Thread: Can I fill a latex mask with Great Stuff Foam?

Tweet

I used a gallon jug like for milk only mine was a pool chemical one and that actually worked really well in filling out the mask. I just screwed a 3/4" PVC pipe into it and didn't have any issues and it was on a semi violent moving prop that would have torn a wig head apart from what I've been told.

For the last two years, I have been putting styrofoam heads in my masks and then filling the gap around the head with expanding foam. I think it works great and makes the heads easy to change around or add led's. You do have to add the foam a little at a time and let it set up before you add more.

just buy one of those foam heads off monster-guts or go the a wig shop and ask if u could buy one

I agree with the foam heads crowd. I purchased 6 of them from MG this season and they worked out great. I used newspaper and masking tape to fill out any gaps and as previously mentioned they slip on to my pvc frames and stay there. No heads popped off this year.

I then used hot glue to secure the necks to any clothing.

You can even paint the neck to match the color of the mask you're using.

No more safety pins and crappy looking heads.

BTW thanks to Monster Guts for shipping me the last 3 foam heads a week before Halloween.

Hey all.. thanks again for a very informative thread of information!
I like the styro and paper idea. I am thinking styro and plastic grocery bags,
as they will not break down or draw any bugs through long storage as paper may.

~Smiter~

I've seen bunches of styrofoam wig heads at Hobby Lobby too

Just a thought...what if you used a "barrier " between the mask and the great stuff, garbage bag or aluminum foil as the barrier and filled it gradually ?

Thats actually not a bad idea. But I still don't understand the fascination of this approach versus a foam head. Being a guy that made around 50 great stuff foam skulls last year, I can tell you from experience that the stuff has a mind of its own. You think you are being super catious, then 10 minutes later you have to explain to your wife why you wrecked yet another T-shirt.

Alternatively, if you really wanted to give this a shot, I would say the cost over a large number of heads could weigh in. 1 foam head costs $4 and you could possibly get away with making a great stuff one for $2. So if you are making 5 dummy heads, is $10 really worth the hastle? No. If 50 on the other hand, then go for it.

But I think the best approach, hands down would be to make a mold for this. That way the great stuff foam never gets a chance to sneak onto your precious mask. But once again, from experience, figuring out the right size of the mold and proper application of the foam is a trial and error thing.

I just dont like the great stuff, mostly because I have worked with the real thing. 2 part urethane foam. Rigid or soft {nerf like}

Neat stuff is essentially the same sort of dimethalisocyanate polyamine chemical. How they keep the iso, separate from the poly until you press the go button is beyond me.. that is likely most of what you are paying for. And its lower density, lower quality than what you would mix yourself. about 2lb density.

With the 2 part polyurethane foam from smoothon, polytec, or a fiberglass place... line the mask with a garbage bag, have some sort of support shell scheme... premix the B component well before adding A component. after combining A & B....Mix until the chemical goes "Amber", {about 1 minute} continue mixing until it starts foaming, and feels like whipping cream. You get better results {less surface weirdness, on the part where you pour it into the mold} if you pour during the "cream stage". It should rise slowly for about 1 -2 minutes. If it rises too far, you simply hold up the garbage bag liner to keep it from spilling over. Once it stops foaming, and sets up firm. {it will be about 300F at this point} you can peel off the latex mask.

While working with great stuff, or polyurethane foam you should wear rubber gloves, and expect your clothes to be ruined. You could wear a tyvek "Devo" suit.. they cost like $4.. Airgas welding and safety supply places should have them.

Be that as it may.... Foam Wig heads might be your best choice. OR you could custom carve/cut some thick mattress type foam. Foaming is one of those projects... IF you have to ask too many questions... it may not be the project for you!!!!!!

Another option if you dont mind wieght..... "lightwieght" concrete. 'Lightwieght concrete' weighs only 80-90 lbs per cubic foot, instead of 148... The portland cement has a silly property that cant be avoided... a specific gravity of 3.14. Perlite {expanded sand, available at garden centers} makes a good lightwieght concrete. Dont even ask me to provide a mix design, as I cant figure out the specific gravity of perlite.. at any rate a basic volume recipe of 1 part portland cement, 4-5 parts perlite should work, with just enough water to make it "plastic", flowable, workable. A support shell scheme is definitely required.. and a garbage bag liner. A rebar, allthread, J-bolt etc could be embedded into the head, which helps when securing to frame "cross" later.

Great Stuff is so messy and tough to fill a mask up wth. I ended up ruining a good mask trying that one. Now I use foamheads only.