mikecheck1212 Posted October 8, 2012 Report Share Posted October 8, 2012 Ok....so I have been thinking about making my own plastics for some time now...but have not started...i have been searching the forums but cant seem to find the answer i am looking for..first off..what is rtv (cant search for it because it is only 3 letters)...and are there any instructables on making a home made mold out of plaster of paris or something better?...i am at point a in the process, and i think the first thing to do is to learn to make molds...buying some would be cool too, but i have some ideas and want to try some stuff out..that leads me into my next question...best way to design a mold...would you guys suggest modeling clay as the best material to use?...i know i can do some google searches too, and will, but i figure i might as well ask some people who have tried this before...i know this website has been around for awhile, so im sure this question has come up numerous times, i just cant seem to find it...any info would be great (links or personal experience)...i do appreciate the help, and do plan on following through on this hobby...thank you very much... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vodkaman Posted October 9, 2012 Report Share Posted October 9, 2012 Go to the forums page and scroll down to 'knowledge base' and select 'soft plastics how to'. I found several PoP tutorials, a resin and an RTV (Room Temperature Vulcanization) tutorial, all on the first page. A one piece mold tutorial and a mold box tutorial on the second page. If you want more, select the 'hard baits how to' for more ideas, it is the same process really. Have fun. Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikecheck1212 Posted October 9, 2012 Author Report Share Posted October 9, 2012 coo...thanks vodkaman..ive been watching alot of videos via youtube and theres some cool stuff there as well..now that i know what rtv stands for i can search some of that too...preciate it... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikecheck1212 Posted October 9, 2012 Author Report Share Posted October 9, 2012 ok..so i poured my first molds using the following video...havnt made it to the plaster of paris part yet...just messing around....i figure some trial and error is definitely neccesary to be able to have a complete understanding of the whole process...but i also dont mind learning from others mistakes...being new to this i dont wanna invest too much just yet..plus i have a 2 week old whos diapers are more important than my personal hobbies..so what i did and plan on doing for the first few pours is just using old plastics ive been saving for awhile...that'll get me through the whole making a mold process..once i have that down i will be investing in the plastisol, coloring, glitter and so fourth...anyway cant wait to drop the kid off at school tomorow and sneak out for an hour and try these plastics...i would post pictures but dont know how to.. couple things that happend...1..lotsa flash..gotta figure out a way to make the initial mold flat to prevent from that..again at this point i am still in the oven baked clay part of the process and havnt started making the molds with the plaster of paris yet..im following the steps according to the video..and what he does is to first make a mold with the clay...and pour a few worms..than use those worms to make the mold with plaster of paris.. 2nd...noticed some air bubles on the second worm i poured..this again was recycled plastic and this one actually contained glitter..not sure if that had something to do with it...all the air bubbles were on the exposed side of the pour...any tips on how to prevent this would be greatly appreciated or any tips about anything would be cool too...thanks for the help and as soon as i can get pics up i will do so.. link for the video (which i found on another thread) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peque Posted October 11, 2012 Report Share Posted October 11, 2012 That vid is a great baby steps in to the mold makin...he makes a pour on top mold, very easy and inexpensive.... ill pm u later on how i made mine using pop and epoxy on a 2 piece mold.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
finesse1331 Posted October 11, 2012 Report Share Posted October 11, 2012 I have made about 15 or so molds out of plaster of Paris and out of resin.I can say that I am pretty strict on my mold making, I like to have nice clean molds that have straight sides so I dont get any kind of flash or crooked edges. I usually glue my plastics down to the container with either some super glue or double sided tape, I also like to mix my plaster so that it is a little more thinner than pancake batter, I feel I get better detail when the plaster is a little more on the liquid side. Once my molds are set I let them dry for about 2 days to get all the moisture out, they will seal alot better if completely dry. I like to take a exacto knife and clean up the edges before sealing. I use Devcon 2 ton epoxy,it is great for some molds,if I have a mold that has alot of grooves,appendages and what not I use Elmers glue mixed with water. If you have any questions you can send me a message,I will help out any way I can. Good luck with your new hobbie. