So I stumbled across a new method for making pack texture. It looks better to my eye than any spray texture I’ve used before and is much easier to do. Also it probably seems more likely that something like this was done with the original packs (since they were made from fibreglass) as opposed to a spray texture.
I had some spare gel-coat which I decided to stipple on one of my reject shells. The results were pretty good:
I’m sure with the right technique you could get the texture looking pretty darn close to the original texture.
I know a lot of people believe this but I think it’s just a fan opinion that snowballed and became canon. I haven’t seen any definitive proof of it. Even the most skilled foam carvers would struggle to get details that machined and clean, and it would be more of a hindrance than a help.
Also, some section you can see nail and pin marks, I doubt anyone would want to nail things to a block of foam.
Just standard black pigmented gel-coat that you can get anywhere that sells fibreglass supplies.
I would believe the foam theory more than the gel coat theory.. as there are lots of places on the pack that are smooth, and if the gel coat were all wrinkled.. it wouldn’t be that way.
It’s not the layer of gelcoat as it came from the mould. My shell castings come out smooth. I did this by stippling on additional gelcoat with a brush after it had been pulled.
Seems like a better option to me than spray texture though.
Maybe a fairly soft brush, the one I used on this shell was a little hard bristled, which is why I think there are a few too many pits. Have some regular resin on standby too, in case the gelcoat is too thick.
