Model Maker Uses Smooth-On To Craft Award Winning Designs

Model Maker Uses Smooth-On To Craft Award Winning Designs

Shawn Casidy has been intrigued with airplanes his entire life. Shawn began by joining the Air force, then getting his pilot's license, but it was not until he discovered the word of scale remote control airplanes that he found his niche. Shawn spends hours building the highly detailed airplanes, and then takes them to competitions around the country. If you’re good enough, you get invited to TOPGUN, the biggest Remote Control model airplane competition in the world. Shawn has been invited for several years in a row, and regularly finishes in the top 10. The last time he competed at Top Gun, he placed 4th in a field of 175. His aircrafts are incredibly detailed and have to pass rigorous inspection and performance standards.

Shawn depends on Smooth-On Mold Max® and Oomoo® silicone rubber molds to reproduce the amazing detail he creates. Smooth-Cast® 300 casting resin, Shell Shock® brushable resin and Foam-it!® 5 Rigid Foam give him the durability and light weight strength that is required in his high performance BD5 aircraft. These materials are versatile and easy to use allowing Shawn time to explore different design and fabrication options.

Oomoo® 25 silicone mold of pilot head seated in Shell Shock® support shell.	With the mold assembled, Smooth-Cast® 300 casting resin is poured into the mold and hand rotated until a uniform thickness is attained. The hollow casting is then backfilled with Foam it!® 5 rigid foam.	Three foot scale pilot body made with Foam it!® 5 rigid foam.
Every detail of the pilot, down to skin tone, has to be proportional and accurate. Feather Lite® lightweight casting resin and Smooth-Cast® 300 resin reproduce the smallest details.	Pilots head is cast with Smooth-Cast® 300 resin and Foam it® 5 rigid foam.	Two piece Oomoo® silicone rubber arm mold.
Pilots arms are cast with Foam-it!® 5 rigid foam then primed with autobody primer.	Mold for left hand is made with Oomoo® silicone rubber. The hand is cast with Foam it!® 5 rigid foam using Ease Release 2831 foam release agent.	Pilots body is cast with Foam it!® 5 rigid foam in a 2 piece Oomoo® silicone rubber mold using Ease Release 2831 foam release agent.
Harness buckle made with Feather Lite® resin cast into a Mold Max® silicone mold.	Finished pilot as seen through the airplane canopy.	Instrument panel two piece mold made with Oomoo® silicone rubber and Ease Release 200 Silicone Release Agent.
Finished instrument panel cast with Shell Shock® brushable plastic resin.	Pre-flight pilot check of finished BD5 airplane.	BD5 airplane coming in for landing.