Casting a Complex Shape In A One Piece Silicone Rubber Mold

[@RobertTolone]

Here is a link to a downloadable PDF file with a list of the rubber, resins and waxes I use in my videos: www.dropbox.com/s/kz6mhmf7v5vpy7l/Material%20and%20Suppliers.pdf?dl=0

[@hueyskitchen906]

Could you use 3D printed objects instead of wax? And could an object be a tad more complex and still work? Thankyou :)

[@rossreynolds7871]

Thanks!

[@yuiop271]

Now i just need a big room full of machines and tools and buckets with resin , bee wax and silicone rubber and someone that teach me how to use all the machines and material. Or I just can keep up watching your videos 😄

[@razeamazona1146]

I enjoy your voice🥺💕 it’s like i have my own grandpa🥺💕💕

[@RobertTolone]

Thanks so much for watching! I don’t have any grandkids - yet! 😊🥰

[@PeterAgostiniJdcap26]

@@RobertTolone you have us 😁

[@prauwnsauce]

Thank you for sharing your knowledge, if not for folks like you idk how I would learn this crud

[@MrEliteXXL]

This is one of your most complete video! This has almost every tip needed for mold making and casting.

[@rdoetjes]

This knowledge is so valuable! Brilliant, thank you sir!

[@RobertTolone]

Glad you found it useful. Thanks!

[@brandonwei2430]

I do have a complicated model I'd like to have pulled but have NO idea where to even start. Definitely not something a beginner should probably try but you've got me interested.

[@keeleycarrigan]

The quality of your videos and instruction is amazing. I haven’t seen this anywhere else other than maybe the Craft Man.

[@simeonhendrix]

Great job. Another awesome video.

[@Denizen-Unknown]

This channel is so amazing. Thank you for your work!

[@kichiboy8784]

Thank you for sharing your knowledge. Helps me alot.

[@jorgemartorana]

I simple loved you instructions videos Teaching whith joy and simplicity Thanks Mr Robert

[@hman2912]

Thanks dude. Very helpful. Love to see a craftsman with lots of experience, showing his wealth of knowledge 👍🏿

[@johnkelley9877]

I always learn something from your channel. Thanks for the list of supplies you use. This is really helpful.

[@juanmanuelfernandez9556]

We are using your methods for our company. Top quality knowledge that you are spreading for free (almost). Great teacher

[@RobertTolone]

Thanks Juan!

[@RocketPunchHero1]

Your channel is quickly becoming my favorite. It is not only instructional but in-depth and to the point. Something similar channels are lacking. Thank you, "Sensei Tolone".

[@RobertTolone]

Thanks Mario. Feel free to suggest topics or share issues or problems you have with your projects. It really helps me to create content for the channel.

[@RocketPunchHero1]

@@RobertTolone I've always wondered how you can make a doll head much like a Barbie doll or soft G.I. Joe head. Can't seem to find any info about it online. That would be awesome my friend. You should set up a Patreon if you haven't already.

[@TheRealQuester]

I simply love this channel.

[@RobertTolone]

I appreciate that Filipe! Thanks.

[@vsmash2]

Very informative, i really liked the parting line graphics!

[@WhimsyCourier]

This video is a wealth of knowledge. Thank you.

[@ArcticFlies56]

Fantastic mold, fantastic resin pour, fantastic job as a project. I was surprised that there wasn’t even one bubble! I thought for sure you would have caught one or two inside the ears.

[@Napkinholdin]

I made my first set of rubber molds and resin castings after watching plenty of your videos. One of my sisters wanted some Easter bunnies that she made in plaster like 20 years ago so I offered to make copies of them and send them to her, along with the molds. After watching your videos, I was able to make all 8 bunnies without any issue at all, all molds and castings turned out perfectly! So thanks for all of your awesome content, you do a great job! I also love your little sing-songy that you do, I do the same thin :P

[@RobertTolone]

Great to hear your molds all came out well! Thanks for watching and commenting!

[@SideBurns]

You incorporated those vertical shots well 😂

[@nathanielrobles3284]

Very very informative! You speak intelligently and clearly. Loving your channel! Thank you sir!

