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The Custom Answer Man - Column 2Answer Man's Customizing Glossary:Miliput: an epoxy putty used for hobby crafts It is identical to Plumber's Epoxy putty save for the fact that it sets longer to give more work time. As a result, it is more expensive. Q. Im sorry to bother you but I wanted to ask you a question. If I were to make a bondo mold and copy a head ( ex. Klingon ) in Resin. Then took the resin head and attempted to make it into Col. Taylor From POTA. I would most likely be adding Super Sculpey for his beard. If I wanted to make a mold of the Resin/Sculpey head, would it be alright to cast it in the bondo or would the bondo adhere to the sculpey. If it would, is there any right way to cast a mold of it. Thanks for your time, Norm. A. No bother at all, it's what I'm here for. You have a couple of avenues to solve this problem. If you just wanted ONE head, instead of making the beard in Sculpey, make it in Miliput, let it set, and then paint, and voila!, you're done. Plus, you can also make the mold in Bondo from this head that has the Miliput on it. It won't stick to the bondo if you grease it lightly with vaseline. Though I must caution that once you start making molds of hard pieces which are in and of themselves, already copies of a previously existing head, it becomes wise to use a more meticulous mold-making agent such as latex mold builders, or a soft, pliant mold-building putty. These will retain the greatest amount of detail. You can then pour the final product with the resin of your choice. For an account of how to make a latex mold for a Mego head, see Phil Nobile's article on casting under the "customizing FAQ" section of the "Mego Library" (not to be confused with Customego). As for making Taylor from POTA, why not simply buy one from Phil? They'll never get any better than that anyway. Q. Matt, what types of cloth should I use? I'm trying to compile a list of materials I need for a massive customizing project I would like to undertake. The thing I'm having trouble with is coming up with a complete list of cloth types I need, so that when I go to a local fabric store I can tell them exactly what I need. Though I can sew, I'm just not that familiar with the right names of cloth to buy. Example: Swim Suit cloth (is this also called lycra?) A. Actually, if you say "swimsuit, " they should know exactly what you're talking about. It's often called spandex, which stretches the same amount in all 4 directions. A similar fabric that's not shiny but is like what Mego used is called poly-interlock fabric. It stretches well in two directions, and less in the other two. Finally, there is thin cotton jersey, which has little or no polyester in it-- this is what t-shirts are often made of. (-The type of cloth commonly used to make a duster, sports jacket, etc.) -No firm rule here. I've used wool, faux suede, vinyl, nylon and tan denim. Stay away from vinyl and nylon until you get good at sewing. (The type of cloth used to make a cape (chintz?)) -Lately I've been using this. It's also called "holiday fabric" or "home decorater" fabric or "home decorater chintz." I've also used all of the fabrics listed above at times, as well as metallic lame' for shiny capes like Mysterio's (The type of cloth to make a pair of blue jeans (would one use regular denim or some equivelantly colored cloth?)) -I've been lucky and have been able to find very thin denim to make blue jeans so I've had no trouble here. If you can't find it, get some thin cotton-poly denim like fabric and dye it blue. Q. I'm just starting out in this. I have no skills in sculpting megos. I just love collecting them. I would like to start with Flash or GL. I've seen some very nice versions of these figures and would like to know if there is anyone out there making these costumes and heads for sale? A. To Make the heads: For Green Lantern, you can either follow my article at the CustoMego section of the megomuseum, or you can simply paint over a Reed Richards head which Paul (Dr. mego) Clarke makes repros of. OR, you can wait for the DC Famous Covers-like figures to come out, as the heads will be in scale with Megos (even though the bodies aren't-- long story, don't ask). For Flash, The easiest way to make his head is to order a repro Thor head from Dr. Mego, slice off the ears, and if you prefer, add a cowl line with Miliput. Then for the horns, mine are thumbtack heads pressed into the side of the head with little strips of plastic cut out and glued above. Then paint the whole thing with acrylic modelling paints available at most hobby stores and Wal-Mart. Always use flat colors. For the SUITS: Green Lantern-- see my article, and contact the nearest person you know who knows how to sew. It should be easy for someone who's experienced. Flash-- Anthony mcElveen makes one-color 1 piece jumpsuits for sale for around $20, I think. Have him make one in red for you. Then, you can make the lightning bolts and insignia out of colored contact paper or colored elctrical tape. You'll seed Shazam boots of course (which Dr. Mego also makes repros of). Q. Ok customizer's I want to do a Spectre custom. What would you do? Whose head would you use. We will assume the outfit will be all hand done. Any other parts i.e. belts boots etc. Any ideas would be very helpful. A. Thor's head works perfectly as you want a nice bald head for the Spectre. Q. Matt, I was wondering if you could give me