I've been working on a mold like this- good to know I'm not just nuts ^-^

It's really so much less unpleasant than carving them!

I am SO going to have to do this, I absolutely HATE carving feet. D:

What material did you use for your glove mold? I've yet to see this method for feetpaws, ad my curiosity is strongly piqued. I wouldn't mind trying this :3

My oogoo silicone! My old tutorial explains the material and process of making both molds. I will be redoing these older tutorials when I have the opportunity to do then with a more recognizable animal than the next few things I need to mold.

Thanks Mordue! I might have to experiment with this later *bookmarks*

I am so glad that you are making these how to/tutorials! =D
It is always nice to have reference.

It's the execution that makes my work stand out, not my methodology, which is actually rather straightforward. It also helps my customers know exactly what they're paying me for!

It is appealing to be able to mass-produce feet like this, but I'm unhappy with the weight of cast foam shoes (heavy feet make the performer tire way more quickly)- have you figured out any way to combat this?

This cast foam is virtually identical in weight and texture to upholstery foam! It may be just a smidge more rigid, but it's definitely not weighty in any sense.

Hm, maybe it's a different kind than what I've seen/felt before? That's cool though! I'm actually fixing to spend all day sculpting foam feet, I'll be a little jealous of your method while I'm neck deep in foam wedges.

Expanding foam comes in different weights, I'll bet your experience was with one of the heavier densities. This is very light, I'll actually get a weight in a bit if I can find my postal scale.

Ahh, that makes sense! Now I really wish I could use chemicals and things for casting ;o;

I'd love to know too! We have a shop where we live that sells these kinds of materials, but the lowest density we could find still would have made feet that were a couple of kilo~

I weighed it, after hunting for a 9v for my stupid scale. One paw foam plus sock interface weighs 6.4oz, so they're pretty equivalent to using upholstery foam with much much much less waste.

It looks like the foam Monster Makers sells is 2 lbs density. Which is lighter than any expanding foam I've personally ever used and probably even a bit lighter than the upholstery foam I use. I'd almost lean more towards worry that it's TOO light and soft XD

I was worried at first too, and almost ordered a higher density (I was looking at the 5#) from Smooth-on. This stuff is nearly a match for upholstery foam, both in texture and density. If anything, I think it may be slightly more dense even. I think it has to do with the fact that it's mixed and poured in small batches, not huge ones like the upholstery foam is. My smaller pours (i.e. when I'm testing a mold's capacity) do not get as much expansion as larger pours.

Chemistry is fun!

Haha yeah I never get the stated expanded amount either XD

I'm glad it's not just me, I was worried for a little while that I was doing something wrong.

I have a crazy dislike for feetpaws , hnng. I think it's all the carving. I can't stand carving out those toes all the dang time O_o. This seems like a really awesome method. Earlier I was talking to a friend about how nice it would be to cast feetpaws LOL. xDD BINGO! *points to tutorial* Thank you for sharing this one :3.

It's not best for things you'll only use once, but common things like felines or canines it's super!

haha for sure! Carving 50000 billion "common" will drive anyone into insanity >:(.

My only concern with this is durability. In my experience, expanding foam is rather hard, and brittle. If you bend it it breaks. If you put pressure on it, it deforms. So I question how much abuse these feetpaws can take before they start crumbling and losing their shape. If one mis-step, stumble, or fall will cause these to be permanently deformed, then I can't bring myself to do feetpaws this way. I know how hard on feetpaws fursuiters can be, especially dancer furs, or the one's that have a large number of "adult beverages" at conventions (you know who you are, lol). So any information, images, stress tests, etc. that you can explain or link me to, I would greatly appreciate it. Because, just like Sushi said:Carving 50000 billion "common" will drive anyone into insanity >:( ^_^

Are you thinking of Great Stuff or something? The expanding cold foam stuff is perfectly squishable and flexible like upholstery foam.

Maybe? I don't have a great deal of experience with expanding foam. The only expanding foam I've ever worked with turned rock solid once it set. It wasn't "foam" like at all. It may as well have been concrete. Mayhaps I need to just work with more varieties.

Suggestions?

I'll let Mordrude answer that, I've never used it- just handled and worn it.

It sounds like you're thinking of the type of "expanding foam" that comes out of a can that you use in construction and repairs for sealing gaps and stuff. Expanding foam like this is basically the same thing that those squishy stress balls are made of.

This is flexible expanding foam, not rigid! The texture and squishiness are virtually identical to upholstery foam, if just a tiny bit more dense.

So what can/jar label do I need to be looking for? I see yours says "Soft polyfoam". Should I be looking for this? Or should I just be focused on dentisy/finish weight, or what?

I can only speak for the material I have experience with. Overall you're looking for a 'flexible expanding foam' though.

*nodnod* Ok. I"ll have to play around a bit with this material, and see what I can find out! ^_^ Thanks for all the info!!!

That is handy

I should REALLY try this when I save up money for the casting materials.. I hate carving feetpaws SO much -.-... But, out of curiosity, about how much would it be to save up for the oomoo silicone, ultracal/plaster bandage, and the expanding foam? o.o And if ever casting resin (for any reason), which would you say is the best to get?

OH, and would these work for dancer furs like myself? Because I'd love to be able to not be hindered in movement while dancing or moving around a lot.

Oh no no no, it's Oogoo, not Oomoo! The silicone is made from silicone caulk and corn starch, so it's quite inexpensive, but it requires a lot more physical effort mixing it and laying it than Oomoo. Ultracal and the foam mix will vary depending on where you get it and whether you get it in bulk like I do. I just use burlap strips dipped into Ultracal, but you could use any natural fabric made into strips, as it just forms a lattice for your mold. I've used T-shirt material in a pinch!

