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Post by jerbear on Jul 21, 2023 11:49:54 GMT -5
I need to cast what I can basically describe as a five sided box. I have a handmade positive from which I want to make a silicone mold. It's going to use a lot of silicone for the empty part of the box. Is there a good substrate that I could use in this space to save on some silicone. According to my calculations, it will take a one gallon kit (64oz. a/64oz b) to make one mold and I need to make multiple, so I am looking to save some $$$. Any thoughts? TIA.
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Post by notoes on Jul 21, 2023 17:30:47 GMT -5
What I would do is get as close to the sides as possible when you build the box. Now as for shrinking empty space, you can add "fillers" to take up space. Anything can be used to do this - old molds that aren't usable any more, balled up aluminum foil, bad resin castings, failed 3D prints, rocks, or even inflated balloons. Just be sure to not get them close to your positive and know that you may not get them back out so whatever you use be sure it's something you don't care if you ever see again. I've been known to "recycle" bad castings and failed 3D prints in new resin castings when I have one that is fairly large and don't want to use up all my resin.
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Post by tlctugger on Jul 22, 2023 18:37:54 GMT -5
What I would do is get as close to the sides as possible when you build the box. Now as for shrinking empty space, you can add "fillers" to take up space. Anything can be used to do this - old molds that aren't usable any more, balled up aluminum foil, bad resin castings, failed 3D prints, rocks, or even inflated balloons. Just be sure to not get them close to your positive and know that you may not get them back out so whatever you use be sure it's something you don't care if you ever see again. I've been known to "recycle" bad castings and failed 3D prints in new resin castings when I have one that is fairly large and don't want to use up all my resin. Using just the odds and ends you describe, 15 years ago I made myself a filler to save energy and time with degassing. I charge a big 4-gallon pot to a vacuum sometimes a dozen or more times per day. I tossed all the chopped up junk in a big "cake keeper" plastic tub I had lined with a plastic bag, and added a cup of stale silicone. Once that sluiced in and cured I poured in a cup of Alumi-Res. And then I poured in another. So it wasn't free, but I just have a hunch with the volume the resulting chunk displaced over thousands of degassings it has paid for itself many times over in energy, let alone time saved. Plus it elevates the work in the pot so we can see if it's going to boil over without using a step stool. And it removes instantly if we have a tall piece to de-gas. |
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