If you want to make a copy of an object yourself, make a mold of the object. A mold of an object, which is good enough to produce similar duplicates, can be made yourself without requiring any special skills. Objects of any size, weight, and shape can be molded. Perform the following simple steps to create a mold.
Step
Method 1 of 3: Designing the Container
Step 1. Consider the type of mold needed:
one part or two parts. If the object you want to duplicate has one flat side, make a one-sided print. If the object you want to duplicate has a three-dimensional shape, make a two-part print.
Step 2. Measure the length, width, and thickness of the object
There is no other way to find out how big the container is, except by measuring all the dimensions of the object.
Step 3. Make a box, to form a mold, according to the results of measuring the dimensions of the object
Boxes can be made of any material. The edges of the box must be tight and airtight; seal it with clay or a material that resembles clay or clay.
- Make a box based on the measurement results of the dimensions of each object which is added at least 2.5 cm. The addition creates space for the mass of the mold.
- Cut the foam board to make two walls as long and two walls as width, taking into account the thickness of the object. Cut a rectangle, the appropriate length and width, for the floor of the box.
- Glue the four walls as well as the floor with super glue to make a box. Again, if it's not tightly glued to an airtight seal, the resulting print may not look good or even fail.
Method 2 of 3: Making the Mold
Step 1. Prepare the object to be molded
How to make a mold varies somewhat, depending on the type of mold being made:
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If making a one-piece mold, glue the flat side of the object to the floor of the box with a loose-fitting adhesive to prevent the mold-forming material from seeping into the gap between the flat side of the object and the floor of the box.
Use modeling clay instead of "Insta-Mold"
- If making a two-part mold, cover the floor of the box with clay. Press the object against the clay until half the thickness of the object is immersed in the clay. Try to make the surface of the clay as smooth as possible before doing the next step.
Step 2. Make the mold-forming rubber dough according to the instructions on the product packaging
Alternatively, you can also use reusable mold-forming materials. There are various types of mold-forming materials. So, seek information first before buying a particular product.
- Mold-forming materials made of latex are an inexpensive and easy-to-use option despite their long setting time.
- The RTV silicone rubber mold forming material can be used to mold any object.
- Reusable mold forming materials cannot be used for printing requiring high temperatures. However, this material can be re-melted to be used to make molds of other objects.
Step 3. Prepare the surface of the object you want to make a mold
Carefully and neatly apply a thin layer of mold-forming rubber mixture to the surface of the object, especially in the grooved or highly detailed areas, to ensure that the resulting mold matches the original object.
Step 4. Pour the mold-forming rubber mixture until the box is completely filled
The object being molded must be completely submerged in the rubber mixture.
Let stand according to the time stated in the instructions on the product packaging or until the rubber dough has completely hardened
Method 3 of 3: Removing the Mold
Step 1. Unpack the box
Remove the floor and all four sides of the box from the hardened rubber surface. Lift the object from the rubber mold. Mold ready to use! To make a two-part print, read the steps below.
Step 2. To make the second half of the two-part mold:
- Unpack the box. As a result, a mold is formed which consists of one half in the form of mold-forming rubber and the other half in the form of clay.
- Remove the clay carefully, not to damage the rubber beak.
- Using a hobby knife, punch holes in the surface of the rubber mold, in a pyramid shape, at 3-4 points. The pyramid-shaped protrusion that later forms on the second half serves to ensure that the second half is properly attached to the first half when the two-part mold is used.
- Create a new square, measuring the length and width of the first half and of sufficient height, to form the second half.
- Place the object in the box with the printed side down. Make sure everything fits snugly and tightly so that the mold-forming rubber mixture doesn't seep into unwanted crevices.
- Apply a thin layer of Vaseline or mold separator material on the surface of the mold where the rubber mixture will be poured so that the two halves of the mold do not stick together after the rubber mixture hardens.
- Pour the mold-forming rubber mixture until the box is completely filled. Let stand until the rubber dough hardens. Unpack the box. Separate the two halves of the mold. Two piece mold ready to go!
Tips
- The box can be made of any material that can be used as a mold-forming rubber dough container.
- To put things in a box, consider how the two halves of the mold will be joined together. Also, consider how the object will be lifted from the mold. Usually, the best position for placing objects in the box is on their backs so that the rubber mixture will later be poured over the face or back, rather than the top or bottom, of the object.