I use Smooth-on 300 series resins exclusively, they're nearly idiot-proof and you can get 'trial size' bottles, which tend to make about two heads worth of supplies (base, jawset, claws).

Ooooooooooh xD Sorry I got confused. Thank you for clearing things up o:

Nice tutorial thanks.
What density foam do you use and how much the do the feet weigh once cast?

I believe this is either 2# or 3# density, and one foot weighs 6.4oz according to my postal scale.

Thanks for the reply

Lovely tutorial! I had plans to use expanding foam like this for footpaws. I'm glad to know it's been done before and will actually work! :D

This is really the best 'innovation' I've used, it makes making footpaws a little more bearable.

Very neat! Do you have different foot molds for different size feet?

This is my favorite part: My husband's size 13 men's foot fits into this mold, and due to the way this process works, any smaller feet will fit as well, and perfectly! I've got these feet as compact as reasonably possible, so they don't look huge even on smaller people. The only real downside is I need a foot DTD to work from, so I can't just make a pair from measurements. It's a trade-off I am happy to take though.

I've seen this done for heads before. Thanks for the foot version!

I've been thinking of picking up some of the Monster Makers foam! I've used the Flex-Foam 3 from Smooth-On, but I wanted to try something even lighter to make dragon tail blanks with. I'm happy to see that you're recommending the Monster Makers foam; I'll definitely order some and play with it.

Wow, great idea!

Fun fact- if you use a urethane based rubber for your pawpads and a urethane based expanding foam, you can bond the two during the expansion process for an ironclad bond :D

Really? I should experiment with urethane rubber then!

just dont let it get on your skin X.X

Ugh, seriously. The only thing I hate about working with chemicals is the potential for burns. Smooth-on 300 might as well be labeled LAVA WHEN MIXED.

lol i havent actually burned myself handling curing 300, but i've been handling curing chemicals since i was like.. 8 XD ALWAYS HAVE DAT POT O ICEWATER ON HAND YO

Urethane and skin(Well.. MY skin) don't get along. Or rather, they get along like israelis and pakistinians. ESPLODE!

GL with the urethane casting. Feel free to hit me with a note w/ any Qs if you have any

Ohhhh oh my dear, you have no idea how much better you just made my life.

I know how much better it made mine!

I do have a question. I was a little confuzzled abaout "inverting the DTD" do you mean just turn it inside out?

Yep, that's pretty much it!

Uhhho. XD I'll sure take a whack at this!

i have always wanted to do something very much like this!

and unlike my acrylics it doesnt need the soon to be realized vaccume chamber!

also...unlike my acrylics it requires a much more ventilated area :I

Does this method work well if i were to use shoes?

I don't see why not, though you'd obviously not get quite as compact of a foot. Not that I need to tell you!

I definitely want to work with this foam now. I kept seeing people make stuff with expanding foam but I thought it was the rigid stuff. I do have a question though, What kind of glue sticks to this? Will hot glue work or do you have to use spray adhesive or some thing else?

I don't use hot glue, I have no idea. E6000 works like a charm though!

I have E6000 too so I guess I can experiment with both. Thank you!

Do you have a tutorial on how to make the "feet" mold?

It's just a basic glove and mothermold combo. I've got the process linked from my tutorials page under my older account, but I will be remaking both of those tutorials in the near future with updated tips and instructions.

Okay, thank you :)

fantastic! finally a way to get passed all those teeny tiny foam wedges that fill the room haha, im guessing this will mean starting off with a clay model to make your mould from? just like if i were to cast a head?

after trying the flat pack footpaw method i must must try this one too.

So that's how you do them :) It's really interesting. Thank you for sharing it!

i want to invest in some of this expanding foam stuff because it looks amazing. but i don't know how do the actual mold part and do you know of any tutorials for mixing/measuring the two parts?

i meant to add more to this lmao hurrdurr
what is the texture of this foam? does it feel like upholstery foam? does it break like Styrofoam? it looks like it will but idk lol :(

Check out my head base mold tutorials, because it's precisely the same procedure I use on the other molds too. They've got all the mix ratios there for you!

This stuff's a little more dense than sheet upholstery foam, it kind of feels like the foam in a car/truck seat (not sure if you've ever felt one without a cover though). Still plenty squishy, but it resists being deformed under pressure a bit more that the sheet foams. I like it!

thank you ^_^ i think i found a new thing haha

Major D'oh!

I feel so "stupid"!! I've known of spray insulation foam used in autos for decades, I had no idea of using this poured foam you have in a mold for making foam heads and feet paws!

Even for supposedly "one use" it's always good to use this to make the foot paws perfect rather than misshapen carvings. Carvings come out so badly for me.

Perfect the original, make a mold, pour the foam, and the result is for me would be a thousand fold better!

I didn't know that bit about the plastic wrap. Interesting I've been wanting to do this for a while now. This gives me a better idea of what I could do. Out of curiosity does it matter what kinda sock you use? Like could you use a lycra sock instead?

I've used thinner socks (mine were bamboo rayon) with success, it's just nicer for the wearer to use something that will absorb the foam but also provide a thick enough barrier so the foam doesn't seep all the way through.

Ah cool thank you

two questions i have ^^
Would I be able to use shoes instead of socks?
And do you have any tutorial about how to make a footpaw mold to use?

What brand of expanding foam did you use? And would it be good for masks?

I'm incredibly busy with commission work and my book project, but when the book is finished it should be able to help you all you need! https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/.....monster-manual