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikecheck1212 Posted October 13, 2012 Author Report Share Posted October 13, 2012 hey thanks for all the help..dont get mad if i pm you guys for some info..hahaa...luckily today i found a microwave in the alley that works so i dont have to melt in my house and run to my garage... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikecheck1212 Posted October 14, 2012 Author Report Share Posted October 14, 2012 another question for those making theyre own molds...what would you say are some must have tools you feel like you need to make your molds...from the clay part (special tools or sculpting) all the way to the actual mold making part...being new to this i figure over time i will find things that i need so am start REALLY basic..any suggestions on what would help me make better molds? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vodkaman Posted October 14, 2012 Report Share Posted October 14, 2012 Clay is a good idea, but don't limit yourself. Masters can be made from just about any material. I have made masters from several different materials, wood, metal, plastic, filled with bondo and coated with epoxy for a smooth finish. Sometimes removing the master from the new mold is a problem. I get around this by making the master in several parts, especially appendages, by loosely pinning them together. The first few pours are for creating one piece sub-masters and the original mold can be stored away until next needed to make more sub-masters. There are very few rules for mold making, it is all about imagination and common sense learned experience. As for clay modelling tools, I did buy a cheap set, but I usually end up making tools for the job. It has been many years since I touched clay, I prefer the other materials. Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikecheck1212 Posted October 14, 2012 Author Report Share Posted October 14, 2012 ok..i see what youre saying about different materials to use...i went with clay only because it seems like it would be the easiest to work with...for now...not sure how u work with metal and wood but i may assume you probably have some other tools to go with those...i think wood would be pretty good too i just do not have any wood working tools as of yet... on a side note i think some sandpaper would be in order...i just baked a piece of clay to make a sorta simple swimbait but its still very rough...i think if i had some sandpaper i could smooth it down a little more...see, the learning has begun...i figure since i cant get the details i really want with the clay, i may be able to make a rough draft, bake it, then work it a lil more once its in its solid form....right now tho imma have to just grind it on the side walk..haha.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vodkaman Posted October 14, 2012 Report Share Posted October 14, 2012 Yes, I have a man cave full of tools. When I started, I was working abroad, in Sweden, living out of a suitcase, so I understand working with minimum tools. The first tools that I bought were simple, sand paper, box cutter, modellers tenon saw, side cutters for wire, long nose pliers. My first power tool was a battery dremel, for drilling and sanding operations. These tools were for making crank lures, but it gives you an idea. Do what you can with what you've got. Buy tools when the need arises. Try to anticipate the needs or work comes to a halt. I know that is why you asked about recommended tools, but only you can answer that question because there are many ways of making molds. Two paragraphs of reading and I probably haven't helped you at all! Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikecheck1212 Posted October 14, 2012 Author Report Share Posted October 14, 2012 good advice is good help...youve given me some ideas already...thank you sir Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dj thrillz Posted October 18, 2012 Report Share Posted October 18, 2012 on a side note i think some sandpaper would be in order...i just baked a piece of clay to make a sorta simple swimbait but its still very rough...i think if i had some sandpaper i could smooth it down a little more...see, the learning has begun...i figure since i cant get the details i really want with the clay, i may be able to make a rough draft, bake it, then work it a lil more once its in its solid form....right now tho imma have to just grind it on the side walk..haha.. Thats what needs to be done for sure. When you first start messing with the clay, try to get as close to the actual shape as you can before baking, saves a lot of time sanding, chipping away, etc. The beauty about clay modeling, is you can always add more to it and rebake And you can get plenty of detail into them, if you are willing to put in that kind of time. On one of my original creations, I made a master of the general shape I wanted, and kept it as is. Coated it with epoxy and made a silicone mold out of it. Then I made some resin submasters, and created the scale patterns or any other details I wanted on those. When I was happy with one of them, I just coated the resin sub with epoxy and then made another silicone mold from it. The sky is the limit Imagination is where it starts. Just be careful, too much imagination becomes really pricey.... Thats my problem lol. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
