Complete Figure Mold/Cast - All Parts (Shoulder joints struggle)

Complete Figure Mold/Cast - All Parts (Shoulder joints struggle)
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Custom WorkstationMy goal is to be able to disassemble a 3.75" figure completely down to the ball joint mechanism being disassembled. I feel comfortable that I could do everything except for the joint mechanisms (like the ankles, double jointed knees, and shoulders). Any advice on how to break these down to make molds of every little thing? If I could take a character such as an AIM soldier, Skrull soldier, hand ninja, etc.. and completely break them down and lay the pieces out and create a mold for an entire figure, I could cast a whole army. The joints are my major stopping point.
Alternatively, if there are any good places out there to buy these Marvel Universe 3.75" type joints from, I'd probably buy a big bag of them (something reasonably priced of course. The point here is to save money in the end).
Thanks for any advice guys!
-Mark

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User Comments
Thor on eBay
If you're planning to cast the joints in a casting resin, two problems arise: brittleness and softness. While casting is great for heads and body parts, if the part being cast is too small, the resin has great difficulty hardening properly, and often remains flexible and tears easily. Even if the joint hardens, the cast of such a small part will be extremely brittle, and will break off fairly easily with enough force.
The best, but most expensive solution is to buy joints as you mentioned earlier. Another route I'm currently exploring is finding a specialty casting resin that is durable, but slightly flexible, such as the plastic on an existing figure. That said, I have yet to find one that I'm confident in, as these specialty resins tend to be somewhat pricey.
Hopefully this saves you a lot of time and effort, and good luck with your custom!