. I did find myself having to reboil my plastic water quite a few times and every time only gave me at max 5 minutes of working time, so I would definitely recommend using a hot plate to keep your water consistently warm to keep the fun rolling.
As with the Moldable Plastic Sheets the use of freezer or parchment paper is necessary over your workspace. These plastics don’t mess around and will bond with whatever surface you working on.
Here’s a couple of useful tips: A heat gun is also extremely useful and almost a necessity when working with these plastics and extremely useful to diminish fingerprints and imperfections after you’ve finished up the piece.
I feel like this product would be incredibly useful for model makers an anyone who does tiny crafts or works as you could recreate any little shape or piece or even create custom stands for things to dry in. I can’t wait to experiment further with some actual cosplay props and with Halloween coming up I’m sure I will get a chance.
Here’s where you can find it for yourself: Amazon.com
Polypropylene Plastic Pellets were very useful in adding heft to my voodoo doll limbs. These pellets will supply many dolls to come. I really enjoy how smooth and soft these pellets are compared to other varieties that I have used in the past. Great product that I’d totally recommend!
The resealable bag has already prevented a few catastrophes which I’m over the moon about.
Here’s where you can find it for yourself: Amazon.com
Disclaimer: I received a sample of this product to create with and write an honest review for.