[@sadieross-johnson2800]

Amazing advice, thank you so much. I’ve made my first block mould using this method (I used to make two part moulds before) no bubbles and NO FLASHING 🎉 you are a legend ❤

[@TuncTurel]

I love this channel. I interned for a short period at the New England Sculpture Service in MA and learned how to make molds from Miguel who was an extremely patient and knowledgeable mold maker. Watching this channel takes me back and reminds me how much detail and love goes into every mold. It's so great to see Robert enjoy every minute of it too. I can't believe these videos are free. Love the videos, greetings from the Netherlands.

[@RobertTolone]

Thanks Tunc!

[@24stepsartanddesign66]

So thorough and clear, thank you 🙏 xx

[@xaverivsvictor]

This was awesome. I didn't think it would be possible to make a one piece mold for that piece. Thank you very much for sharing!

[@RobertTolone]

Thank you! Cheers!

[@fitness1ststeps]

Love your videos! Thanks for sharing your valuable knowledge. I literally said 2 days ago its like Xmas when I unmold a project 🎄😂

[@atomicredhead]

I'd love to see how you would make a mold of a fairy lamp. I'd like to try one, but have no idea where to start because of the hole in the middle.

[@levinebette15]

The thinking that goes into this!

[@abadonedexplorers]

Very informative. Perfectly presented. Thank you

[@RobertTolone]

I appreciate that you watch and commented. Thanks so much!

[@ronjlwhite8058]

@3:31 VERRYYYY NNIIIIIIIICCEE!!!

[@jamesdavies6527]

What a fantastic and highly skillful tutorial 😁 This is something i have always found extremely fascinating and have definitely wanted to try this out myself but have been slightly intimidated on the lack of educational experience I have on this whole method of casting 😬 After watching this video I now feel extremely confident that I could potentially pull this off and so thank you somuch for this awesome demonstration 🙏

[@RobertTolone]

Thanks James, glad you found it helpful.

[@timrickett9140]

Fantastic video!

[@RobertTolone]

Thanks Tim!

[@Ofmudandsticks]

This is such a charming, informative video! Thank you! 🙏

[@RobertTolone]

Thanks Kiri!

[@TKNPaintings]

This is a great video! Thank you!

[@RobertTolone]

Glad you liked it. Thanks for watching!

[@Dan-id8wv]

I like to use brown parcel tape instead of rubber bands to hold my moulds together. If it's a larger mould, then I also use Velcro straps.

[@RobertTolone]

I’ve also used velcro for large molds. And bungees.

[@CanOfMinus]

Fantastic video! I plan on to getting into some mold making for car parts once my garage is < 100F.

[@RobertTolone]

Yes, it’s hard to pour rubber and resin at that temperature !

[@tinellie7025]

Thanks for sharing, really great insights.

[@RobertTolone]

Thanks for watching.

[@sloan0909]

Great videos. You have an excellent way of teaching, very informative, thank you

[@RobertTolone]

I appreciate your comment, thanks for watching!

[@jeanclod8810]

Just started collecting materials to crossover to wax from clay 🎉💪

[@RobertTolone]

Yes, they are used in many trades...

[@Virrba]

Learned to much in these videos. Can see the channel grow super fast as I go through different videos. Q: Do you know if you would be able to use this mold to pour soy wax in it and get at least 20-30 pieces out of it?

[@RobertTolone]

@@Virrba I have never heard of waxes wearing out silicone molds. We cast our sculpting wax, which is a mixture of beeswax, paraffin and carnauba wax, into silicon molds all the time without harming the molds at all. So I would expect to get a large number of sox wax castings out of a mold. The silicone should be able to tolerate the temperature of the melted wax easy enough. But if you have any doubts you could always use a high temperature silicone suitable for casting metals like pewter. I am not a candle maker and have never cast soy wax so maybe I am Ignorant of some property it has that could harm silicone.

[@Virrba]

@@RobertTolone I really appreciate your thoughtful reply. That sounds great. Will go and research any potential problem. Also, I think people would benefit if in the future you would review some pressure or vacuum chambers as the one in your studio looks large and intimidating and seems like people would not be able to afford that system but there are those under 100£ in UK that can be purchased from ebay. Your opinion on those would be valuable I believe.

