Squash Casting Method Of Reproducing Small Parts

[Jeffry Fontaine]

Here is a link to a Squash Casting "How To" article written by Gray Creager on the Military Miniatures Magazine (miniatures.de) web page and discussion forums that might be of interest for anyone plagued with a need for a duplicate part and not wanting to purchase an entire kit just for said part.

[sequoiaranger]

Thanks for sharing that method.

I just "flashed" on what might be a similar alternative, but I would admit I have not tried it out so it is only conjecture at this point. However:

Take some "FIMO" or other heat-curable clay and so something similar for the small mold, but run a blow-torch over the mold part to "cure" the surface of the clay in the area of the mold. THEN use the molten-sprue squash-casting method.

[ChernayaAkula]

Neat technique!

[Jeffry Fontaine]

Starship Modeler has recently published a similar article written by Terry Miesle titled Using Epoxy Putty to Duplicate or Convert Parts that might also be of interest for anyone attempting similar projects where modification of existing kit parts is the only recourse. 

[ChernayaAkula]

^ What a cool link! And in two ways: 1. It's pretty helpful. 2. That guy is building a Stratos-4 TSR.2 equipped with an anti-ballistic missile missile. He should be invited! Hope he builds the ZELL-launcher as well.

This technique might come in handy if you messed up a canopy. You could produce a mould to cast a copy and use the copy to vac-/smash-/therma-form a new canopy.