Dice Mold Tutorial: PVC Cap Mold

Updated cap mold method with PVC pipe coupling - much more reusable! With this style there is very little clean-up needed for finished dice! A pressure pot is highly recommended for this mold type.
Supplies:
rubber/nitrile gloves
1 1/4” and 1” PVC pipe coupling (you may need different sizes depending on the size of your dice masters)
packing tape - 3" wide recommended
hot glue gun
X-acto/craft knife
small rhinestones/googly eyes/clay (sulfur-free) for making keys
Vaseline/petroleum jelly
silicone rubber - I use SmoothOn Dragon Skin 20 (10 oz for the base and 6 oz for the lids - total of 16 oz for 7 dice + a coin and a charm)
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Shop: www.dicewitchery.com

[@Doomblade403x]

OK I have gone through the first half of this method. Couple notes for people not covered in the video. I ended up using dragonskin 20 for the molds. One box was what it took to make a 7 dice set. 14-16 ounces of the silicone for the first half and the rest of it for the second. Those trial kits don't seem to go as far as you might think. Also in case anyone was curious, the vaseline trick on the inside of the pipe fitting is a godsend. It makes popping those things out simple. I didn't use a brush. I just got some on my fingers and got the inside nice and slick before putting in the dice. Works beautifully. I mighta screwed up on the gluing the base because I used gorilla glue. Getting the tape off was ok, but I ended up having to use a boxcutter to get the glue off. Not that big of a deal but it took about an hour and a half in cleanup and prep to get to pour two. As an aside the tape method was also amazing. I had my pot set up on about 50 psi as i have a very slow leak that will bleed down to about 40ish psi in about 6 hours. I'm VERY pleased with the results thus far.

[@smokumjames6510]

Are you putting the dice molds in a pressure pot?

[@rothery2]

@@smokumjames6510 Yes. Just like with resin. Putting the silicone in a pressure pot to cure will help make sure there aren't any bubbles to ruin your mold.

[@mikeyjones3060]

do you have a link to wear you bought the silicone as i cant find it and what preassure pot do i use

[@Doomblade403x]

@@mikeyjones3060 i used a harbor frieht pressure pot and got the silicone off of ebay.

[@mikeyjones3060]

@@Doomblade403x ah ok and is the silicone just called dragonskin 20 or does is have another name or brand?

[@wonderfulmystical4316]

OMG these are the CLEANEST dice molds I have ever seen! :O I will definitely try to make these!

[@Badassest]

Today i made my first cap mold using your tutorial and it came out wonderful! Thank you so much! I love how professional it looks. The object i made was hand carved and tomorrow ill be using the epoxy for the first duplicate. Ill be making 5 copies, then the master mold for small batch projects. Again, thank you!

[@Badassest]

Not only did that method produce extremely professional looking mold- it was actually super fun and interesting to watch! I was quite curious how to go about making the keyed parts of the caps and how you got the last(open)side part accurately. Beautiful! Thank you:)

[@iamthediz]

This is freaking GENIUS!

[@anastasiosfotopoulos2966]

Really nice! Super clean result, and all in all quite a simple looking process!

[@paullogan4476]

I very rarely comment on KZbin videos, that being said however, I felt compelled to do so for yours. As a D&D player I've been looking into making custom dice to fit my character and for those of my fellow players, and everyone video I've watched, before I found yours, always seemed to overly complicate the process of making moulds; the vast majority of them were inane waffle that only detracted from the point of the video. Yours is clear, consise, informative and a genuine pleasure to watch. I subbed immediately, please keep up the excellent content.

[@DiceWitchery]

Thank you so much, that means a lot!

[@Highwolf567]

Thank you for uploading, this method for making cap moulds is awesome! I always ended up using glue dots to keep my dice stuck down in their container but using tape seems so much simpler, can't believe it never occurred to me before haha. Great video!

[@crestsphinx1]

I audibly gasped with the first part of your mold came out that clean. No cleaning up the top face numbers or anything! You doing so good. Consider me subscribed.

[@DiceWitchery]

Thank you so much! These molds are such a huge time saver!

[@CerenyaSays]

as a clacksmith who makes her own molds as well.... i am very turned on by this video... so satisfying

[@dekopuma]

"Clacksmith" is a wonderful name/description.

[@guillaumeurtecho7407]

Thanks for sharing this amazing method! I didn't know molds could be so beautiful.

