Body Double® is a long lasting platinum-cure silicone rubber that can be applied directly to the skin to make molds of the face, hands and other body parts. The rubber cures quickly and will reproduce perfect detail from any original model – far better detail than any alginate!
Starter kit contains all supplies needed to make a mold and support shell of a moderately sized area of the body. Includes trial size Body Double Silicone, 2 rolls of 4″ width bandages, Body Double Release Cream, mixing sticks and containers. Read TB and MSDS Before Using.
Features
Body Double® will last for many castings of almost any material including plaster, Matrix® Neo®, wax, resins (Smooth-Cast urethanes, polyester, etc.), low temperature melt metal alloys, etc. The amount of Body Double® used per mold is less than most alginates, so the cost per mold is about the same. Body Double® is odorless and is ACMI rated non-toxic and skin safe.
Body Double® “Fast Set” for fast turnaround. Working time of 90 seconds and a demold time of 7 minutes*.
*Depending on material temperature, ambient temperature and body temperature – see “Preparation” below for details.
Instructions
Store and use Body Double® at room temperature (73°F / 23°C). Warmer temperatures will drastically reduce working time and cure time. Storing material at warmer temperatures will also reduce the usable shelf life of unused material. This product has a limited shelf life and should be used as soon as possible. Wear safety glasses, long sleeves and rubber gloves to minimize contamination risk.
Safety – We recommend that you do a small scale test on the back of your hand to ensure that you have no allergic reaction to the release preparations or mold rubber. If you notice any type of skin reaction, do not use this product. Body Double® is safe for skin application only – it should not be ingested. Do not use to make molds of the inside of the mouth. You can make molds of a smile – parted lips with teeth exposed, but closed together.
Life casting is best done with at least three people. You will be working with materials that set up quickly. One person is the designated model and the others will mix and apply mold rubber and support shell.
Cure Inhibition – Contaminants on the skin will cause inhibition. Prior to applying Body Double® Release Cream, skin should be clean and free of make-up, cosmetics, skin creams, oils perfumes, etc. Do not apply rubber over skin coated with an aloe-based product, as this will cause cure inhibition. Do not use latex gloves. If using a bald cap, make sure it is latex free.
Because no two applications are quite the same, a small test application to determine suitability for your project is recommended if performance of this material is in question.
Body Double® will not stick to skin but it will “mechanically lock” onto skin hair including facial hair, eyebrows, eyelashes etc. Body Double® Release Cream or HYPER-FOLIC® release additive (see below) will minimize mechanical lock. Also, you can shave the intended molding area prior to applying Body Double®.
Body Double® Release Cream (available from Smooth-On) is a non-toxic skin conditioner that will aid in releasing Body Double® mold rubber from skin surfaces with or without hair. It washes off with soap and water. It is highly concentrated, so a little goes a long way. To use, wash intended body section with soap and water and dry thoroughly. Liberally apply Body Double® Release Cream to all skin surfaces (bare and hair covered) that will contact mold rubber. Take special care to aggressively massage and work the cream into and over body hair. Body hair not thoroughly coated with release cream will become encapsulated and stuck in rubber which will be difficult & painful to remove.
HYPER-FOLIC® Release Additive is a non-toxic, skin conditioning liquid that is mixed with Body Double® silicone mold rubber prior to applying rubber to the skin. HYPER-FOLIC® will not only aid in releasing cured rubber from the skin but will also release cured rubber from hair-covered skin surfaces (closely cropped beards, moustaches, eye-brows, pubic hair, etc.) See the HYPER-FOLIC® Technical Bulletin (available at www.smooth-on.com) for more information.
Storage Of Unused Material – Leave static mixing tube with cured material attached to cartridge. To use again, simply replace static mixing tube.
Body Double® “Standard Set” is available in larger units (quarts, gallons, etc.). Mix ratio is 1A:1B by volume. Dispense equal amounts into a mixing container and aggressively hand mix, making sure that you scrape the sides and bottom of your mixing container to attain a uniform color and eliminate any color streaks. Apply to skin with soft bristle brush.
Optional: For initial layer or “detail coat”, rubber can be thinned for easier application with Smooth-On’s Silicone Thinner. Apply to skin with soft bristle brush. Subsequent layers can be applied without thinner.
Add material as necessary – Body Double® sticks to itself, so adding more rubber is not a problem. Add new material as soon as possible. Be careful when adding new material to cured material – carefully “marry” sections to minimize seam lines. Final mold thickness should be ¼” – ½” (1 cm). Let material cure fully before applying support shell.
Gypsona® Plaster Bandages (available from Smooth-On) remain the industry standard for making a fast, strong support shell. After Body Double® rubber has cured, brush a thin layer of petroleum jelly onto rubber mold surface to minimize chances of suction or mechanical locking of rigid support shell. Wet and apply bandages over rubber mold surface, following contours. Bandages dry in 15 minutes and can be removed from rubber surface.
Demold Rubber From Body – Slowly peel rubber away from skin surface. If you encounter encapsulated hair that is stuck (did not get enough release agent), you may have to slowly cut the hair with scissors. Be careful not to cut your skin or the mold rubber.
Removing Body Double® Release Cream – Make-Up Remover will work well. Apply to skin and then wash area with soap and water. Baby oil will also work, but may leave a residue on the skin.
Casting – Seat rubber mold into support shell before casting. A release agent is not necessary when casting most materials. If casting another platinum-cure silicone rubber,use Ease Release® 200. If casting resins, let rubber cure at least 60 minutes before casting. Store cured Body Double® rubber mold in support shell for best results.
Data At-A-Glance
| Mix Ratio By Volume | 1A:1B |
| Mix Ratio By Weight | 1A:1B |
| Specific Gravity | 1.17 g/cc |
| Specific Volume | 23.7 cu. in./lb. |
| Pot Life | 5 minutes |
| Cure Time | 20 minutes |
| Color | Purple |
| Shore A Hardness | 25 |
| Tensile Strength | 525 psi |
| Die C Tear Strength | 40 pli |
| Elongation @ Break | 500 % |
| Shrinkage | <.001 in. / in. |
| Mixed Viscosity | Brushable |