[@MrTherber2]

Awesome! Thank you for the beeswax tip for mold release. Works great. I already had a ton of it around my shop which I use to finish some wood surfaces for furniture. I never thought to use it for mold release. I was wondering if mineral oil works too? Do you know?

[@toters911]

love your stuff, your awesome

[@veroniquecagle4296]

Your videos are very informative, thank you. I have a question regarding a cat figurine I want to make a mold of. The cat has a flat bottom but the tail is looped above it’s elongated body, attached at both ends. Can I even make a mold of this feline? Wish I could post a picture of it. Any advice?

[@DianneCulbertsonJacques]

How would I go about making a 3D mold (materials and technique) of tiny pine cones (1/2"-1")? My end use would be making jewelry with precious metal clay.

[@doubledown187]

Very informative video. Would you make a video on how you plan your cuts and vents?

[@RobertTolone]

Keep watching my channel! 🙂 Pretty much every video I make is about how I plan my sprues, vents and cuts. 👍

[@doubledown187]

@@RobertTolone Okidokey👍

[@radrich227]

Try this to remove the bubble - once you pour your material into the mold place the mold on a wood board and place something like a hand vibrator under the board and the vibrations will bring the bubbles to the surface. Vibrator, electric razor or toothbrush, etc.

[@yoopermann7942]

can you give us some tips on starting a production shop? thank you for the tips

[@RobertTolone]

It’s a business like any other. If you know how to manage a business you can run a casting shop. If you don’t know how to run a business you won’t succeed. So the only useful tip I have is to learn small business management.

[@TheDeerInn]

Hi Robert, do you know what would be the best way to make a mold that has to have velcro through the center and come out each side?

[@PeterAgostiniJdcap26]

The parting lines on this mold is a challenge, just take your time cutting it . Take a photo of it before you pour your Silicone to aid in cutting the parting lines .

[@visheshl]

amazing

[@RobertTolone]

Thank you! Cheers!

[@KWKirchhofer]

Glad I found this channel! I have been doing only two part molds so my mouth really dropped open when I am watching these. Feeling a little silly, now, with the elaborate steps I’ve taken to make my molds. Thanks for taking the time to put these out! Those pressure pots you have are genius. Did you make those? ... what are you using to seal the lid?

[@cmarkme]

Thank you so much for this masterclass.. You have hopefully given me the right teachings, so I can make the most detailed moulds that work.. Thank you again.. I have Subbed :-) xx

[@RobertTolone]

Thanks Mark. Good luck with your projects! Let me know if you have any questions about your molds.

[@cmarkme]

@@RobertTolone Thank you for your reply, and I have a million questions :-) However.. my first one is what the Heck was that model you casted ?? I can't stop thinking about it's Nightmarish Shape LOL xx

[@RobertTolone]

Just a backlash from a career spent sculpting Disney, Looney Tunes , Nickelodeon , Sesame Street, etc toys. Too much of that and you spiral into the darkness.

[@cmarkme]

@@RobertTolone HaHa I see .. Well I can put a name to it now.. Thank you for your Reply, I am watching your videos with surgical Observance(thats a word :-) and I am learning so much xx

[@RobertTolone]

Mark Cunningham I’m happy to be of help. Thanks.

[@TheJohndeere466]

I am making a casting of another casting made of fiberglass resin. Could I use beeswax as the release agent. I tried another one using silicon spray but it did not work. I also tried oil and it stuck also. Hoping the beeswax will work.

[@richarthmalasquez7496]

Mister Robert...como hacer camara de vacío....artesanal ...un saludo desde Callao Perú

[@per_sev]

I was wondering if you were going to put your venting sprews from the ears to the back of the eyeballs??? (or are they a second set of ears?), or not. That actually worked out super neat with the vertical videos, since you got to do that nifty side by side, by side with you talking, and pouring. Wow that's cool getting to see the mould poured through the clear panel! You just did all kinds of nifty stuff here, plus a complex sculpture.

[@RobertTolone]

Glad you liked it, thanks for letting me know.

[@mindofmadness5593]

would you use Beeswax on a plaster cast of an object? The plaster is a positive from an Alginate cast. I then use a two part rubber to make the hollow mold but have issues with the rubber tearing and sticking at times.

