Cast Parts Fast Using Tree Molds And Gang Molds

What is a tree mold and what are they used for?
A tree mold is a way of arranging multiple parts into a single easy to cut and cast silicone rubber mold. In this video I demonstrate how to group parts together into a tree mold with the correct sprue and vent layout to ensure successful casting. You can group tree molds together into a gang mold to quickly cast lots of urethane resin parts.
Thanks to Silpak for providing the silicone rubber used in this video. I gave an incorrect product number in the video; the material is Silicone RTV R-3700-20.
Check them out at:
www.silpak.com
Here is a list of suppliers for the rubber, resins and waxes I use in my videos:
www.dropbox.com/s/kz6mhmf7v5v...
Do you have a project to suggest for the channel?
Here’s a .pdf with everything you need to know:
www.dropbox.com/s/pjb0l6fr7zj...
TIME STAMPS
00:00 How not to cut wooden beads in half :)
01:53 What is a tree mold? Attaching the parts to a center sprue.
03:28 Waxing the mold cases.
04:05 Attaching the vents to the parts.
06:05 De-airing the rubber and pouring the molds.
08:03 Opening the mold cases and cutting the molds.
10:39 Building a mold cradle and why a mold case is not a mold cradle.
13:08 Mixing and pouring resin.
15:03 Into the pressure pot to suppress bubbles!
15:37 Opening the mold and evaluating the parts.
17:04 Making a simple gang mold.
18:57 Assembling tree molds into a gang mold.
19:48 Hit that like button and thanks for watching!

[@RobertTolone]

Thanks to Silpak.com for providing the silicone rubber used in this episode. I said the number wrong in the video, it’s actually Silicone RTV R-3700-20.

[@annekabrimhall1059]

That clear rubber is going to make it a lot easier to cut.

[@annekabrimhall1059]

That was the BEST pour EVER!!!!

[@roninjotatan]

that clear silicone rubber from silpak is really cool.

[@IkerArroyoMoso]

I don’t have the words to express how much I’ve learnt from your videos. I’d like to say a big thank you for all the knowledge you share on your videos!

[@RobertTolone]

I’m so glad you find them helpful. Thanks for watching!

[@MyHumanExperience]

Mr Tolone, you just fixed a problem I have been struggling with for a few days. THANK YOU!

[@RobertTolone]

I enjoy using mental telepathy to help solve people's mold problems. 😊

[@thanson77]

@@RobertTolone It does seem like you''ve somehow set up a lessn plan that's juuuuust one step ahead of me.

[@markhills3922]

@@thanson77 I'm having the same expeience! I've been thinking of how to set up a tree mold. Thanks again Robert

[@EV4UTube]

Fantastic job, Robert. Thanks so much for clarifying the whole "Mold-Box vs Casting-Cradle" explanation. That makes a lot of sense. Excited to see your next project.

[@RobertTolone]

Thanks for watching. Those cleats will reappear in a video very soon (I hope).

[@jezfish1]

Nice one Bob, interesting to see how the resin fills up the cavities. Regards Jez

[@johndix6101]

What a statement I've got wooden balls 😆🤣 I could watch you all day

[@LOSThefner]

That translusent fill gave me goosebumps

[@RobertTolone]

Yeah, I liked it!

[@hombrebala_toys]

You're the Boss Robert! Thank you for sharing your experience and knowledge!

[@RobertTolone]

I appreciate that! Thanks for your nice comment.

[@joevano]

That translucent rubber was pretty cool!

[@RobertTolone]

They make a water -clear rubber I'm excited to try out soon!

[@damianpark236]

Rob once again I have been educated . Another ripper

[@RobertTolone]

Thanks Damian!

[@ArcticFlies56]

Bob, now this is really cool! I really like that semi transparent silicone. It makes pouring that much more fun plus it makes cutting them apart much easier too. Great job!

[@US-vy8up]

best show ever

[@terryaultman2339]

Excellent work!

[@tamsynmcnally8280]

Great video

[@tonyennis1787]

Good stuff, sir!

[@Artist_Kevin]

Thank you for sharing. I'm learning more than I thought I would need to know.

[@RobertTolone]

Glad you find my videos useful Kevin. Thanks for watching.

[@Jerry-67]

awesome tutorial .. Thanks Robert

[@treblam1]

Excellent.

[@jamesprise4252]

your channel is always helpful and well presented. Thank you for all your advice!!

[@RobertTolone]

So nice of you to comment. Thanks!

