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 why my tumbler is taking so long |
From: youngbat
| Posted: 9/3/2005 11:04:53 PM
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Posts: 150
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why my tumbler is taking so long
am doing a full FOAM LATEX begins suit at the same time. For those who are not familiar with foam latex, it is a mixture of 4 ingredients that you whip in a huge mixer at a high speed. This causes the material to turn into a sort of whip cream consistency. Then it gets injected into molds and baked. This is how all the movie batsuits, including BB were made. This is one of my first foam torsos from BB. Still unpainted. To do this, you need a bodycast of the person to wear the suit. The positive part of the mold is just as important as the negative part of the mold. This guarentees that the piece will fit perfectly to the person who was bodycasted for it.
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From: jonhunt
| Posted: 9/3/2005 11:26:09 PM
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Dark Knight
Posts: 49
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RE: why my tumbler is taking so long
WOW! I'm teaching myself special effects when I'm not working so I understand the difficulties involved with that suit. That is amazing. The only thing I'm wondering about using foam latex for the entire suit is the wear and tear factor? I have read that after so long foam latex will start to break down. I'm trying to figure out if I could stack and form neoprene sheets to form suit over something like a full body leotard or something and then do a smooth coat of casting latex? I'm thinking this might provide more tear strength. I'm not planning on stopping any robberies, but it might be nice to jump in and out of the Batmobile I eventually paln on building without worrying about catching my suit and ripping it into two pieces lol. Another question I have is how did you build the oven used to bake that suit? I'm completely amazed at the quality of that suit, great job.
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From: youngbat
| Posted: 9/4/2005 12:03:04 AM
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Posts: 150
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RE: why my tumbler is taking so long
The thing you want to think about is what exactly is "tear strength". When a material stretches easily without resistance it's less likely to tear than a material that may be technicaly rated higher, but when stretched it wants to snap back hard. Thus when it tears even a little, it's gona blow in half. I have a method that prevents U.V. degredation in foam latex.
To be honest, I think you might end up with a mess by stacking sheets of neoprene and coating them with a liquid rubber. But it's allways up to the person who's doing it to pull it off, So I say give it a try.
issues regarding a rubber costume: weight, ease of stretching, life-like movement, durability(how you make the piece contributes greatly), and of course looks(i.e. cheap looking rubber, aka halloween costume).
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From: Tim
| Posted: 9/4/2005 12:06:55 AM
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Just build it
Posts: 2411
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RE: why my tumbler is taking so long
Why my Tumbler is taking so long...
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From: youngbat
| Posted: 9/4/2005 12:16:05 AM
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Posts: 150
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RE: why my tumbler is taking so long
Actually that's MY real reason...
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From: jonhunt
| Posted: 9/4/2005 12:51:30 AM
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Dark Knight
Posts: 49
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RE: why my tumbler is taking so long
Hey.... where are you from youngbat? I'm in North Carolina and its impossible to find anyone to show me some tips. I try posting on Makeup Artist Magazine forums but never hear back from anyone there. Could you use a cloth full body leotard like dancers use and place in on the positive and then fill negative with a type of liquid rubber and then put the molds together until it sets up? I want to make a suit that I can actually wear for a full day at a time lol. I would love to spend the entire week near Halloween riding around in a Batmobile in the Batsuit. Thanks for any advice. and email me if you ever want to pass on knowledge to a newbie. I have watched both the Rob Burman series and the Michael Burnett video series on makeup effects. Thanks. Jon
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From: youngbat
| Posted: 9/4/2005 2:59:00 AM
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Posts: 150
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RE: why my tumbler is taking so long
a mechanical looking batsuit like this is completly different from a creature suit. In a creature suit you wouldn't have to inject the material, on this type of suit you have no choice. This opens up a totaly different can of worms, and a bunch of problems. The torso is seamless, the cowl is seamless, and not just a skin of rubber.
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From: youngbat
| Posted: 9/4/2005 3:00:26 AM
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Posts: 150
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RE: why my tumbler is taking so long
Oh, I'm from Kalamazoo Mi.
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From: jonhunt
| Posted: 9/4/2005 3:35:42 AM
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Dark Knight
Posts: 49
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RE: why my tumbler is taking so long
ok well when the foam latex sets up after baking does it have the texture of neoprene or what? The reason I ask is because it certainly looks like rubber in your photo but I'm still thinking of foam and how it wants to tear so easily. Or does it set up really strong like the sheets of foam you can buy at craft stores or Walmart? Trying to get idea of its flexibility and how much you can move around before tearing it. Do you have a website with other work I could see?
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From: Kevin
| Posted: 9/4/2005 9:45:15 AM
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Nodeman
Posts: 906
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RE: why my tumbler is taking so long
That is all well and good, but my only question is where is my suit?? 
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From: youngbat
| Posted: 9/4/2005 1:09:45 PM
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Posts: 150
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RE: why my tumbler is taking so long
Yes, my partner and I have a website: www.dullam-causey.com
There are many more batsuits there, all foam latex.
Here's the thing about foam latex: The material comes out different for everyone using it. In other words my foam is gona be different from some other guys foam etc. It's like baking a cake. No two cakes are going to be exact in terms of physical properties. All your surrounding conditions make up for the results of your foam. The temperature, humidity, your brand of mixer, your oven, and mostly your expereince and intuitive sense.
Here's how this relates to cars (what this site is about). Sometimes I moan about how great epoxy is, and down with polyester resin, but I will tell ya. It's all really about the guy doing it. Some people are just plain polyester experts who have an inate intuitive sense and can get just the right amount of M.E.K. and have such a structual knowledge about the material that they get fantastic results. All the stuff about durability etc.. has a LOT to do with how the piece is put together with some said material. NONE of this is a mindless-cookbook formula sort of thing. IT's the guy doing it, and the little things he does, that doesn't make into some conversation on a chat board that makes all the difference.
i.e. it's difficult to explain the little stuff.
kevin, I need to goto some LINEAR ACTUATOR school.....
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From: Kevin
| Posted: 9/4/2005 3:13:55 PM
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Nodeman
Posts: 906
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RE: why my tumbler is taking so long
When I get home;  I will email you the web site address.
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From: KeatonCar
| Posted: 9/4/2005 4:12:25 PM
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Limey
Posts: 495
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RE: why my tumbler is taking so long
Screw the Begins suit..... I want the Gough Alfred head.   
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From: Dee
| Posted: 9/4/2005 4:20:16 PM
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Irish
Posts: 1409
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RE: why my tumbler is taking so long
That's an excellent site. I think the Alfred head is cool too.
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From: krispoppleton
| Posted: 9/5/2005 7:39:32 AM
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Posts: 10
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RE: why my tumbler is taking so long
 Yougbat,
I am new to this site, but I have floated around on the BOTB website for years.
That armour is so acurate it is frightening, I have checked out your website and everything you do is amazing.
I am sure I read somewhere that you were going to try and make a few items that were fully functional (BB Belt if I remember), how is that going?
Best Wickes
Kris. P.
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