A while back I offered my services on this forum.

[tauruck]

Step 53.

            You have now post cured your mold overnight or according to the manufacturers spec. Remove the mold from the box. If you used a thin wood or cardboard just break it away. The cured rubber should come away easily in both cases. Heavy built boxes can be dismantled or use a paint scraper to separate. Yuo should now have the finished product sitting on the table.

 

[tauruck]

Step 54.

              Working from one end of the mold "Carefully" pull the two sections apart. You are going to think they are stuck together but remember that they are a perfect fit. Go slowly and if you do have a section where the Silicone has adhered just use a blade or hobby knife and gently cut until the mould pieces start releasing. All things being equal, if you prepped your first side properly you should have no problem splitting the mold. The moment of truth. Mold is open. Perfect. No problem.

 

[tauruck]

Step 55.

               Time to remove the originals. Best part of the job. It/they should pop out with no problem.

 

[tauruck]

Step 56.

             Time to clean. Immerse the mold in warm water containing some green dish washing liquid and use an old toothbrush to thoroughly clean the rubber. Do this properly. After washing rinse with water and let dry. Lastly there might be some areas where you need to trim some excess rubber. Use a hobby knife but I have found that a scalpel is best for this. Good ones come in various sizes but I like sizes 3 and 4. There are many different blade shapes and without this tool mold making is tougher. Safety tip. Use an old wine cork as a scabbard. Scalpel blades don't take prisoners. In this pic you can see that some of the sprue holes need a trim. The two halves are together and ready to start working. On the mold built for this tutorial I would suggest using two blocks of wood to create even pressure when clamping prior to pouring. Any material can be poured into a Silicone mold and no further release agent is needed. On pouring white metal you will need graphite powder to coat the wall of the mold. This gives the final product a nice finnish and helps to prevent crystalisation of the rubber after repeated use. In all honesty, this is the first Silicone mold I've done in years. It turned out good and thank you all for your patience. MazdaDrifter, the moderators. I appreciate the opportunity.

 

[Lacost]

Hi Tauruck

This was brilliant thanks for sharing this with us.

 

[Mazdadrifter]

Thanks a million Mikey.
This is amazing. Will you show me how to do the Graphite Powder "cover", please?

 

[SAfish]

Another awesome tutorial. Great stuff. Thanks.

 

[pietman]

Well done. Baie goeie bydrae en gaan baie hengelaars baie help

 

[tauruck]

pietman wrote:

Well done. Baie goeie bydrae en gaan baie hengelaars baie help

Hier's nog twee vir MazdaDrifter, Mini molds soos ek se. Hulle gaan die "treatment" nou kry. Ek sal n' paar pics opsit as hulle eers klaar is.

 

[Mazdadrifter]

Thanks Tauruck.

You are the man!!!!

 

[Homie]

Great work !!!

Thanks Mikey !

 

[tauruck]

Half way.

 

[tauruck]

.

 

[tauruck]

.

 

[tauruck]

Last two moulds. MazdaDrifter, jy moet kom haal boet.

 

[Mazdadrifter]

Ek maak so dankie Tauruck.

 

[Polychaete]

I've just finished my mould for a spoon I have wanted to copy for some time. This post was perfectly timed as it provided some valuable additional information. I used different silicone, Smooth-Sil 950 which I have been told can withstand higher temperatures. I have done this before, but this was a particular finicky job as I made a double cavity mould, but had only one sample spoon.

It is currently in my wife's oven to "post cure" and have to get it removed before she gets back, otherwise I'll have no more use for the spoon!

As soon as it comes out I'll post a picture.

Then put some graphite in the cavities and run a test.

I need some used electric fence wire, SS @12mm can anyone help?

 

[tauruck]

Is that 12mm or 1,2mm?

 

[Polychaete]

hehehe, happens sometimes. 1.2mm, I think that is the standard size they use. I was once given a lot and only kept a few meters as I have enough "junk" in my garage...........

Still waiting for the oven while listening for the wife's car

 

[tauruck]

Polychaete wrote:

hehehe, happens sometimes. 1.2mm, I think that is the standard size they use. I was once given a lot and only kept a few meters as I have enough "junk" in my garage...........

Still waiting for the oven while listening for the wife's car

I'd give you some but you're too far. Go and cut a piece out of the neighbour's fence.... I used the oven for worse stuff than that. Mommy got rid of the stove. Let's say it was epoxied. I had a roll of prepreg Carbon fibre worth R20,000 in the chest freezer. She claimed it stank and took it out. She left it against the workshop wall for me to find. I had been out the whole day. Sitting in the sun all day the epoxy cured the Carbon. I had a cylinder a metre long and about 120mm wall thickness. You could use it for a barrel on a tank gun. Luckily I never actually paid for the roll. It was a few weeks over it's "Use By Date" when it was given to me.