directions on how to make boots for Megos. Boots like the Star Trek figures wore. Any help or direction to resources would be appreciated. A. Paul (Dr Mego) Clarke makes repros of these for, I think, $8. You can also buy the knee pins for attaching them to the body from him as well. If, however, you want to make your own, make a 2-part mold in Bondo following my artucle at the Customego on "Making a Custom Namor." When the mold is done, drill a pour-hole into the mold and get your hands on some casting resin from your local hobby shop. If you can't find it there, write me back and I'll help you out with some resources. Q. Dear Matt, what type of paint do you use to paint the Mego heads? I've used regular enamel paints before and ruined my figures. The rubbery surface of the heads don't seem to allow for the paint to dry. (A. (all answers from here on in parentheses) I use Acrylic model paint for vinyl models. If it is cracking on you, that means the paint is too watered down and old, OR the head is dirty and needs to be cleaned (the pil on the surface of the head is causing the water of the paint to separate. Try painting several thin coats as opposed to one thick one. Finally, use a SOFT brush and make sure each coat has dried before you paint another one. The soft brush will keep from breaking up the previous layer of paint., When the thing has finally dried, you can seal it with a bit of flat acrylic sealer. (Or, as Scott Metzger does, with a watered-down solution of Elmer's glue).) And another question I had was, how would you advise in making a Christopher Reeve Superman face? I have a 12" superman doll that is supposedly Reeve, but the hair style really has to go. The hair line around his ears is too long and the side of is hair is way too full. (Well, I think they nailed the face, but you're right, the hair has to go. What I would do is make a mold of the head in Bondo (auto Body Repair Plastic Fiberglass Jelly), produce a copy (cast) using Plumbers Epoxy Putty, and then file and sand down the hair to the desired fullness. File down the neck plug to get it back on the body, and the head can now be painted. For a description of this technique, see my article on "Customizing Namor" at the Mego Museum's customizing section.) I want him to look like the Superman from the movie as close as possible. My girlfriend knows how to sew and she said she would make the costume for me. I'm thinking of using vinyl fabric for the boots... (Here is a solution I came up with recently when making my 1940s-era animated Superman. I used the epoxy (plumber's) putty to build up the feet and make them look more like boots underneath. The fabric is then stretched over it and it looks like a boot instead of like a sock. I then cut the pointed boot tops out of red leather and glued them to the legs using fabric glue. I think it looks pretty nice. See my most recent customs to see what I'm talking about.) Oh, and do you have any suggestions on making a 12" Shazam doll? This is a 12" that I wish mego had produced, but since they didnt, I was hoping to make one myself. (If your girlfriend can sew, you're set as far as that's concerned. I dunno-- I always thought an "Action Man" (not to be confused with Captain Action) would make a good 12" Captain Marvel. Action Man is the British equivalent of a G.I. Joe, and they are currently being made today so maybe you'll be able to find him. If not, then maybe a G.I. Joe head? Also, the 12" Animated Superman head would work well. If you need help modifying the neck plugs to make them fit on a Mego body, write me back and I'll help you out.) Editor's Note: Below is a short article written by [email protected] written in response to some questions posed in my last column. It is well worth a look. I read through you article and found much help and things I didn't even have questions for yet... any way ... the answers I promised. I found a substance called... "castin' craft clear liquid plastic casting resin" made by a company called
E.T.I. They are also on the web. The plastic comes in 2 parts sold separately. They also sell dyes (clear and opaque) to mix into the plastic. I'm in the molding proccess now and hope to get a casting done soon. I will let you know how it comes out. I'm going for an army of mego's #2 a company specializing in mold making goods
AMACO or american artclay co. inc They offer a great collection of moldmaking material but I want to point out their rubber latex as a raw material for heads. I did a simple 2 piece mold [in plaster] of a doll head (non-Mego) for a test. After sealing the plaster with sealant , I combined the halves and poured in a watered-down amount of latex and sloshed it about. This process was used to make old halloween masks from years back. The process takes time. You pour out the excess and let the residue inside dry, then pour in some more and repeat. In time the layers build up to a good thickness. It takes a lot of patience, though too much latex never dries and would be disastrous when you pull the mold apart. When thick enough, the head can be removed and should be left to gel. They turn out pretty durable when done right. #3 a thought more than anything: you know spidey's Mego costume has those black weblines printed on the fabric? Well most computer printers can be used to make iron-on transfers. mMne can (Lexmark 1020), though a special paper is needed of course.
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