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Making Molds : 101 |
With some practice molds can make PERFECT copies. Not
distinguishable from the originals. No visible loss of detail, even for very
detailed parts. The technique is both useful for scratch-building vehicles,
figures and kits, for copying them or for making diorama items (e.g.
Cobblestone or concrete, paving, monuments, gateposts, ornamental stone
carving, etc.
Here's the making of a simple mold to copy a few of my ammo boxes on 1/15.
If you want to make a pallet of ammo crates, there's no need to make all
boxes individually. You make one, copy it. If you don't like the hassle of
pouring resin all the time, make several at once.
I ALWAYS have a mold of ammo boxes sitting on my workbench when I work with
resin. Whenever I use resin to cast something, I poor the rest into the ammo
boxes mold. By the end of the year, you have dozens of ammo crates made with
leftover liquid resin you would have thrown away anyway. Hardened pieces of
resin, miscast stuff, etc... I break into pieces (with pliers) and use those
as filler. Thus you use not so much liquid resin for the same result.
To start making a mold, select a container. In this case, I use a small
plastic drawer of my bits and pieces box. Make sure you have about a
centimeter around the original at all sizes. Thin walls can break your mold,
thicker walls are more difficult to de-mold and are just a waste of
expensive silicone. To make it fit snugly; I often make tailor-made
containers with styrene (make sure there's no seems or holes, they need to
be water-tight!) or with Lego.
Don't just place the originals in the box. When you start pouring silicone,
your original may start floating, thus ruining the mold - and sometimes
ruining the original. Therefore make sure you stick the original to the
bottom. Mostly, I cut a piece of styrene to size and place the original(s)
on that.
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