$10.63
DESCRIPTION-> Click "Learn more about this item" for article & instructions!
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This is a clear copolymer which can be used as a molding putty at quite low temps (150 to 170 F), or as a pourable liquid at 200 to 220 F. It can be used over and over by remelting it. It is quite low priced when you consider it can be reused. Because of its transparency you can see the object you're molding and whether there are bubbles near the object if you're using it liquified. You can turn up the temperature or insert a wire into the rubber while liquid to pull bubbles away from the object. In order to do that, it needs to be poured into a glass container such as some old drinking glasses, or other glass containers from a thrift store so that the glass is cheap enough to be expendable by breaking it to remove the solidified mold with the object embedded without stressing it.
This is similar to the mold making vinyls (PVCs) that have been around for many years but have much higher temperature requirements necessary to melt than this molding rubber. They start melting around 265 F and are liquid enough to pour at about 325 F. That PVC type has a higher tear strength than this mold rubber but also a much higher price and the requirement that it can only mold objects that can withstand 350 degree temperatures. There are several new clear meltable mold materials that have come along but none that have the economy of this one. It's most practical to use it for relatively small objects somewhere around the size of a quart or liter (with some projections if you please).
This rubber begins to melt at about 150 F and is pourable at about 200 F. The melt temp determines the viscosity of the melted rubber, at 220 F, you have a quite pourable rubber viscosity. You can take it higher than that to get lower viscosity but not to the point where it starts fuming or you degrade the rubber. Obviously, the object to be molded needs to withstand 200 to 220 F+ temperatures.
As a putty there are a lot more materials that can be molded since the temperatures are lower. The putty method works best with one sided molds.
If you are molding something with a high degree of detail or severe undercutting, you may want to make a multi-piece mold because this has lower tear strength than silicone rubber. You should study the object to see where high points or ridges are and trace parting lines around areas that will remove easily from the object.
Since this mold material is transparent it's very well suited to the "mold cutting" method of mold making for multiple piece molds. Basically, you make a one piece mold by totally enclosing the object you are molding in the lower center of the container that will hold the molten rubber with a pre-drilled and attached wire or thin wood dowel rod. You put chunks of the rubber around the object in the glass container in an oven and take the temp up slowly. When the rubber is at 200 F wait for any bubbles to rise. As mentioned above there are several strategies for removing air bubbles.
One additional method is to have your mold container tall enough so that you can tip it at different angles so any bubbles at that angle will rise (without spilling your liquid rubber). Just open the oven and reach in with gloves and shims. 200 F is not that hot. Do that for 3 or 4 angles. When done, remove the container with embedded, molded object from the oven to cool (or just allow the oven to cool). When at room temperature, lower the container into a trash can by holding onto the wire or dowel rod and tap the glass with a small hammer until the majority of the glass container is removed from the mold. Peel off any remaining glass with gloves and a screwdriver or knife.
Using the tracing of parting lines you made on the object or just by observation, start making cuts with a scalpel having disposable #11 blades (those can be found at jewelry making materials suppliers like Rio Grande). These cuts form the parting lines for the multiple piece(s) of the mold. Make them shallow and zig-zag for the first cut and at a slightly different angle on second cuts and finals. Tease the rubber away from the cut as you go so you can see where you're cutting, so the cut will be clean, and will be away from any stray fingers. There are whole courses geared towards cutting rubber molds. It is an art and a science. Most often cutting of molds is done with small objects like molded jewelry, but I've used the technique with much larger molds. You do need some experience when you're cutting larger, more complex molds. Start out simple. Read up or watch a video on the internet about the subject of mold cutting.
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Nov 27, 2024
The clear mold rubber is made of high-quality material and I love that it is reusable.
katienorthcutt2