Propmaking & Special Effects How‑To's

Propmaking & Special Effects
Smooth-On rubbers, plastics , foams and other materials have been used for years to bring movies, TV and stage special effects to life.
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Turning a Clay Sculpture Into a Metal Cold Casting

Turning a Clay Sculpture Into a Metal Cold Casting

Milo demonstrates how to make a silicone mold of a clay relief sculpture, then creates a metal cold casting.

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Creating an Epoxy Mold for a Silicone Makeup Prosthetic

Creating an Epoxy Mold for a Silicone Makeup Prosthetic

Watch as we craft an epoxy mold for an encapsulated silicone prosthetic of a snake person makeup.

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Painting Latex Rubber Using Maker Pro Paint

Painting Latex Rubber Using Maker Pro Paint

Learn the process of painting a latex rubber mask using Maker Pro Paint in this video

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How To Create Realistic Artificial Vines Using The Ultimate Vine Kit

How To Create Realistic Artificial Vines Using The Ultimate Vine Kit

Learn how to use the Ultimate Vine Making Kit to make "animal tough" vines for zoo habitat exhibits.

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Making Things with Milo - Hollow, Impact-Resistant Flexible Prop

Making Things with Milo - Hollow, Impact-Resistant Flexible Prop

Milo demonstrates how to do a rotational casting with amazingly strong KX Flex 90

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Making a Lightweight, Strong, Hollow Casting by Rotocasting Matrix Dryve™

Making a Lightweight, Strong, Hollow Casting by Rotocasting Matrix Dryve™

Milo shows how to rotocast Matrix™ Dryve™ polymer gypsum

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How To Make a Silicone Block Mold of an Irregularly Shaped Model

How To Make a Silicone Block Mold of an Irregularly Shaped Model

Learn how to save material and money by making your silicone mold conform to the shape of your model.

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How To Make a Hollow Resin Casting Using Smooth-Cast™ 57D

How To Make a Hollow Resin Casting Using Smooth-Cast™ 57D

Using the slush method of casting to create a hollow, impact resistant piece.

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How To Make Metallic & Glitter Effects In Resin With Cast Magic™

How To Make Metallic & Glitter Effects In Resin With Cast Magic™

Cast Magic® Casting System is an easy way to add an endless variety of bright metallic, glitter and color effects to your castings.

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How To Make a Metal Cold Casting With Smooth-Cast™ 325 Resin

How To Make a Metal Cold Casting With Smooth-Cast™ 325 Resin

The metal cold-casting process is faster and much less expensive compared with foundry casting of molten metal.

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How To Make a Breakaway Prop Bottle Using SMASH Plastic™

How To Make a Breakaway Prop Bottle Using SMASH Plastic™

Milo shows how to make a breakaway bottle using SMASH Plastic™

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How To Make a Museum Quality Themed Prop Base for a Rhino Display

How To Make a Museum Quality Themed Prop Base for a Rhino Display

Free Form™ Habitat™ Fire Safe epoxy putty is used to create a realistic African grassland base for a Rhino Display

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Cosplay Tutorial: How To Cast a Flexible Foam Hellboy Fist

Cosplay Tutorial: How To Cast a Flexible Foam Hellboy Fist

Smooth-On fan Jon N. uses FlexFoam-iT! X to make a durable, lightweight "Hellboy" inspired fist for cosplay.

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How To Make a Wonder Woman Cosplay using UreCoat™

How To Make a Wonder Woman Cosplay using UreCoat™

How to make costume armor using craft foam and Smooth-On's UreCoat

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How To Recreate an Antique Frame using Mold Max™ 29NV No Vacuum Required Silicone

How To Recreate an Antique Frame using Mold Max™ 29NV No Vacuum Required Silicone

Learn how to use Mold Max 29NV for creating a high-detail silicone mold

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How To Use Habitat Cast N Coat™ to Coat Carved EPS Foam

How To Use Habitat Cast N Coat™ to Coat Carved EPS Foam

In this project, EPS foam board is used to carve a theater mask design. The display is then hard-coated using Habitat Cast N Coat.

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How To Mold a Prop Shield For Cosplay

How To Mold a Prop Shield For Cosplay

Jon N. shows us how he creates a mold for his Thundercats shield.

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Tested Presents ‑ How To Slush Cast a Prop Helmet

Tested Presents ‑ How To Slush Cast a Prop Helmet

Frank Ippolito shows you how to create a hollow resin cast of a helmet

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How To Make an Indestructible Prop Using UreCoat™

How To Make an Indestructible Prop Using UreCoat™

This video tutorial shows how to make a fake foam prop rock using carved soft foam and UreCoat® urethane coating.