[@nehpetssdrawde8422]

Best videos on KZbin! Thank you, Robert!

[@RobertTolone]

Thanks!

[@KickapooNinja]

GREAT video! Lots of useful information here. Wonderful job man!

[@RobertTolone]

Glad you liked Kickapoo! Thanks.

[@dcocz3908]

Your skill and knowledge keeps me coming back. Those tips and suggestions I've been trying to remember from video to video

[@RobertTolone]

Thanks for watching! I appreciate it.

[@hectorgualterio7097]

Thanks Tolone!

[@kirosun]

+1 for the clear rubber

[@EJTechandDIY]

I really love your videos, Thank you for sharing your knowledge

[@RobertTolone]

Thanks, I appreciate you letting me know!

[@davidblythe3834]

Excellent videos Robert. I have seen rubber molds and resin castings but have never seen the entire process. It is one thing to hear how it works while looking at molds and castings but it's something else entirely to do it. Thanks for taking us on the journey. I like your diversity of casting challenges and methods to address the issues. Keep up the great work!

[@RobertTolone]

Thanks David! 👍

[@EvileDik]

Another excellent video! You would put professional video production companies to shame. As a possible content suggestion, I'd love to see a tutorial of your production pipeline and set-up for making workbench videos, and how you decide which segments to include and what ends up on the cutting room floor.

[@RobertTolone]

I get asked about that and also about a shop tour. But the truth is both my video production and my shop layout changes constantly so anything I show you now will probably change in the near future! One of my rules that I tried to live by is that every week I have to make at least one Improvement to my method of video production. That way it is constantly evolving and improving.

[@BIGJIM1934]

Nice work as always. My biggest gang mold is 109 cavity lenses for 1/8th scale model car headlights. It's similar to your button mold. Clear resin that takes 24 hours to fully cure and needs to be kicked off with a hot plate.

[@richh5038]

love the video. thank you. you need to make a zero clearance insert for your table saw. it will make a difference. i made one for mine

[@RobertTolone]

I know I should. Back in my old woodworking days I had them on my saw. Nowadays it's just one more thing I never seem to get around to. 😊

[@runin1wild]

👍🏼 Can’t wait to see how you use these parts on the next video! The anticipation is killing me! 🤦🏼‍♀️ btw John Wayne has been in all week Birthday special 👍🏼

[@gustavosanchez7945]

Justo el tutorial que andaba buscando desde hace mucho tiempo. Gracias por compartir. Saludos desde Mexico. He aprendido mucho en este canal.

[@RobertTolone]

Me alegra que lo hayas encontrado útil. ¡Google me ayudó con mi español!

[@glenfisher728]

Wooden balls mate ? Mine are steel . Thanks for the interesting tree mould , hopefully people will learn about venting from you using a clear silicone to show how the coloured resin flows . Stay well .

[@RobertTolone]

Everyone who has balls of steel are so damn proud of them! Mine are wood and you saw them unpainted in the video. Normally they're blue.

[@sonipitts]

​@@RobertTolone "Normally they're blue." *chokes on tea* Thanks. I didn't need those nasal passages anyway. 😂

[@RobertTolone]

@@sonipitts 😄

[@DavidClunie]

Hey Robert can you go over how you store your molds, do u store with the masters in the mold to avoid deformation over time? Do you store them in the open or in organizer trays? Just curious how you make your molds stand the test of time... Thanks!

[@EV4UTube]

Following

[@RobertTolone]

I'm sorry to report that my molds do not stand the test of time. I use EconoSil 25 from Silpak.com which is a inexpensive grade of silicone and it is not permanent the way a Platinum Silicone would be. It degrades slow but sure over time. So I carefully archive my wax models and I keep a resin casting of everything. The molds are simply stored in cardboard boxes. I rarely go back to them to make castings and generally only use them for chunkies in new molds.

[@GTCRAT]

I'd love to apprentice under you and learn every bit of knowledge you have, you are my resin idol😉👀 im serious though

[@RobertTolone]

I had assistants and employees early on but I’ve been a one-man band for years now. I hope I can pass a lot of info on through the videos.

[@GTCRAT]

@@RobertTolone You truly have and I couldn't be more thankful😁 I just thought why not shoot my shot and dream😂

[@annekabrimhall1059]

Almost 25K!!!

[@RobertTolone]

Just checked - 24,999! AHHHH😳😳😳😬! The worst is when you pass a milestone and you get all excited then check back later and a few people have unsubscribed and you're back underneath it!