[@RobertTolone]

Sure, I would wax the plaster. Be sure it’s completely dry.

[@mindofmadness5593]

@@RobertTolone thank you.

[@seandenny2412]

Is it gonna work OK with out the air pressure tank you built out of aluminum,That gets the bubbles out.

[@RobertTolone]

Yes, you can make bubble-free castings without pressure pots. Two things help: the most important thing to do is put vents in the mold so that the air can escape as the resin fills the mold. This video explains vents in detail: kzbin.info/www/bejne/bIbUlaCgmpiNfas And be sure to use fresh resin and store leftover resin in airtight containers. Urethane resin absorbs moisture from the air very quickly and then it foams when you cast it. I buy resin 10 gallons at a time so it takes me a while to use it up. Having the pressure pots means I can stop the older resin from foaming. It can’t foam under pressure. Good luck with your casting projects!

[@per_sev]

Also, have you written a book on mould making, or casting? or sculpting things with regard to moulding/casting? If not, do you intend to? Just wondering, because you share so much information in your videos, and I love them, but I'd also love to have a book with all of that in one place, to reference, and use for learning. Also wondering about that metal container you stick the mould in at the end, that you pressurise. Is there an alternative? Did you make it? What is it?

[@RobertTolone]

Reference book and video courses are in the works. I did a video on my pressure pots: kzbin.info/www/bejne/jIqyZGRugKuod6M People often modify spray paint pots to use for casting resin

[@per_sev]

@@RobertTolone Fantastic, I look forward to reading your book when it comes out, and hopefully taking a course or two as well. Nifty stuff. Thank you for the pointer about the spray paint pots, and for the video link. Gonna watch that now! Stay awesome!

[@apgjakarullah1]

A tank on your back.What does it do? do you pressurise the resin until it turns solid?

[@RobertTolone]

Yes, they are pressure pots.

[@PREDATOR0140]

Hello! I like your videos.Very educational! I have a questin thou.What if I don't have a vacuum chamber?Is there any workaround for deairing the rubber?

[@RobertTolone]

I talked about that in this video: kzbin.info/www/bejne/hJ7VcqBsnZ2dsLc

[@adamxvass]

just discovered your channel and learning a lot from your videos, thank you! do you have advice on recognizing when and where to put sprues on a figure? I have been making clay figurines and getting ready to cast molds but this is a big concern, especially since the silicon isn't cheap and i don't want to waste it with rookie mistakes

[@monodo56]

Every shape is different so there really is only one rule when placing vents. I place my sprue so it attaches to the casting where it will be easy to clean up. The sprue should be large enough to allow a rapid flow of resin down into the cavity. If you make the sprue too small the resin will begin to set before the cavity is filled. If you make it too big you will waste effort on a big cleanup job.The resin flows from the sprue into the mold cavity and falls to the bottom. As it rises it push the air out above it. You need a vent anywhere that air can get trapped by the rising resin. Look for high spots; that’s usually where you need a vent.

[@gerickking1020]

Hello Robert, so i've made a mold using your method (similar to this) and I like how the casting comes out. I only have one problem, I don't exactly know how to cleanly get rid of the sprues. They leave a flat/chopped up look that I just am not happy about. Do you use any types of tools or have a video on how to clean these out? I use polyester resin for my casting. Thank you so much

[@RobertTolone]

I cut them off and carve them to match the surrounding surfaces as soon as possible after the casting comes out of the mold. The resin is much easier to work then. After trimming I simply use sandpaper in progressively finer grits to clean the part. This works well for urethane resins but I can’t see why it wouldn’t work for polyester.

[@gerickking1020]

@@RobertTolone Ahhhh I see, makes sense. I got to trim mine after a while which left it kinda hard and difficult to trim. Thanks for this!

[@seriouslycoolful]

When you cast resin models commercially, do you make several molds at the beginning? Or do you wait to see how many casts you can get from one mold before making more?

[@RobertTolone]

My shop is primarily a prototype shop. So mold life is rarely an issue. But if I am doing a production run I estimate the number of mold cavities for the number of parts I need to make. I start with a 1 to 10 ratio as a rule of thumb. Molds of models with a lot of surface detail wear out faster than models with less detail.

