Quick questions about ballistics gel

[icesplice]

Hi guys,

First off, love IM. Like most of you here, Im doing my best to make my dreams and stories take flight, and was hoping some of you out there could give me some quick advice.

I have a short film I'm making, and I want to use the technique shown on IM for making a fake hand with ballistics gel.

Here is my question. How long will ballistics gel last for? Can I make my fake hand up a week before the shoot, and be confident that its not turned into a bloody mess the day of the production? As I am doing alot of this myself, I would like to have things like the hand prepared beforehand.

Also, Im making a arm to match my actor. His arms are hairy. I was wondering if anyone had to deal with matching a hairy arm to an actor. Any ideas/techniques on how to add hair to a BG arm?

Thanks in advance for your answers, and I cant wait to show you guys what I have come up with...

IM forever!

-Icesplice

[icesplice]

27 reads and no comments?

Buller?

[Skycarl]

Not sure about the longevity question but I had a thought
on the hairy arm idea. After applying the liquid latex and
base foundation make-up, you may want to try a tacky spray
adhesive like artists use to apply the hair.
If you know someone who has a dog, you may have found a
good hair source.
My dogs are changing their coats right now and I have enough
hair around here to make a dummy bigfoot.

[Mario1]

If u keep the hand in the fridge it will be ok ;) o ye and if u add a drop of oil in the gelatine it will be ready in 3 hrs (the usual time is 4 hrs) so u save 1 hour....

o ye after 4 days in the fridge if u touch the balistics gel it will brake .... so u have 2 hold in the fridge 1-2 days max ;) if u want u can reuse it ;) just re-melt it in hot water and freeze it again

[Steelersk36]

Hey guys--

I'm working on a project for school and wanted to know-- does ballistics gel melt/deteriorate after a while outside of a fridge? You see, my teacher said we couldnt use jello because it melts, is ballistics gel any different in this regard?

[Steelersk36]

Anybody? Running out of time on my project.....

[icesplice]

Keep the gel cold at all times!
The warmer it gets, the floppier it goes.
I just shot my hand in a 40 degree day (in Aus), and after 30 min, it tore and became a mess.

Hope that helps. I'll post a pic if I can work out how!

[icesplice]

http://www.acroyear.com/pools-of-blood/hand.jpg

Let me know what you guys think!
Thanks Erik... Could not have done it without you!

-Icesplice

[Fisherking]

Know anything about punching hair?

[icesplice]

Hey Fisherking...
Looks like we are in the same area!

I tried punching hair into the gel arm, after giving it a latex skin, but the hairs fell out. You would have to anchor them in with some sort of adhesive. Spirit gum may do it. I would make the latex skin as thick as possible. Im no expert, I just tried things out.

Hope it helps...

-Icesplice

[Fisherking]

That's a good point, yeah -- ballistics gel wouldn't have the adhesion.

Might be worth starting to work in silicone. You can get Platsil Gel-10 from Barnes (just outside Richmond station). It creates a tight seal around the hair -- you can still pull it out, but you're unlikely to do so by accident.

Looks good anyway. We'll have to meet up sometime.

[icesplice]

Have not used Platsil Gel-10. I tried to go Indy Mogul style. Even then it cost me a small fortune! LOL

-Icesplice

[Fisherking]

Gel-10'll set you back $80 a kilo. To paint it, you'll want to get a tube of Wacker Elastosil, some delimonene and oil paints. You thin down the Wacker with delimonene (to water-like consistancy) and pigment it with oil paints. Do thin coats only. Lots and lots of very thin coats.

It's expensive first off, sure, but having a prop arm lying around is invaluable. As I understand, it only starts to degrade after 15-or-so years.

[thebutcher_ofmary]

the ballistic gel made out of Unflavored Gelatin is not real ballistic gel. It will start to melt persay within the heat, or if any kind of liquid gets on it. Another thing is , I keep my gels in the fridge for multiple days, it won't crack unless you have a cress or a hole that was poke or made after chilling. A quicker way of doing the whole mixture is, mix your gel quickly, Then microwave for 2-4 minutes, then stir, get out the bubbles on top, then chill for 2 hours, then reheat again for same time and then chill again and it will be ready. I don't trust any of this for hands or arms, unless you add another substance to keep its hold. Now as for hair, EASY! Get your mold to form, then take it out with your hair ready, then get a hair dryer, and blow your mold till a little bit melts, and then start adding your hair, and then get an ice cube to get your mold back to chill quickly so that the hair stays.

[moesboy]

if i had the hand not in the fridge for about 15 min and then put it back in would it be fine? I'm doing a project on safety in the food industry and have to transport it to an industrial kitchen.