Homemade Latex Release agent?

[CookFX Productions]

Can you make a latex release agent? or is there something cheap you can get from a grocery store that will work as a release agent to get the latex out of the mold? Pockets are getting thin, and I'm trying to be low budget and have some idea's but want to run it but the, "guys" and "girls" first to see what you think if there is any way of doing this without going to the prop store and buying some. Thanks.

Brian Sinister

[GageFX]

I heard of people using all sorts of things, from motor oil, to dish soap, to WD40, to vaseline - but I've always just used industrial release agents made for the application in the FX shops I worked in. You dont mention what your mold is made of.

I'd recommend trying your homemade release on a small area before trying to cast the whole thing. No better way to find out than to try.

-GageFX

[CookFX Productions]

Oh i did forget to mention that were just using good ole plaster of paris.

[GageFX]

plaster of paris is rather porous. like i mentioned, try a little test and see what works. I would suggest getting a bag of ultracal. much better mold material and much less porous.

Just curious, where does your screen name come from?

- GageFX

[GenJerDan]

Hmm... My handy-dandy Special Effects Make-up book doesn't mention any sort of release agent at all.

Sure you need one?

[GageFX]

Latex on plaster is is not the hardest thing to seperate, but it is advised. I'm on my way over to ISS, I'll ask what they recommend.

-GageFX

[GageFX]

Okay. So I visited with the guys in the rubber room at ISS. The first thing they said is "Why are you making molds out of plaster of paris?"

I said, "It's not me."

They then said, just use release agent. Nothing else will work as well and petroleum based solutions will not react well with the latex. I asked "What about no release?" They said, "no. You need it. Especially with the plaster of paris.

The can he had - I dont remember the brand - he said was $10. Comeon Cook, shell out the 10 bones. He also offered to give me the can. I reminded him it wasnt my project.

$10.

-GageFX

[CookFX Productions]

well I will have to make the trip then, i just didnt want to have to drive an hour away to get a release agent when i had the mold and the latex all set and ready i should of thought about that when i set out of the project. My screen name is my last name. I do or try to do special FX and visual effects is what I was going to school for till the school found that it wasnt attracting enough people and that 50 students wasnt worth having and shut down the program. So I sued and got some tuition back, and Im slightly trained in after effects, and have a basic knowledge of compositing, and green screen. I took a whole year of just editing on FCP. But yeah the name is just my last name. And if you asking why i call myself sinister after my first name is because thats my nickname.

[GageFX]

Cool. "GageFX " comes from when I was working in the field here in LA. Dont ask about Gage. Makes no sense and I dont case to explain. It's stuck, though. I worked go 4 different major shops and finally decided it wasn't what I wanted to do. Fun stuff though. If you ever come to LA looking to work, I'll see what I can do.

- GageFX

[Mark Harris]

We just did this for our horror shoot and Vasoline worked like a charm. We made the same prosthetic over and over from one mold, and as long as we greased it up good with Vasoline everything came out fine.

Gage, what do you mean by "petroleum based solutions will not react well with the latex?" Just curious, because as I said we just did this and it worked great, and I'm probably going to be doing some more of this kind of thing (I thought shooting was fun, but it ain't nothing compared to making monster make-up!!! :) )

[GageFX]

I'm not saying it wont work, it will just break it down. That's why KY is recomended as a lubricant instead of vaseline. The petroleum breaks down condoms - which are latex.

As I said at the top, there are plenty of things that will work.

-GageFX

[Mark Harris]

Ah, gotcha. Yeah, we would clean the vasoline off of the latex as soon as we pulled it out of the mold.

But good to know! Thanks!

M