[@hiranthabandara6682]

Question: I've seen toys made out of natural rubber. when I observe them, it seems like they are made from 2 or 3 parts. and the middle is hollow. how do they merge those parts. Even some plastics. say a plastic ball. how do they make the the boll hollow inside ? im sure its not by blowing like glass ware. Thanks.

[@RobertTolone]

Manufacturers use a variety of techniques. There is injection molding, blow molding and rotational molding. In some processes the resins are granules and are poured into a heated metal mold where they melt and fuse to the walls. Other techniques pour molten resin into a mold and it cools at the walls first. They wait until the walls build the correct thickness then the remaining hot resin is then poured out. And of course many products are molded in sections or halves and the parts are fused together afterwards.

[@patprop74]

What are the best options for a mold, if I want to cast polyurethane ab foam parts?

[@RobertTolone]

Biggest problem casting foam is that the mold must be strong enough to resist the pressure of the foam expansion. So my favorite rubber band method doesn’t work. Usually you would use a two-part silicone mold held tight in a strong mold case with lots of clamping pressure. Foam is very aggressive and it is best to use a mold release or barrier coat on the mold. Also, it is critical to get the amount of foam right so you don’t have extra foam trying to force its way out of the sprue and vents. A lot of people use self-skinning foam so that you get a nice shell around the foam interior. If you have not done so already, do some research on R.I.M. - reaction injection molding. That’s basically what we’re talking about here.

[@patprop74]

@@RobertTolone Thank you for the great info.

[@albertcostell6034]

Hi Robert, i've a question. wax you use to increase spure in minute 3.14 is sculpture wax?, thanks!

[@RobertTolone]

Hi Albert, yes the brown wax I’m using to build the sprue is the same wax the sculpture is made of.

[@albertcostell6034]

@@RobertTolone thanks Robert!

[@yitzy2159]

Am I the only one that thought he was molding frogs?😂

[@koppercat]

HI Robert, This is a great video. I am curious about molding silicone rubber with a silicone rubber mold. Would you use a softer silicone rubber for the mold?

[@RobertTolone]

Not necessarily. What is almost always essential is to use a parting agent. Silicone rubber generally sticks very well to itself, so if you are casting silicone against silicone you must have a complete barrier coat between the mold and the cast. your rubber manufacturer can recommend a parting agent that works with their products.

[@EddieJohnson25]

Thank you for the content, very good info. I do have a question, a while back (5-6 years ago) a guy used his 3d printer to "inject" plastic into a silicone mold, what are you're thoughts on doing that. Would it work? Could it be a small run injection mold hybrid system? He basically took the Gcode and set it up for x amount of time, temp and z setting to do this. Thanks in advance

[@ramonluquin4783]

Hi, i'm trying to replicate a scale car model. A 63 impala to be exact. i've been working on making a 2 piece mold using some clay. is it possible to make a 1 piece squish mode of a car model outer body? i hate all the flashing

[@RobertTolone]

Car bodies are extremely difficult to resin cast because they are thin walled and have very complex parting lines. I am going to attempt to cast one in an upcoming viewer project soon.

[@gladiatormechs5574]

is it possible to make a silicone mold of a dinosaur head with its jaws open and lots of teeth in its mouth.. can this work on the open mouth with teeth , or is that to difficult to make a mold of.

[@RobertTolone]

That exact project is in the pipeline, coming up soon. The short answer is you have to have the jaw separate from the skull so that you can cast the teeth.

[@gladiatormechs5574]

@@RobertTolone I will be watching that video. Thank you for your help.

[@jeromedesalle6973]

I really like your videos, your explanations are always easy to follow and you're always pretty thorough. I'm not molding yet so my questions might be stupid but here it is: Since you use the vacuum chamber to remove all the air bubble from the silicon before putting it in the mold, why don't you put the mold in the chamber after pouring to remove any secondary air bubbles? I know that when you remove air there's a rise of the silicone during the process but I think that since you removed most of the air before casting, the second removal will rise less. and if you make a longer mold case with adapted vent, after the air removal the silicone would settle air bubbles free.

