Daimyō, Edo Jidai -- Pre-prep: Molding Interlude

The arm is now bedded in clay and the mold frames should be up by the end of the day. The timing is just about perfect, as I can check everything tomorrow, and maybe even pour the first half of the mold, though I have that scheduled for Friday. Regardless, the mold should be finished by the end of the weekend.

On the reference front, I am awaiting the arrival of my copy of Armures du Japon: 100 pièces sélectionnées dans la collection de la Fondation Kōzu de Kyōtō, edited by Robert Burawoy, from whence our subject's helmet was taken. I have admired this reference from afar since it was first published in 2005, and I am very much looking forward to spending some quality time with it. Even if the helmet in question is given a rather short shrift, there is the amazingly spectacular Mori gusoku gracing the cover!

UPDATE - 03.08.2012. . . Just completed pouring the second half of the mold! As my day is pretty much spoken for tomorrow, I will demold tomorrow night or Sunday. . . and if the gods are in good humor, I might have a casting for the left arm by the end of the weekend. . . ! 

FOLLOW-UP - 05.08.2012. . .Or not. . . The mold came out great! It was the first-time using a Smooth-On RTV silicone product, so I had some newbie jitters; but it was all for naught! However, my slow-set casting resins had all given-up the ghost!! The best that can be said is that the trial casting I made indicated that once I get fresh resin, I can proceed with the project with nary a worry.