[@DiceWitchery]

Thank you!

[@mikefraley748]

This is just fantastic!

[@ZombieBowling]

Awesome technique, thanks for sharing!

[@Badassest]

For anyone wanting to make a custom logo by hand you can buy the dice in a size, shape and numeral font as desired, but be prepared to destroy them lol- you can drill a hole and make a plug of similar size with your logo on it, making a mold for that and inserting it into the dice. If the fit is correct with drilled hole you can use the plug anytime to add your logo to the master.its a technique that is somewhat advanced and will require an accurate drill with a way to hold each dice during the drill process- accounting for depth and diameter. Also making the logo etch that fits these perameters for the plug.

[@SaharRazavi]

Love your method, thanks for sharing 🥰🥰🥰

[@demi191]

God tier molds.

[@claire.o.dactyl]

Hey! I just wanted to say your videos and setup are wonderful! Very informative and also quite relaxing to watch. I've been making dice with a set of sprue molds for about a month now but I think it's time to upgrade to a cap setup, maybe with a sprue/reservoir combo on the cap side to try and minimize any chance of voids. Will definitely be following your tutorial, regardless. I appreciate these videos and hope you make some more--maybe a few more dice making videos to see how well these molds work in action!

[@DiceWitchery]

Thank you so much!! I do have more process videos on my Instagram and Twitter! 🙂

[@iamionscat9035]

Outstanding as usual!

[@DiceWitchery]

Thank you so much! 💜💜

[@corbinmason1347]

Hi. I'm new to dice making and I think you have an amazing dice mold method. Its really cool and i cant wait to try it.

[@DiceWitchery]

Thank you! Good luck on your dicemaking journey!

[@shallonw3951]

Thank you so much for this tutorial!!

[@evanwillier1277]

Wow. Okay, after I make my first couple of sales, I'm going to buy all these materials and do this! Like wow. I have sprue molds but I've been wanting to do some different techniques that I just can't do with the sprues!!

[@justindrodriguez]

You could trace a circle using the PVC section either onto your workspace or a piece of paper and use it to center your dice.

[@DiceWitchery]

Great idea!

[@oAlexanderXavior]

So good!!!!

[@maziyarmehry9561]

Thank you for sharing this this is great 👍

[@bloopblipable]

I followed this tutorial exactly and it worked great. So easy to follow and fool proof, however I did encounter a problem: the tape I used literally fused to the silicone. I used dragonskin20, and gorilla glue tape. The tape is too strong, and the silicone cured to the adhesive of the tape. I recommend using a basic quality tape for this. My second round I used dollarstore laminated sheets, with 0 issues.

[@FELIPETORRES_NodersCL]

Heyyy! Would you make a tutorial on your pressure / compressor setup?? :D

[@cosmicbrambleclawv2]

Not sure what setup was used for this one, but Rybonator has a video on his pressure pot and how to make/modify one Hope that helps :)

[@joanesunzu3087]

Just wanted to say your logo is sick. Good job

[@DiceWitchery]

Thank you!!

[@breezehxme]

These molds are so CRISP I feel like I have to do these now.

[@DiceWitchery]

They save so much time with sanding/polishing!

[@breezehxme]

@@DiceWitchery so I’ve used this method to make my first set of molds and once I got passed the initial learning curve I love it!! However, I’ve noticed that trying to get the first pour out of the couplings often breaks the seal of the die that’s within. Do you have this issue, or is this my silicone not being strong enough?

[@DiceWitchery]

@@breezehxme try using more vaseline/mold release on the walls of the coupling. I've noticed if I have too thin of a layer and wait too long before pouring silicone, the vaseline dries out and then the molds are not as easy to get out, and can cause some shifting between the dice and the silicone mold. It isn't too big of an issue as long as you can get the mold walls to sit flush against the die again.

[@breezehxme]

@@DiceWitchery that makes sense!!! I’ll definitely try it next time, thank you for the response!!

[@friendlyvoice9720]

You do these sooooo perfectly. Wish you would sell some. I know I would snag em up in a heartbeat.

[@DiceWitchery]

Thank you so much! I'm looking into possibly offering molds in the future!

[@friendlyvoice9720]

@@DiceWitchery That would be awesome since they came out so perfectly. Subbing (which I should have done in the first place) so I can keep an eye out to see if you do end up selling molds. Alot dont but would be nice to get a professional set from a creator such as yourself. (not trying to suck up but cant hurt lol)

[@MattandCamrynReact]

Wow!