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How To Make a Silicone Mold of a Hand Using Ecoflex™ 00-35

How To Make a Silicone Mold of a Hand Using Ecoflex™ 00-35

This lifecasting video tutorial shows how Ecoflex® 00-35 silicone can be used to lifecast a hand

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How To Make an Impact Resistant Cosplay Prop Viking Shield Using UreCoat™

How To Make an Impact Resistant Cosplay Prop Viking Shield Using UreCoat™

This video tutorial shows how to make a prop shield for theater or cosplay using pourable foam and UreCoat® urethane coating.

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How to Make Prop Swords out of Flexible Foam

How to Make Prop Swords out of Flexible Foam

Learn how production companies make prop weapons for use on stage or screen.

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How To Make a Breakaway Glass Window Pane

How To Make a Breakaway Glass Window Pane

This tutorial takes you step-by-step through the process of making a large window pane suitable for using as a breakaway glass prop for stage or movie special effects.

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How To Make a Metal Cold Casting Using duoMatrix™ NEO

How To Make a Metal Cold Casting Using duoMatrix™ NEO

We demonstrate how to create a metal cold casting using the duoMatrix™ NEO polymerized gypsum system.

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How to Make a Full Head Mold with Body Double™

How to Make a Full Head Mold with Body Double™

In this body casting demonstration, Body Double® silicone is used to make a full head mold

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How To Make a Urethane Rubber Mold of Prop Gun

How To Make a Urethane Rubber Mold of Prop Gun

A cavity pour style urethane rubber mold for casting prop guns.

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How To Create Lightweight Theatrical Costume Armor

How To Create Lightweight Theatrical Costume Armor

Andreas Moravec demonstrates a technique for creating theatrical armor using Rebound™ 25 silicone and Smooth Cast® resins

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How To Make a Star Trek Klingon Disruptor with Mold Max™ Silicone and Smooth-Cast™

How To Make a Star Trek Klingon Disruptor with Mold Max™ Silicone and Smooth-Cast™

This tutorial outlines making a mold of a replica Klingon Disruptor pistol from the Star Trek television series.

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How To Make a Breakaway Glass Bottle Prop

How To Make a Breakaway Glass Bottle Prop

Making a mold used to cast SMASH!® Plastic

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How To Make a Floral Arrangement Using Encapso® K

How To Make a Floral Arrangement Using Encapso® K

This video demonstrates using Smooth-On's Encapso® K to create a realistic floral display.

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Tripel X Professional Props Uses TASK™ 16 to Make Props that are Absolutely Indestructible

Tripel X Professional Props Uses TASK™ 16 to Make Props that are Absolutely Indestructible

Tripel X Theming and Props is well known for providing hyper-realistic weapons props for several popular detective shows filmed in New York and Los Angeles.

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How To Make a Prop Severed Hand Using Alja Safe™ Breeze™

How To Make a Prop Severed Hand Using Alja Safe™ Breeze™

John Fennel used Smooth-On's Alja-Safe Breeze® for creating the initial clay pour for his prop.

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How To Mold a Captain America Cosplay Helmet Using Rebound™ 25

How To Mold a Captain America Cosplay Helmet Using Rebound™ 25

Justin Jotso of Jester Productions and FX's replica Captain America helmet.

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How To Use Encapso® K To Create a Cereal Prop

How To Use Encapso® K To Create a Cereal Prop

After preparing and discarding over 30 bowls of cereal in over two days, an ad agency contacted Smooth-On...

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How To Make a 2 Piece Silicone Mold to Cast a Police Baton Prop

How To Make a 2 Piece Silicone Mold to Cast a Police Baton Prop

This step-by-step tutorial shows the process of making a two-piece block mold from a police baton using Mold Max® 30 silicone rubber. It also shows how to cast a reproduction using TASK 13 semi-rigid resin.

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Moldmaking and Casting For a Woodgrain Finish

Moldmaking and Casting For a Woodgrain Finish

In this how-to, Smooth-Cast® 320 resin is cast in a Dragon Skin® silicone mold to reproduce woodgrain

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How To Use StyroCoat™ To Make Lightweight Foam Props

How To Use StyroCoat™ To Make Lightweight Foam Props

The Spoon Group (Rahway, NJ) is a world-renowed prop and set fabrication shop...

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How To Create a Breakaway Glass Freezer Door for a Horror Film

How To Create a Breakaway Glass Freezer Door for a Horror Film

Filming the horror flick Laid To Rest on the grounds of a former asylum for the criminally insane presented a host of challenges...

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Zeus Head Created with Foam iT!® 5

Zeus Head Created with Foam iT!® 5

Cast Magic® Casting System is an easy way to add an endless variety of bright metallic, glitter and color effects to your castings...

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How To Make Flexible Foam Prop Cinder Blocks

How To Make Flexible Foam Prop Cinder Blocks

The scene in Spider Man 3 called for the heroine, Mary Jane, to again be in peril...