[@RobertTolone]

I do not put a rubber mold which has been poured around a model in the vacuum chamber for several reasons. First, it’s not necessary. If there are problems areas where air is likely to be trapped they should be pre-filled before the mold is poured. Otherwise, if the mold is poured properly and the rubber rises from the bottom and pushes the air out it will not trap any air. Second, I often make molds for people and I am not certain of the construction of the model. If there are any voids or air pockets inside the model they could explode or expand enough to damage the model. This is particularly true with clay models which very often have trapped bubbles inside them. And third, it’s hard to predict exactly how much the rubber will expand. So you have to make the case considerably bigger than necessary to allow for the expansion. It just isn’t worth the effort.

[@jeromedesalle6973]

@@RobertTolone thanks for the explanations. I didn't think about "imprisoned" air in the original model.

[@RobertTolone]

@@jeromedesalle6973 I learned that the hard way when I destroyed a client job, an intricate little ship model. 😭. Never occurred to me it was hollow!

[@jedriclim]

The urethane resin that i'm using tends to kick faster around 3-4 mins after from initial mixing, given that is the only product i have in my country, it might start to kick in the reaction to the resin even before i start my tank. would it be okay to use the same technique as you did in this video without using a tank and still have a conplete casting?

[@RobertTolone]

If you vent the mold cavity properly you should be able to make bubble free castings. The main reason I use a pressure pot is that I buy resin in 5 gallon buckets and it takes me a long time to use them up. Over that period of time the resin absorbs moisture from the atmosphere and this causes it to foam while curing. The pressure pot prevent this from happening.

[@jedriclim]

@@RobertTolone ooohhh i see, i never knew that before you told me. Thanks a bunch!

[@jedriclim]

@@RobertTolone also a curiousity, what does the resin model look like without placing in the pressure pot? Like does the recasted model structure would be compromised due to the foam or would it just be like the same thing from a fresh bottle of resin?

[@RobertTolone]

@@jedriclim It’s full of holes like a sponge and there may be voids where the resin foamed and didn’t fill areas of the mold.

[@ARuiz-eu3hk]

What tool does he use to heat up the clay bit and place them to cover up the rods and buildup the vents?

[@RobertTolone]

I think this is the tool you are referring to: www.foredom.net/product/k-wc-3-wax-carver-kit-7-tips-universal-voltage/

[@johnathannyc]

I’m curious how the wax model was formed. Was that the original sculpture or a wax casting of a clay sculpture? I’ve recently learned about the wax finishing step used in action figure production.

[@RobertTolone]

It was an original sculpture. For much of my career I have been a toy prototype sculptor for the entertainment industry. Kid’s Meal toys for fast food restaurants- that sort of thing. The sculpts are always done in wax which we used to be able to buy but now make ourselves.

[@johnathannyc]

Robert Tolone it seems these days 3D printing is the way of prototypes, but I’m fascinated by the hand sculpting process. With roots in illustration, I’ve recently delved into sculpture with Super Sculpey firm (checkout andersensculpting.wordpress.com) and I’m beginning to dream of sculpting and casting my own 3.75” action figures (a la 1970s Star Wars style)... yet I find that working in clay feels unfinished and the few instances I found online point to an initial cast in wax for refining the details that couldn’t be captured in clay. I’ve certainly picked up some wax tips from your videos, but I would love to learn more about your toy sculpting experiences and process.

[@RobertTolone]

Some clays like hard Chavant and Monster Clay will hold a tremendous amount of detail. But for a toy prototyping I have always preferred wax. It is the most useful and flexible material because it can be worked in so many different ways. Most of the professional toy sculptors I know make their own. The formula is a usually a combination of paraffin, carnauba wax, beeswax, stearic acid and other ingredients like talc and pigments. You can adjust the proportions depending on if you like your wax very hard or softer and stickier, etc. Truthfully it’s a pain to make because you need to grind in the powders. To sculpt it all you need to get going is a wax pen and some basic carving tools. But you can go full-on machine shop to work with it too.