[@JoaoRodrigues-cb9zh]

Amazing stuff as usual! Robert one thing I would be interested in learning, if you could just touch on, why would you use different shore hardness silicone. Which type of sculpts would require softer or harder molds type of things. Thank you again for such complete classes on mold making and castings, really valuable stuff.

[@RobertTolone]

You would use a harder rubber, one with a larger Shore number, when you want the mold to retain its shape and where flexibility is not required to remove the part. Almost everything I cast is a figurine, therefore I need a lot of flexibility and I stick with the softer rubbers. If you use too hard a rubber it can be very difficult to release a casting from the mold without breaking it.

[@DepesHrepes]

Wow with this rubber is makes the procedure so much more representative! You can try using light behind the mould for better contrast with resin next time I guess.

[@EV4UTube]

I often use silicone from PolyTek vs SmoothOn. Many of PolyTek's silicones are translucent. PolyTek is probably more expensive, but it (supposedly) has fewer fillers & dyes & extenders, etc. I've been told that it is more "straight-up" silicone with fewer additives.

[@RobertTolone]

I tried to back light it with one of my photo lights but it was too big and bright. I'll get a small light source that should work a lot better. It would be a very cool effect!

[@RobertTolone]

I have not yet used PolyTek. I'll have to have to check it out!

[@sarathai2876]

Wow, tons of must know information for the new players. I must try casting some of my flat lenses.(covers) Have you made any videos using a UV resistant resin?

[@RobertTolone]

I have but most UV “resistant” resins still degrade in direct sun.

[@gabrielaalcantara9984]

Hello Robert! Very interesting, and instructional. Ideas dance in my head. How long can you use a mold like this?

[@RobertTolone]

Hi Gabriela! How long a mold lasts depends on many factors. I usually expect to get between 10 and 20 castings from each mold cavity. Generally, the smoother the surface of the model the longer the mold will last. If you are willing to use mold release you can greatly extend the life of a mold. The downside is that you have to spend time to carefully clean the castings because they will be coated by the release agent and that will make them hard to paint or finish.

[@annekabrimhall1059]

Could you use the tree mold method like jewelry casting but with resin? They’re very thin and small so I don’t know if it would work.

[@TheGenuineRannix]

Hey, the quality of your videos is amazing, you got such a high level of knowledge! I'm trying to cast some keycaps for my mechanical keyboard and resin printed my objects. I'm using Reschimica casting silicone but got issues creating usable molds. The surface touching the object remains sticky and uncured and i have no idea why!

[@RobertTolone]

You are experiencing cure inhibition. Something in the keycap is reacting with the silicone rubber and preventing it from curing. Are you using platinum-based Reschimica? Platinum rubbers are much more susceptible to cure inhibition than tin-based rubbers.

[@TheGenuineRannix]

@@RobertTolone Yes it seems to be a platinum catalyst and the plastic for the casts is a 405nm UV Rapid Photopolymer Resin that's fully cured and washed multiple times with IPA, water and soap and let off to dry in the sun. I was surprised that this reaction occured and wondering if I did anything wrong because it's my first time using silicone. Well...I think I'll try to use a tin-based rubber... Thank you so much for your reply, i appreciate your knowledge!

[@RobertTolone]

@@TheGenuineRannix Good luck with your project! Let us know how it works out.

[@haxx_by_davoss]

Hey Bob, just curious, what pressure do you run your pressure tank at?

[@nemesis851_]

Hello Bob Found your channel yesterday. Looking at 15:10 what is the actual true time A) The tree mould spends in the pressure tank from entry, to extraction from the mould B) The dots were poured into the gangbox, to extraction from the box Thanks I’m trying to figure out mass production of a widget at home

[@RobertTolone]

I was using a resin that goes from mix to demold in 20 minutes at room temperature.

[@alexshorey8924]

Hi Robert I love your videos they are so informative and entertaining! How can we contact you for advice on our projects please? Thanks

[@RobertTolone]

Hi Alex, reach me at [e-mail]

[@SmithDrewSmith]

Good episode! The silpak link doesn't seem to be working.

[@RobertTolone]

Ok, I'll check it, Thanks.

[@levinebette15]

Silpat; can you make baking matts with that?

[@RobertTolone]

Silpak is my material supplier. I suppose you could make baking mats out of a high temp platinum rubber.