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How To Make a Silicone Severed Head Prop

How To Make a Silicone Severed Head Prop

Shell Shock® and Plasti-Paste® can be used to make a strong, inexpensive mold which can be used for casting silicones.

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How To Make a Prop Rattlesnake Using Dragon Skin™ Silicone

How To Make a Prop Rattlesnake Using Dragon Skin™ Silicone

On a recent job, Blair Benjamin needed to reproduce a rattlesnake for an independent film project.

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How To Make a Two Piece Silicone Mold of a Knife

How To Make a Two Piece Silicone Mold of a Knife

We demonstrate using Mold Star 30 silicone, a platinum silicone for mold making...

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How To Use Brush-On Urethane Rubber as a Paint

How To Use Brush-On Urethane Rubber as a Paint

Some of our customers have found that our Brush-On urethane rubber can be used as a paint.

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How To Make a Flexible Foam Prop Concrete Block

How To Make a Flexible Foam Prop Concrete Block

This tutorial shows how Flex Foam-iT! X can be cast to create a realistic cinder block prop.

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How To Cast TASK® 7

How To Cast TASK® 7

TASK® 7 is a low viscosity, fast set flame resistant plastic.

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How To Use Psycho Paint to Paint Platinum Silicone Rubber

How To Use Psycho Paint to Paint Platinum Silicone Rubber

This step-by-step video outlines the use of Psycho Paint® silicone paint base to color the surface of a platinum silicone casting.

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Martha Stewart Makes Encapso® K Specimen Jars

Martha Stewart Makes Encapso® K Specimen Jars

Martha makes prop specimen jars for Halloween using Smooth-On Encapso® K silicone rubber.

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How To Make a Brush On Mold of an Antique Rifle

How To Make a Brush On Mold of an Antique Rifle

This tutorial shows how to make a two piece silicone mold of a historic firearm

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High Tech Materials Create a Horrific Zombie

High Tech Materials Create a Horrific Zombie

Zombies are more popular than ever in TV shows, movies, Zombie-walks, Zombie Parties and more.

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How To Create a Rigid Master Using Free Form® Sculpt

How To Create a Rigid Master Using Free Form® Sculpt

Ryan Sparks of Terror Anatomical, LLC specializes in casting accurate, realistic body parts for clients.

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How To Caste a Prop Engine Block Using FlexFoam® iT! 17

How To Caste a Prop Engine Block Using FlexFoam® iT! 17

The surface finish of the cured Flex Foam-iT! 17 foam approaches that of a urethane elastomer.

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How To Create a Mold and Casting of a Prop Shield

How To Create a Mold and Casting of a Prop Shield

A plaster replica of an ancient Roman shield is used to make light weight and strong reproductions for display.

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How To Make a Fake Potion Bottles Using Encapso® K

How To Make a Fake Potion Bottles Using Encapso® K

In this video, Smooth-On fan Jara shows how to make fake potion bottles using Encapso-K silicone rubber.

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How To Make Hollow Resin Castings Using Smooth-Cast™ 57D

How To Make Hollow Resin Castings Using Smooth-Cast™ 57D

Create a hollow resin casting using the semi rigid urethane plastic - Smooth-Cast® 57D

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How To Make an Epoxy Flexible Using Flexer™ Epoxy Flexibilizer

How To Make an Epoxy Flexible Using Flexer™ Epoxy Flexibilizer

Flexer® is an additve for Smooth-On epoxies which makes the resultant castings flexible.

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How To Create a Metallic Finish Using Cast Magic™ Pig Iron

How To Create a Metallic Finish Using Cast Magic™ Pig Iron

How Pig Iron® Cast Magic powder can be applied to a silicone mold to make a metallic finish.

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How To Cast a Prop Shield for Cosplay

How To Cast a Prop Shield for Cosplay

Jon N. shows us how he casts a Thundercats prop shield

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How To Mold and Cast Foam Props - Via Tested.com

How To Mold and Cast Foam Props - Via Tested.com

Via Tested - How to make simple silicone molds to cast and paint foam replicas of props like shop tools

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How To Make a Metallic Finish Using Cast Magic™ Powder

How To Make a Metallic Finish Using Cast Magic™ Powder

How to use Pearly Green Cast Magic® powder on a black ONYX® resin casting to get a beautiful metallic finish.

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How To Make a Silicone Glove Mold for a Resin Cosplay Helmet

How To Make a Silicone Glove Mold for a Resin Cosplay Helmet

Jon N. shows us how he made a glove mold for his cosplay helmet

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How To Cast a Resin Cosplay Helmet

How To Cast a Resin Cosplay Helmet

Jon N. shows us how he brushes Smooth-Cast 57D to make a helmet for cosplay.