[@antlu4923]

so cute.

[@jackfromzanderclan4366]

The PVC pipe is a cool idea as a vessel

[@jenniferboyle9824]

Smart way to make molds. I am excited to start making dice as soon as I get my pressure pot. Are you still planning on making a new video on how to use these molds? Excited to see. :)

[@DiceWitchery]

Yes! Hopefully soon, life has been crazy lately but is slowing down. Thank you!

[@colbyboucher6391]

eyy I see those Arcana Cast masters

[@DiceWitchery]

Actually, my masters were printed for me by Jezebel's Creations! 😁

[@Mymoiety]

Thank you for this great tutorial. I would love to see a tutorial of how to pour the dice and the cleanup.

[@DiceWitchery]

Thanks! I'm working on recording another video of my process for that, hopefully in the next week or two!

[@Amanda-fg5ui]

@@DiceWitchery is there a video on how you poured the mold?

[@DiceWitchery]

@@Amanda-fg5ui Not yet but soon!

[@Amanda-fg5ui]

@@DiceWitchery thanks for responding ❤

[@gregoriolopez471]

Exelente, gracias, yo compraría coples sin tope

[@andredfreitas6909]

Oh man!!! Thanks for this fucking amazing video!!!! Now I will be able to make my own dices thanks to you!!! 😀😀😀👍👍👍👏👏👏

[@israelmartinez4097]

Yes I was looking on how to make this cause someone I asked would not Tell me the way lol.

[@alexanderchiquillo1206]

This is so good!!!! I feel like more ppl need to know this way of doing it. My only question is if you are using a pressure pot to take out bubbles in ur dice where could u make reservoir so that u can have just a lil bit more resin go into it??

[@DiceWitchery]

Thank you! I don't use a reservoir with mine - I overfill the molds a bit and the excess that's inbetween the mold and the lid is usually enough to compensate for bubbles. If you wanted to have a reservoir, you could cut a hole in the cap fairly easily.

[@chaseland3010]

Thank you! This is a fantastic tutorial! Have you ever had the issue of there being a lip after pouring the resin on the top face with this mold? If so, how would you avoid that in the future?

[@DiceWitchery]

Thanks! I do get a lip or raised face sometimes (usually the d20) if I'm not careful, or my resin is past its pot life and really thick. Making sure you don't have too much excess resin on top, and making sure it isn't too thick definitely helps stop that. It'll most likely take some trial and error with your resin.

[@hendrickstrauss3311]

So sharp! What PSI would you recommend for the silicone curing in the pot? Would you use the same pressure for the resin casting as well? Keep these great videos coming :)

[@DiceWitchery]

Thank you! I cure my molds at 45 psi (my pot is only rated for 50), and I cure my resin in them at about 35 psi.

[@calypsox3210]

❤

[@QuentinFK]

Great video, I've been looking for good dixie cup alternatives. I was wondering, though, would it be possible to push the mold all the way back into the pipe (if you have one with out the coupling ridge) and then pour the cap instead of taping around the top?

[@DiceWitchery]

I don't see why not? Just make sure you use vaseline or some other mold release to make moving it in the pipe easier.

[@sarini6626]

This was amazing, thank you! Quick question: In your description you mention the silicone quantity for 7 dice, but in the video you make molds for 8 dice. Did you use the same quantity of silicone in the video? Asking because I want to make molds for 8 dice and 1 coin and I'm trying to figure out how much silicone I need. Thanks!

[@DiceWitchery]

Thanks! And apologies, I'll have to fix that. I did do 7 dice molds, a d2 mold, and a charm mold, so you should be good to do 9 molds as long as your coin isn't huge.

[@cryptidofoz]

This method is brilliant! I've recently gotten into dice making and am already tired of my Amazon molds. Could I use a small d6 in place of the rhinestone to make a key in the first step of this process? I don't have anything that big I could use.