[@flytrapjohn]

1 mould that makes only 6 parts would last about 10 ish castings to retain its integrity. 1 gang mould that makes 36 parts mould that last 10 ish castings too. After using the single tree mould 10 times you have 60 parts, before the mold needs fo be remade. After using the gang mould 10 times there would be 360 parts before being remade. Spending time and money up front. Saves so much more later. Another wizard idea Mr Bob. Stack em high sell em cheap.

[@RobertTolone]

Because these parts are not destined to be painted I would be willing to use a release agent on the molds and greatly extend their useful life. You could expect to double or triple the mold life, especially because these parts have smooth surfaces.

[@TheZahnputz]

@@RobertTolone you can actually use spray paint as a release agent by spraying it into the mold which then transfers to the part (preferrably two part molds and with a silicone mask to cover the flanges). especially useful for agressive epoxies, flex foams that are hard to prime or parts that get remolded or painted

[@RobertTolone]

@@TheZahnputz I have used spray-on barrier coats designed for that purpose but I’ve never tried spray paint. All these methods come down to time over materials. In my shop anything that adds time to the process increases costs which is to be avoided as much as possible. The biggest cost - by far - in my shop is labor.

[@TheZahnputz]

@@RobertTolone the spray paint does exactly that - it saves time you may have to spend making new molds or degreasing parts. also the bond from paint to the part gets a lot stronger, since the resins tend to stick a lot better than the other way around

[@thanson77]

@@TheZahnputz I cast miniatures. This just might save some time by priming them in the mold.....

[@gawni1612]

James Woods doing crafts

[@RobertTolone]

😄

[@roger.agburn]

That was a lovely video. :) You are coming up with a big mold next week? Did rainbowyawn / Uncle Matty call you? ^_^

[@RobertTolone]

I have a project in process that is the largest sculpture so far on the channel. It's not huge; just big enough to take longerr to make. Not sure exactly when it will publish. No, I haven't heard from rainbowyawn.

[@roger.agburn]

@@RobertTolone Too bad, I hoped it would be his project. ^_^' He wanted to do a big figurine and was not sure how to do a hollow cast, because it was to big to cast it solid. I told him about your channel and that he might tell you about his project to possibly get some help for the hollow cast project. He looked at your channel and told me, that he likes your videos a lot. But it is very possibly that he just completely discarded his project. =( I am anyway curious to see what kind of large sculpture will come. :-D

[@InobuZ]

For the wooden balls why not create the base the same size as half of the thickness of the balls. Drill out the diameter of the balls in the base. The balls can be pressed into the holes then nail up the walls for the mold.

[@RobertTolone]

That would work! I didn’t do it because I didn’t think of it!🤪

[@InobuZ]

@@RobertTolone One can see things clearly sitting on the sidelines. Thanks, I learn a lot from you.

[@levinebette15]

Does the clear help in finding your cut marks?

[@RobertTolone]

This was a simple cut so it didn’t matter much. But on a complex mold it could be quite helpful.

[@levinebette15]

I’m loving this material.

[@kellybellminiatures]

Sure you've been asked a thousand times but I've just found you😊.. where do you get your sticky wax?

[@RobertTolone]

www.freemanwax.com

[@ArianHypnotiq]

Could u share link to your sticky wax? Also ur casting wax and link to material for sprue? So many options and link would be amazing. I checked ur supplier list and wasn’t there ..

[@RobertTolone]

www.freemanwax.com Search the site for Ferris sticky wax.

[@ArianHypnotiq]

@@RobertTolone u are amazing

[@RobertTolone]

@@ArianHypnotiq Happy to be of help.

[@ArianHypnotiq]

@@RobertTolone would you please message me back on Instagram please? I want to share the results of my mold and mistakes I made and seek your help to improve my Instagram is @HypnotiqDesign thank you so much

[@noway5096]

Better to be lucky and good ;)

[@RobertTolone]

😀

[@wiesejay]

Looks like a Marimekko Jell-O

[@RobertTolone]

First time I ever heard the words Marimekko and Jell-O used together!👏😄

[@BEdmonson85]

1:17 - Story of my life...

[@RobertTolone]

Me too!

[@H3aling808]

You do be calling it rubber as if it was an used condom... And when i thought about commenting this... Boom he had the dye condomed up xD i love your videos. U my favorite boomer

[@H3aling808]

Kinda like the favorite grandad

[@baskenseue]

Gang molds? Should I be scared? 😲

[@RobertTolone]

yes. Once you get into the gang mold lifestyle, you can never get out.

[@levinebette15]

Sorry, Silpak!