2 Types of Silicone Mold Fails

[@ElizabethBrittBBsButterfly]

I have had similar problems. From what I understand about the water and silicone, it depends on the brand. I have used the same brand as you, but mine held together. It has been about 6 hours since I set the molds aside to dry. I will check them in the morning. I did use more dish soap than you did, and i kneaded it for quite a bit longer. I also watched a lot of videos about this. There is even a professional artist who uses the water and soap, and it worked very well for her. I watched another video where an artist just pored the caulk out and pushed his pieces he wanted to mold into the caulk and let it cure for about 2 days. That seemed to work as well. The whole thing with the soap is that it is only a lubricant so that it doesn't stick to you. For the caulk and the corn starch, I understand that you need to add oil to make the mold flexible. My first attempt also cracked. I only left the oil out because I was reading somewhere that the oil will eventually sweat out of the mold. I don't know much about that, but I am willing to try again with the oil. Good luck!

[@sarajanehaven]

I don't do resin currently but I'm interested in your mold making experiments cause you never know... I asked two tradesmen (carpentry and autobody) how they might solve your problem with the cab sticking to the silicone and they both say you need a release agent in your mold before you place the cab inside. Regular old Pam was suggested. I think I would spray on my fingers or a small brush to apply vs. spraying directly into the mold. You may want to give that a try with the cornstarch/silicone formula that seems more promising. Good luck!

[@tsummerlee]

I absolutely will if the model releases. I tried almost every kind of home made mold release, including cooking spray. the only one that worked was petroleum jelly. Thanks for asking for me. :)

[@gypsybarn7860]

I used the GE 100% silicone too and it failed. I think it's the brand honestly. 4 days later it's still goopy and wet. I saw different brands being used. I'm going to try those.

[@jayracz701]

These tubes hide the silicone 2 very well. It’s very small at the top of the tube. The 30min dry time is also a bad choice from what I read. Which is quite pronounced on the bottle. I saw 100% silicone and figured it would work.

[@robbin312]

i made all of mine with this soap method and it worked alot easier than the corn starch way. are you using 100% silicon? i used the cheap 3 dollar stuff from family dollar and only swished it for a couple minutes before form it into a ball and then put my item in that i wanted to mold. i made about 50 of them this way

[@pikeevans8559]

Ratios don't matter. It is more a feel thing. Not enough soap will let the silicone stick to your hands. Keep putting in soap until that doesn't happen.

[@bethgraham8342]

Hi. You need to add a lot more soap to your water. Use 1 cup water, 1/2 cup soap...depending on the amount of silicone you are using. 1 to 1/2 ratio, water to soap. The soap acts as a catalyst to set up the silicone and make the mold. As far as the silicone and cornstarch goes, you almost had it. You need to add just a little baby oil or corn oil, (for the amount you were mixing, I would use two or three drops), to the mix to make the compound elastic. Don't add too much oil or you will have an oily gooey mess. Try it again. Once you have it down you will love it and won't be able to stop!!! :)

[@tsummerlee]

Yeah, I'm thinking if the soapy water method actually worked, there wouldn't be so many wildly different recipes for it out there. I give up on it, but I'd be happy to watch a video of you creating a success with it. Let me know if you do. Same with the cornstarch method. Too many conflicting recipes.

[@MrSpikesterman]

you forgot to put some vaseline jelly first on your button and then you put the button in the silicone putty, the thing you forgot to do is put some corn starch on your wax paper and then your silicone and some more corn starch then mix it until it all nice and mixed.

[@jayracz701]

Yep does not look like it is going to work for me either. I used the same silicone as you. I did the soap and water thing. It is still gooey after 24 hours. I had to use two tubes as it is a big piece.

[@jayracz701]

I just dug the tubes out of the garbage. (They where left over from sealing windows). In very small print at the top of the tube is silicone 2. From what I read this is causing the issue.

[@carolr.7975]

The water is suppose to be ice cold and 1 full shot glass of soap

[@danybastelt8931]

much more cornstarch! and work faster. it works!!

[@abidingknack7013]

Two things I saw - contaminated water ( the "clump") and the wrong sort of silicone. Work clean, awake, and with 100% silicone.

[@katlyn2915]

silicone number 1 not 2

[@HistoryHighwithLisaMarrie]

It looks like you used the wrong silicone, mine didn't work with that either. If it says silicone II it won't work. Get the All Purpose one and watch the video tutorial by APG Jamie.

[@reymed1670]

I tried to don't work

[@ShiaNaturesFearie]

You got the wrong recipes. You need more soap and your constarch mix needed a few drops of sunflower oil or baby oil to make the mold flexible. :)