Home made molds

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bruce119

bruce119

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Joined
Jul 30, 2007
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Franklin, NC, USA.
I thought this mite help someone. Here is a picture of my molds I use now. They are made from a smooth Polly (cutting boards). I tape them with duct tape then put a bead of "Goop" on the inside seams and push it in and smooth it out with my finger. It drys real fast never had a leak comes rite off my finger and doesn't stick to the mold. I use polyester resin the molds clean rite up when done I just use the sticky side of the old tape wipe over the plastic the sticky picks up and residue left then wipe it down with acetone.. Then there good as new ready to go again.

pcb03.jpg pcb06.jpg pcb07.jpg


Thanks
Bruce
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stevers said:
Great idea. Does it use more resin than ness? Is there a reason you keep the medias so far apart? Is that so the blanks can be used for larger pens?
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The finished sized slab I get is 5-1/2x6". These are made for maximum fit in the HF pot. They are spaced 1" apart. Remember there is a 1/16 kerf on my saw. I don't what to take chances with those particular blanks. The empty space that is in the corner. I fill with a scrap piece of resin from an earlier batch and keep using it over & over. For that particular blanks I think I pore 12 oz. of resin. Could maybe cut it back a little & maybe squeeze another blank out of it. But it would be a LOT more costly to have a mishap than to use a little more resin. I always make just a little more resin than I think I need. If you throw away 2 oz yes your waisting but if you come short 1/2 oz. You just lost a lot more was it worth it.
 
That answers my question about the huge void space. What's the blue end pieces? The square sticks do what? You have the tubes filled with what to weigh them down and how do you stop them from moving side to side?
 
workinforwood said:
That answers my question about the huge void space. What's the blue end pieces? The square sticks do what? You have the tubes filled with what to weigh them down and how do you stop them from moving side to side?
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The end pieces are rubber corks I got off eBay do a search for (small rubber corks body piercing) there great. Just a little large for 7mm but you can grind/sand them down a bit to fit. There cheaper then cork and reusable if your careful the PR does not stick to them. The square sticks are Popsicle sticks cut in half and CAed to the end to provide the rite hight. I pore in steel BBs I got from Wally World. I haven't had one leak the rubber corks are great I don't glue them in just push them in with a twist. Then when I get them in the mold I put a drop of Goop on the bottom of the popsicle stick to keep it place. Otherwise they move around when you pore the resin. I also tilt the mold form side to side with the resin in to help release trap air. That is why the molds are higher than needed. I hate a mold that you have to fill to the tippy top makes it very hard to handle.

I think I answered those questions. Keep the questions and suggestions coming. This is why I posted hopefully I will be able to help others. I spent a lot of time working out some of these techniques. And perhaps I mite pickup some tips as well.

Thanks
Bruce
 
workinforwood said:
Ok, so now the resin is poured, the corks are completely surrounded..how you going to retrieve them?
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I will answer this first just trim the end off exposing the rubber cork. I use an awe slip it in-between the resin and cork break the seal. I do this on both sides and the cork pops rite out just a wee bit shorter.
 
KenV said:
Much better for production work than the 3/4 inch holes I bore into 2 by stock for individual blanks.
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Even a better thing about using the duct tape. Take a look at the molds the tape that holds the sides on. I haven't changed that in about 10 casts now. All I do is slit the corners remove the corner tape open the mold pop out the slab clean it up leaving the old tape on the sides. then close it up and just put a new piece of tape on the corners. Now one note the PR will soften the adhesive on the tape making it gewy. After taking the slab out just set the mold aside to air out 2-3 hours the adhesive drys up and it's good as new. The longer your mold airs out after you take the cast out the easier it is to clean. :wink:
 
I do almost the very same thing. I get cut-off pieces of 1/4" HDPE from my local plastics supplier.
 
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