Reynolds Advanced Materials – Boston

I had a fantastic experience here. The staff were very knowledgeable about what I was trying to do and helped me find exactly what I needed. The manager went so far as to give me some hand drawn directions. Great store, great people, I will be coming back.

Smooth-​on obviously has a lot of very great materials to use for most casting & molding needs, even though it is a bit too pricey for my taste! The only real issue I am having with this location is that their customer service is not too pleasant! The only advice I have is that they should try to be a little more friendly trying to sell these pretty expensive art supplies.

This place really is fantastic for your molders, casters, artists and special effects workers. Recently, I took on a sort of space armor project and was recommended by friends to use Urethane Rubber. I went to Reynolds with basically no plan and only the most cursory knowledge of their products. I was told exactly which platinum silicone to use for the molds and was given sample of the different densities of Brush On rubber to choose from. Being rather noncommittal I chose 50. I got my mixing stuff, my ease release, my pigment and was on my way.
Well the silicone (Rebound 40) was fantastic. It’s easy to use, easy to clean and makes a fantastic mold. However, the urethane rubber just didn’t want to cure. I followed the directions to the T, talked to 3 different people at Smooth-​On and all but gave up. I went back to Reynolds this morning and explained the product did not work and was hoping for a replacement. Normally, they check lot numbers and everything then get back to you if it really is faulty but I am in such a rush and leave tomorrow for the event that the woman (Suzanne) called her boss and let me have a loaner gallon (yes, a loaner GALLON) to get me throw the show. I get to work and mix it up to make sure this one actually does cure.
It didn’t. Ok so it’s me, I’m definitely doing something wrong. I call back Reynolds, talk to Suzanne and she walks me through step by step what I SHOULD do and what I DID do. Half of the stuff was not on the instructions at all and I never would have guessed to do it since the silicone was hardly difficult to work with. I tried it, it worked! She tried my original batch, and that worked too! So I still need to pay for my loaner since it’s mine now but I’m going away so I ask if it’s ok that I pay them next week. SURE. They were totally ok with it and I’m going to go pick up my original gallon and pay for the new gallon next week. I’m so happy with the service I can’t even contain myself. THREE people at smooth-​on and non of them could tell me to mix part A and part B separately before mixing them together and to do a double mix in another container? They even got snippy with me when I pleaded for someone else with maybe more hands on experience with the actual product. Suzanne is awesome. She massively knows her stuff! I will never not shop from here.

When art supply boutiques like Blick and Utrecht just don’t cut it, this is your place to go.
Reynolds sells pretty much every synthetic casting and molding substance known to man; if it’s not in their storefront, they have it somewhere in the back. They sell resins, plastics, rubbers, primers, pigments, seal and release agents and so on. They also have a ton of models on display so you can get a sense of the weight, firmness and base color of the casting material. Both women who were working there when I visited were extremely knowledgeable about casting, which is a huge plus when you’re trying to pick out your materials (this stuff is expensive!).
The one thing I can ding this place for is its hours; 8:30 to 5, Monday through Friday is pretty much impossible for anyone who at least works a 9-​to-​5 job. That being said, it seems as though a lot of their business is handled online, so you can order your materials via their website — you just lose out on the hands-​on models and advice a store visit will give you.

Right… so sometimes one needs to venture out of one’s comfort zone of our rabid organic/​natural/​environmentally obsessive everyday state and embrace the world of plastic and silicone. (???) I needed to make a base for a lamp that was clear and I couldn’t make it out of glass (they look at you funny if you ask to use a kiln and you’re massively pregnant). So I turned to the next best thing that I knew was clear: the world of plastics and silicone. I heard about this place from a friend of a friend and got excited when it turned out to be within the distance of the MBTA (monthly pass trumps massive shipping charges). So off I went.
It’s a bit out of the way in an industrial (?) part of Brighton, full of warehouses and oddly marked businesses that seem to cater to primarily other businesses. Once you enter though, it’s actually really friendly. There are molds and casts everywhere, in different colors, shapes, and textures. I think everything that you can possibly make based around the concepts of molds and casts is represented in their store. After glancing at the well made pretty (at times odd) things I was very quickly approached by Andrew (who wasn’t wearing one of those obnoxious name tags with the store name branding him like cattle!). I explained to him specifically what I wanted to accomplish, what I was using, and quickly apologized for not knowing whether the mold or the cast came first.
He led me step by step through all of the steps that I needed to take, starting from the beginning, using mostly layman’s terms. I probably asked for clarification on some points at least three times, to which he patiently gave the explanation to without making me feel stupid. After we figured everything out, he made sure all of my questions were answered and I was all set to begin and complete my project in the comfort of my apartment (without the judgmental kiln people). I paid and after glancing around some more left with my odd new bottles of synthetic compounds in my reusable bag to wait for public transit.
Price wise, this place is pretty decent. I bought two bars of clay, mold material, and cast material for $ 70. Once you’re past the learning curve and know what you’re doing, are thinking about producing on a fairly sizable scale, prices get lower as the amount of product goes up. As with any hobby, price is a direct correlation of how serious you are about said hobby. They don’t overcharge compared to what I’ve seen online, and provide you with great support when you go to the store. They know what they’re selling very well and are excited to share it with you. I was also advised by Andrew to check out their website (lots of FAQs and tutorials) and their youtube channel (they actually make a cast and mold of a naked girl!!! HOT!!!). This is also the place to get everything you need to make a super scary realistic Halloween mask/​bodysuit/​extra limb if that’s your fancy. Overall, very comprehensive place whatever your casting/​molding project may be, coupled with great service. YAY!