Molding

[Blade Carbonics]

Without getting into too much gorey detail, i've been looking around and it seems like there isnt any clear cut how-to for molding, I get the basics, and thorugh watching instructional video via youtube and smooth-on i've gathered a few techniques. I am not a fan of expensive online ordered material. So my question is, if I sculpt out something with intentions to cast it in latex or resin, is plaster an acceptible medium? If not, what. (minding I don't like ordering mold material online, (I like stuff I can get at a moments notice at Home depot/lowes/walmart etc.). Could someone point me to a thread or help me out with this?

Thanks

 

[BedlamX]

From what little I've done with molding (except for latex and silicone facial appliances...done a bunch of those in my time), plaster should work fine for latex and any other pliable material. The thing about using it for resin and other rigid materials is that it is a pain (at least for me) to de-mold the final product. Even with a good mold-release agent, I just can't seem to get rigid pieces out of a rigid mold without a lot of cussing and a good deal of damage to my cast or product.

I have used some rather cheap and "down and dirty" materials to make molds for rigid pieces, though. Cheap silicone caulking from the hardware store can be used for quite a few things. I doubt it would last through very many pulls, but it has worked pretty good for me for one or two pulls of small pieces. I've also made molds out of wax, clay, and even hot glue sticks by melting the stuff and pouring it over my sculpt. Again...not very durable, but I have always gotten multiple pulls from the molds.

From my limited experience, it seems the key to a good mold for rigid items is flexability of the mold. When I have the cash, I try to use silicone to get the details and a plaster bandage "shell" to help it keep it's shape. The bandages can be removed so you can get the item out of the mold by peeling it off. Then put the shell back on and store it or do another mold. Probably not exactly the best way, but it's all I know and haven't had problems yet, so I'll stick with what works for me for now . By the way...this also works well for alginate face and head molds to get yourself a good likeness to sculpt appliances on (and I have done that a lot ).

Hope this helps a little and others who know waaaayyyyyyy more than I do will chime in with better tips. Mine are just my cheapo, whiskey-tango ways of getting things done on a tiny budget .

 

[SterlingMedal]

If you need to you can check out my thread 'molds'.

It's got a very helpful link to youtube that shows what to use and how to use it, but from what you've already said you've probably already seen the vids.

Still, it's worth the look.

 

[Uratz]

I just got Mark Alfrey's Standard molds and casting DVD which covers both silicone and plaster mold making as well as casting in resin. Its the basic concept of how to build a mold and what material to use that will help you. The rest you actually have to figure out how to build a containment wall to properly to record your sculpture. This is why there's no one way to do something. It all depends on what you're molding and what the end result you want, whether its a hard resin prop, or soft latex, silicone appliance or a lifecast - the list goes on. So Molding something is a big subject - I've bought tons of books, looking thru ADI's AVP books/dvd featurettes to find pictures with them doing the molding process. Good Luck

 

[Faken]

The problem with the silicone from the hardware store is that it takes forever to cure and absolutely REEKS.