[@Isolated.Outpost]

Hey Robert. Some day I'd love to buy you a cup of coffee or other preferred hot/cold beverage and learn your life story and pick your brain about casting. You're my favorite KZbinr. I do have a practical question - I find my molds using thicker silicone tend to have worse parting lines. Maybe my cut technique is rough. But I have a decent amount of slippage even when from the outside the mold looks like it all came back together perfectly. It looks like the cut either made it hard for the inside cavity to line up riggt, or maybe I'm using too thick/rough a knife. Any tips on getting perfect lineups? I've tried lessor pressure from my rubber bands, and a differing amount of pressure pot pressure. No dice. Do you find it better to stretch your silicone before cutting, or does that not matter? Thanks boss!

[@RobertTolone]

I always stretch the silicone to cut it. That makes it much easier. Sounds to me like your cuts aren’t locking together enough. The cuts should be jagged but it doesn’t have to be crazy jagged. Where the cut meets the model the line should be a straight as possible. The harder the rubber is the more difficult it is to cut. I mostly use Shore A 25 rubber.

[@yuiop271]

When you do castings. Is it allways just one color? Or Do you sometimes paint them afterwards? Or Do you cast different parts if you want different colors and assemble afterwards? I just wounder if this is a techique that would be usefull to make copys of my detaild polymerclay figurines. :)

[@RobertTolone]

I often paint my resin sculptures. Most of the time I use artist’s acrylic paints. Sometimes I cast pieces of a sculpture in different color resins by adding dye or pigment to the resin. Both methods work fine but you should be aware that urethane resin castings color over time. It typically becomes darker and more yellow. So you will notice a color change unless you paint the sculpture.

[@ereshkigalinanna6646]

If the part you’re molding is made from clay, will it release from the silicone? What’s the best material, if any, to make an initial part from? I just discovered your channel and I’m so glad I did! I LOVE how detail-oriented you are; it’s a godsend!

[@RobertTolone]

Most clays will release from silicone just fine. Make sure that it is a sulfur-free clay or it will inhibit the cure of the silicone rubber.

[@ereshkigalinanna6646]

Robert Tolone Thank you! Are you open to doing consulting work? My partner and I have a project we’re hoping to start in the near future and we would love to talk it through with you/get your feedback.

[@RobertTolone]

@@ereshkigalinanna6646 Send pics to [e-mail]. I’ll be happy to take a look at your project.

[@ereshkigalinanna6646]

Robert Tolone Thank you!

[@macrumpton]

As. a novice moldmaker, I wonder why you couldn't you just use a vacuum to pull the silicone into the mold without any bubbles or air vents.

[@RobertTolone]

I never apply a vacuum or pressure to a model while pouring the mold. That is because the model may be hollow or have voids inside it that could get crushed or blow up. Clients bring me objects to mold and I just can't tell how they are made. I learned this the hard way. 😢 Also, if you pour the silicone properly it's not necessary.

[@sarames9256]

Hi! I was wondering if you’d take any orders to mold an objection that I have!? I’ve wasted so much silicone $$ on trying to make a little mediating troll mold! I really wanna make candles with it but the fingers keep not coming out and I don’t wanna buy more silicone for a 3rd time and waste it again 😭 I’d rather just pay someone to do it 😭 ❤ please let my know, love your work 🙏🏼

[@amarokcurrumpaw6290]

Thanks so much for making this video. Ive been trying to learn how to make molds recently and stumbled on your channel. Very informative. Def subcribing. My question is do we need a tank or does a pressure chamber work the same? Ive recently heard some ppl make pressure chambers out of crock pots? Whats your opinion?

[@RobertTolone]

I don’t know if a crock pot can work; I have no experience with this. The pressure pots that I use were fabricated from the brake cylinders of large trucks and were made by a welder certified to do pressure vessels. A poorly made pressure pot could be very dangerous. It is not necessary to use pressure when casting resin, but it is very helpful because almost all bubbles can be eliminated in the casting.

[@spacecowboy07723]

Can you mold a voronoi shape?

[@RobertTolone]

It would depend on the shape but I don't see why not.

[@dianeharris2687]

Is this a Tolone work, your tiki friend, or what? What is the final destiny of this piece? Very interesting video. I'm gradually getting the gist of the bubble vents. Thanks for sharing!