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How To Make a Wonder Woman Amazon Armband

How To Make a Wonder Woman Amazon Armband

Jon shows us how he created an Amazon armband for a Wonder Woman cosplay.

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How To Make a Bear Claw Necklace Replica

How To Make a Bear Claw Necklace Replica

How to start with one bear claw and end with 24 perfect copies

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How To Make a Custom Cold Cast Aquarium Stand Using Urethane Resin

How To Make a Custom Cold Cast Aquarium Stand Using Urethane Resin

Use Smooth-Cast™ 325 resin and Bronze powder to make a nautical looking aquarium stand.

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How To Gold Leaf a Resin Casting

How To Gold Leaf a Resin Casting

Learn how to apply real gold leaf to a resin casting

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Cosplay Tutorial: Iron Man Helmet - Part 1: How To Make a Silicone Glove Mold

Cosplay Tutorial: Iron Man Helmet - Part 1: How To Make a Silicone Glove Mold

How you can use Rebound 25 silicone rubber to make a mold of an Iron Man helmet.

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Cosplay Tutorial: Iron Man Helmet - Part 2: How To Make an Epoxy Support Shell and Hand Rotated Casting

Cosplay Tutorial: Iron Man Helmet - Part 2: How To Make an Epoxy Support Shell and Hand Rotated Casting

How to make an epoxy fiberglass support shell using the EpoxAmite laminating epoxy system

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How To Repair a Latex Animatronic Prop Using UreCoat™

How To Repair a Latex Animatronic Prop Using UreCoat™

Watch how a haunted attraction completely repaired a damaged latex animatronic prop

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How To Make Fake Zombie Fingers Using Alja-Safe™ and Ecoflex™ 00-35

How To Make Fake Zombie Fingers Using Alja-Safe™ and Ecoflex™ 00-35

Milo creates silicone zombie fingers with breakable bones for Halloween

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How To Make a Foam Prop Sword Using a Silicone 2 Part Mold

How To Make a Foam Prop Sword Using a Silicone 2 Part Mold

How a 3D printed master is used to pour a silicone mold for a prop sword

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How To Make a Foam Prop Hammer

How To Make a Foam Prop Hammer

Learn to make foam props using a unique method for splitting a two part mold

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How To Make a Fake Flexible Crowbar

How To Make a Fake Flexible Crowbar

Learn to create flexible, impact resistant props.

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Seamless Silicone Glove Mold - Making Things with Milo

Seamless Silicone Glove Mold - Making Things with Milo

The challenge: Make a seamless mold of a sculpted hand with same-day turnaround for castings.

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Using an Innovative Silicone Tool to Vacuum Form an RC Car Body

Using an Innovative Silicone Tool to Vacuum Form an RC Car Body

Milo takes on vacuum forming an RC car body which presents an interesting challenge.

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Using a Vacuum Former to Create Lightweight Wall Panel Artwork

Using a Vacuum Former to Create Lightweight Wall Panel Artwork

How to to make beautiful decorative wall panels using a TASK 18 vacuum forming tool.

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How Vacuum Formed Packaging Is Made Using a High Temp Epoxy Tool

How Vacuum Formed Packaging Is Made Using a High Temp Epoxy Tool

Learn how clamshell packaging is made using an epoxy vacuum forming tool

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How To Use Glow Worm™ Powders With Resin, Rubber, Foam and More

How To Use Glow Worm™ Powders With Resin, Rubber, Foam and More

Learn a variety of resin casting color and finishing effect techniques with our Glow Worm™ Glow-In-The-Dark Powders.

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How To Create a Marble Effect In Castings Using Matrix Dryve™

How To Create a Marble Effect In Castings Using Matrix Dryve™

We demonstrate how you can use Matrix Dryve™ to create interesting marbling effects.

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How To Make a Metal Cold Casting Using Matrix Dryve™ Polymer Gypsum

How To Make a Metal Cold Casting Using Matrix Dryve™ Polymer Gypsum

Learn how you can cold cast Matrix Dryve™ polymer gypsum

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How To Make a Fake Bloody Hand Prop Using Alja-Safe™ and Dragon Skin™ 10NV

How To Make a Fake Bloody Hand Prop Using Alja-Safe™ and Dragon Skin™ 10NV

We show how to make a realistic rubber hand with fake bloody accents.

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Live! - Casting Silicone With Milo

Live! - Casting Silicone With Milo

Milo demonstrates how to cast silicone and explain how to choose the proper mold material for your application.

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Making An Epoxy Mold For A Life Size Slimer Prop

Making An Epoxy Mold For A Life Size Slimer Prop

Creating an Epoxy Mold from an Oil-Based Clay Sculpt

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Casting A Life Size Silicone Slimer Prop

Casting A Life Size Silicone Slimer Prop

Creating a Lifelike, Soft Silicone Slimer Sculpture

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