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Post by traud on Apr 15, 2010 19:27:10 GMT -5
Ray,
You mentioned in a thread else where on the forum about shorter length flock for mego guys. Is this going to be something that you are cutting or is cutting different length flock a big pain in the arse?
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Post by Ray (Flock Man) on Apr 15, 2010 23:11:48 GMT -5
Yes, it took me about a month to get my cut right and I don't even want to think about the blade cost from mistakes I made, so since it's pretty cheap to buy shorter flock in basically similar colors I think I'll go that route. See I had to learn everything from scratch with really no knowledge of what I needed to do or buy so my cutter, while being the price of a good pre-owned car that was a rather big ticket item to me- is really a lower end outdated piece of equipment by today’s flock making standards. I figured if it was good enough to cut flock for Joe back in the day it would be good enough to reproduce Joe-like flock for repairs/reflocks. On that I was right, but trial and error can cost. On the up side, being able to do what I set out to do was and is awesome to me and for the most part worth and headaches that went with it. On newer machines it may be a matter of turning dials, etc., but for me it's adding washers and shims and God help you if you get a tangle or a dull blade on the blade barrel. Real short you can get at Dollrestoration, 1mm at Donjer or Vandyke, and longer 3mm or more from either Christmas tree making websites and train sites. So my thought was to try and use all the sizes on a Dragon or Cotswold resin type heads and do some customs that are more life like. Even a Mego head may work using multi sized flock. Say, using a Bruce Wayne type head and for the sideburns and bottom back hairline using the very short flock and then move up the size scale until the top hair is 3 or more mm. Then with some trimming you should get a pretty realistic effect. It will take some doing, which I am learning while trying to flock a “Save the White Tiger” -Tiger. It takes weeks to flock all the black strips and weeks more to flock the white. So far I haven't been happy enough to post any pics, but will one day. I think flock the tiger using the short 0.030 flock powder (white) will end up being best because the stripes will be seen through the white flock. Like everyone the "TO DO" list builds everyday. This is not a complaint really because I know people who do nothing other than go to work, come home, and then eat dinner- then off to bed and do that same thing day in day out and have no interests.
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outpost13
padawan Step 1
Flock Concepts Member!
Posts: 41
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Post by outpost13 on Feb 20, 2011 16:26:19 GMT -5
I have a flat top joe I liked to have reflocked with longer flock on the top & shoter flock on the sides & the back. is this something you could do?
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Post by Ray (Flock Man) on Feb 20, 2011 19:30:21 GMT -5
Sure can! I can use 2mm vintage size for the top and 1mm for the rest. The shade of color will have a slight difference because of the sizes, but our own hair tends to do that also when we cut it. Ray Flock Concepts
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outpost13
padawan Step 1
Flock Concepts Member!
Posts: 41
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Post by outpost13 on Feb 21, 2011 22:29:13 GMT -5
I think I'll send him in..sounds cool.
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Post by Ray (Flock Man) on Feb 21, 2011 23:13:19 GMT -5
Awesome! Just click the Paypal link under Flock Services! Remember save yourself some trouble... you don't have to take the head off the neck post. If you do I suggest using a steamer method. I use this to make heads soft for removal, but only because I happened to have one around here (it's also how I raise humidity levels in the shop when needed.) You could basically do the same thing with a pot of boiling water and a basket or large spoon with holes in it (a piece of screen can work too). Under the cover is a tray. I put the heads in there and in about 20/30 seconds the head is soft. I figured on using this because I've read that nylon flock fiber can melt (being plastic or stick together) at 195 to 265+ degrees and water boils at 212 and you can't be sure that your not above 212 in the water. I figure why chance it, at least with the steam I get a better result and seem to have more control on getting the heads in and out quickly. Something to think about at least. Ray Flock Concepts Attachments:
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Post by Ray (Flock Man) on Feb 21, 2011 23:18:51 GMT -5
Mine is not as pretty, but works the same way. Attachments:
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Post by traud on Feb 23, 2011 9:14:40 GMT -5
I've been using a rice steamer but it take forever. This is now and has been a long and dry winter, it is 30% humidity in my flock area and after 2 hours of steaming it rose to a whopping 50%
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