[@RobertTolone]

It’s a sculpture I did a couple years ago for fun. I used it for this video because it was challenging to mold and cast. I wanted to show viewers that one-piece cut molds can be used to cast complex models.

[@richwojehowski1123]

@@RobertTolone The sculpture looks like a sort of homunculus only with insect like eyes

[@RobertTolone]

@@richwojehowski1123 Everything I sculpt is a self portrait of how I feel, not how I look.

[@eggheadusa]

Why can’t you just brush on the silicone? Would making a thin layer and than pour cast it?

[@RobertTolone]

You could do it that way. There are lots of ways to make molds!

[@Melscreativearts]

Can I make molds from a polymer clay figure!? I have so many questions

[@RobertTolone]

Yes, I have made molds many times from polymer clay sculptures. There are a couple on this channel: kzbin.info/www/bejne/on3XhnmEZbB0e8k kzbin.info/www/bejne/l6HcemSnapZkn9k Thanks for watching!

[@a6o932]

Do you really need a pressure chamber for castings like this?

[@RobertTolone]

It is very helpful but not essential. Urethane resin attracts moisture from the air and that causes it to foam. I buy my resin in 5 gallon buckets and it takes me quite a while to use it up. Over time the resin absorbs moisture no matter how carefully I seal the buckets. The pressure pots prevent the resin from foaming while the castings cure in the mold. If you use fresh resin you can make castings without pressure pots provided that you have designed the vent system correctly for your model.

[@garywheeler7039]

@@RobertTolone : I wonder if you could add a floating styrofoam disk or membrane to the inside of your buckets if it would keep the most air separate from the liquid resin. Or for that matter, a silica gel package to soak up the moisture. Especially if the top of the bucket is not very open to the air. Just a thought.

[@RobertTolone]

@@garywheeler7039 What most people do is attach a moisture trap to the bucket. It’s just a tube filled with a substance that absorbs moisture from the air. The chunks are pink and turn blue when they have absorbed all the moisture they can. or maybe they’re blue and turn pink, honestly I can’t remember. you can bake them in the oven to drive off the moisture and reuse them over and over. We used to attach them to 55 gallon drums of resin when we were doing big projects. Another way to go is to fill the bucket with an inert gas that is heavier than the atmosphere and lays on the surface of the resin preventing moisture. Personally I found all of these solutions cumbersome. The best way to deal with atmospheric moisture is to use up the resin as quickly as you can and cast everything in a pressure pot. The pressure pot solution is much less expensive than all of the solutions surrounding atmospheric moisture prevention.

[@garywheeler7039]

@@RobertTolone : Yeah, I have used desiccants with similar properties. Sounds like you are on top of things!

[@jonnymiskatonic]

My dad has that very same scale, he doesn't measure resin and rubber with it though.

[@iaindouglas5053]

cocain?

[@davidmccauley7068]

I just discovered you! I quite enjoy your videos. Thank you! I am a caster myself but cast mechanical objects instead of art. Do you do this full time? What type of resin and silicone do you use?

[@RobertTolone]

Yes, I am a sculptor and mold maker full time. I buy my materials from www.Silpak.com. I use a variety of their rubber and resin products but primarily I use their Econosil-25 silicone rubber. That is the least expensive silicone rubber they sell. The urethane resin I mostly use is Silcast II. Silpak is located in Southern California but they ship anywhere. I’m not affiliated with them in any way; just been a customer for more than 20 years. Thanks for watching my videos!

[@davidmccauley7068]

@@RobertTolone that's awesome! I really want to do mold making full time but dont really know how to make that leap, right now it's just a side hustle and passion. Thanks for your reply Robert!

[@iN3rdHQ]

Hi Robert I’m really having some trouble making some moulds of my own, is there any chance I could drop you a message? Thanks Ed

[@RobertTolone]

Email me at [e-mail].

[@MarvinConman]

The molding job is excellent but the figure itself is a nightmare fuel...

[@BillShartner]

Did somebody ask you to sculpt a DMT trip?

[@jeanclod8810]

5:18 to plug holes in molds I use a glue gun and plastilina

[@mjbailey404]

You're reaching over the saw blade!!! :(