Rhino
Super Moderator
It all started back in June of 2015. Watching Forrest Gump put me in mind of making scale Shrimpin' Boats. The final few scenes of Overboard intrigued me with the USCG Point class 82-foot WPB. I wanted models of these vessels and I wanted another income source. What-to-do, what-to-do? 
The rest is history!
I wasn't planning to begin this thread for a while yet. We aren't quite to the 9th anniversary yet. Still, I had to plan something special to commemorate this milestone. A suitable premium to present to board members and repeat customers alike. What-to-do, what-to-do?
In 2010, I asked an old friend that made a hobby of carving woodland critters for sale at the flea market, to carve a thoughtful Raccoon smoking a big, fat, stogie for me. Dave finished Rick Raccoon and presented him as a birthday gift that same year. (NOT Ranger Rick!) I was DELIGHTED!
Every board member, most of my friends and all my customers know Rick. He runs the TLAR Models show. He's a good listener, and even when things don't go well, he is respectful and reserved with his employees. He is depicted sitting on his island, by the ocean on almost every TLAR product.
Before I fell out of favor with Mike, he asked me to mold and cast Rick. As a member of the TLAR Board, I considered his idea carefully. Since my buddy Dave "Took his trip up to Heaven", I am hesitant to disassemble Rick and take any chances with his hand-painted finish. What-to-do, what-to-do?
The TLAR "Ron's Bunnies" set was mastered in epoxy putty, with the same woodland critter theme of Rick Raccoon. (and a similar fat stogie) What a mess that made, and then sand/shape the cured Milli-put? Sheer folly! What-to-do, what-to-do?
It bothered me that Rick wasn't doing anything with his right hand. Remember now, that Rick Raccoon is 14 years older than he was when Dave gave him to me. Why not give him a frosty beverage of unknown content to hang on to?
I've never mastered anything out of sculpted clay before. I bought some pure, sulphur-free clay a while ago to make 2-part molds. Would it react with the RTV mold rubber? Would it be a messy bastige to remove it form the mold?
Why not try it? I put the new raccoon's head and cigar in the mold with Francisco's 1/72 scale rescue boat to try it out.
This first casting is a sacrificial part, to be shaped, filled and sanded to a less bear-ish looking shape. The more raccoon-ish it becomes the farther away from the original Rick's look it gets. We cain't have that!! I asked the little raccoon "What are ya in for Kid?" He had no comment.
Sculpting clay takes a sharp eye and gentle touch. I am little out of my element with larger subjects and no blueprints. The "gentle touch" is an acquired skill.
At one point the new raccoon's body got REALLY chunky. It might have been brave, humorous and fitting to do a "body positivity" fat Rick Raccoon with a huge beer belly and a giant caboose, but I just couldn't do it. The new torso and tail will be cast in liquid polyurethane plastic, cleaned up, sanded and remolded as an LPP Master for a second go round of molding for the finished, final figure product.
TLAR Models 10th Anniversary Rick Raccoon "less raccoon, more cartoon" head, cigar and bottle and the clay torso sculpture are almost ready for mold RTV.
Lots of work to do yet.
In other news,
Cap-Holder-O-Matic's 9-year old mold is starting to "chunk". Bits of RTV are pulling out with the castings. Cured castings are acquiring lumps and bumps. They will be remolded to remain a favorite item, among TLAR-ians of all ages body shapes and vintages.
Thanks for looking in!
The rest is history!
I wasn't planning to begin this thread for a while yet. We aren't quite to the 9th anniversary yet. Still, I had to plan something special to commemorate this milestone. A suitable premium to present to board members and repeat customers alike. What-to-do, what-to-do?
In 2010, I asked an old friend that made a hobby of carving woodland critters for sale at the flea market, to carve a thoughtful Raccoon smoking a big, fat, stogie for me. Dave finished Rick Raccoon and presented him as a birthday gift that same year. (NOT Ranger Rick!) I was DELIGHTED!
Every board member, most of my friends and all my customers know Rick. He runs the TLAR Models show. He's a good listener, and even when things don't go well, he is respectful and reserved with his employees. He is depicted sitting on his island, by the ocean on almost every TLAR product.
Before I fell out of favor with Mike, he asked me to mold and cast Rick. As a member of the TLAR Board, I considered his idea carefully. Since my buddy Dave "Took his trip up to Heaven", I am hesitant to disassemble Rick and take any chances with his hand-painted finish. What-to-do, what-to-do?
The TLAR "Ron's Bunnies" set was mastered in epoxy putty, with the same woodland critter theme of Rick Raccoon. (and a similar fat stogie) What a mess that made, and then sand/shape the cured Milli-put? Sheer folly! What-to-do, what-to-do?
It bothered me that Rick wasn't doing anything with his right hand. Remember now, that Rick Raccoon is 14 years older than he was when Dave gave him to me. Why not give him a frosty beverage of unknown content to hang on to?
I've never mastered anything out of sculpted clay before. I bought some pure, sulphur-free clay a while ago to make 2-part molds. Would it react with the RTV mold rubber? Would it be a messy bastige to remove it form the mold?
Why not try it? I put the new raccoon's head and cigar in the mold with Francisco's 1/72 scale rescue boat to try it out.
This first casting is a sacrificial part, to be shaped, filled and sanded to a less bear-ish looking shape. The more raccoon-ish it becomes the farther away from the original Rick's look it gets. We cain't have that!! I asked the little raccoon "What are ya in for Kid?" He had no comment.
Sculpting clay takes a sharp eye and gentle touch. I am little out of my element with larger subjects and no blueprints. The "gentle touch" is an acquired skill.
At one point the new raccoon's body got REALLY chunky. It might have been brave, humorous and fitting to do a "body positivity" fat Rick Raccoon with a huge beer belly and a giant caboose, but I just couldn't do it. The new torso and tail will be cast in liquid polyurethane plastic, cleaned up, sanded and remolded as an LPP Master for a second go round of molding for the finished, final figure product.
TLAR Models 10th Anniversary Rick Raccoon "less raccoon, more cartoon" head, cigar and bottle and the clay torso sculpture are almost ready for mold RTV.
Lots of work to do yet.
In other news,
Cap-Holder-O-Matic's 9-year old mold is starting to "chunk". Bits of RTV are pulling out with the castings. Cured castings are acquiring lumps and bumps. They will be remolded to remain a favorite item, among TLAR-ians of all ages body shapes and vintages.
Thanks for looking in!
I hope no smart SOB is trying to fill it! 