[@DiceWitchery]

Thanks! And sure, you can use just about anything for keys - legos, googly eyes, sulfur-free clay, pebbles... :D

[@Glamblaze24]

I love these molds. I tried using this method today with my new masters. I pressed down the die and my pvc onto contact paper, and followed up with LOTS of hot glue around the outside of the mold. I had some leaks, and I’m not entirely sure why. Do you have any tips or experience with preventing this? Also, does mold release work, or is it basically the same as the Vaseline? Thank you for these videos!! So inspiring. 😊

[@DiceWitchery]

I'm super glad my video helped you! As far as tips, I've never used contact paper, so I'm not sure. I know it's a lower adhesion strength than packing tape, so maybe that's the cause? Silicone is a master escape artist! Mold release would do the same as vaseline. The main reason I don't use it is if you don't clean it off the face of your die, it will leave a residue that will transfer to your cap, and you'll have to spend more time sanding to get it back to shiny. With the vaseline I can put it only where I need it easily.

[@gustavotobon7042]

😂These are awesome. What are you using to create the registratikn marks. Thank you

[@terranaut2]

This is such a wonderful tutorial that I'm excited to try after starting out with good ol' fashioned Dixie cups! Thanks for sharing! Would you happen to know if ABS coupling would work the same way? I'm looking for PVC locally but in the absence of the right sizes would try ABS... if it doesn't inhibit the silicone from curing. Thanks in advance for any advice you may have!

[@DiceWitchery]

I do not know if ABS would cause any cure inhibition. Maybe get a small piece and try making a small mold as a test? Also, if you're coating the inside with vaseline, it may act as a barrier and prevent any inhibition?

[@terranaut2]

@@DiceWitchery Thanks for replying! Yes, for sure! I will update this comment with the results; others have told me it should be safe and as well, use Vaseline.

[@terranaut2]

@@DiceWitchery Update: ABS works perfectly! No cure inhibition or Vaseline needed (except of course for making the lids). :) Thanks again for the help!

[@DiceWitchery]

@@terranaut2 That's fantastic!

[@Samessin06]

Amazing video!! Could I ask what PVC pipe you are using? Is it a 3” coupler?

[@DiceWitchery]

1 1/4" for all but the d4, which I used a 1"

[@lewiswoollin2490]

Hi there! Firstly, this is the best mould making tutorial I've seen by far :3 Secondly, I was wondering if you knew the specific name of the pipe coupling you used or where you got it from? I'm based in the UK and struggling to find imperial fittings but not sure what to search for tbh haha

[@DiceWitchery]

Thank you! I just went to my local hardware store and bought PVC pipe coupling. As far as I know it doesn't have a specific name? You can use regular PVC pipe as well, but you might have to cut it to a manageable length. I bought my stuff from Ace Hardware, they might ship overseas?

[@lewiswoollin2490]

@@DiceWitchery Ahhh no problem, thank you so much! I was going to do the same thing but we're in lockdown over here so they're all shut at the moment 🤷‍♂️ Thanks for the advice though I'll take a look online! ^__^

[@Woodsyx2]

@@lewiswoollin2490 If your still looking wolseley will have the under waste pipe fittings.

[@lewiswoollin2490]

@@Woodsyx2 sorted actually, but thanks! :)

[@krikorkouyoumdjian1031]

What do you think about modifying this mold to include some manner of vent/resevoir for those like me who arent really good at putting in the right amount of resin? I just worry about big voids or bubbles. To be fair I have only ever used sprue molds. Is it a problem that you think I should worry about?

[@DiceWitchery]

There are lots of people that have modified the lids by adding a vent and it seems to work well for them. I'd say give it a shot without vents and see how it goes? You can always add them in later. :)

[@DotzekWork]

wait.. so did you or did you not use a pressure pot ??

[@crazygremlin25]

This is a great video, did you have to put any inhibitor X on the masters? I have seen this used in other video?

[@DiceWitchery]

I did not. The person I bought my masters from knows how to properly cure them so they don't cause cure inhibition. Also, I molded my raw masters (coat them in baby powder to make them easier to demold), then cast resin inside those raw molds, and then I polished those resin casts. That way if I messed up during polishing I didn't ruin my masters, I could just cast another.

[@1Blackstaffer]

@@DiceWitchery Sorry, I'm not sure I understand. You got some masters and made silicon molds from those, not polishing them first or anything, but coating them in baby powder. Then you made some dice from those. You polished the dice, then you made NEW molds from the new polished dice? So you have TWO sets of molds now - one raw from the masters, and one polished from the cast resin ones? I assume this video, then, did not use the raw masters but rather the polished set of dice that came from the master molds?

[@DiceWitchery]

@@1Blackstaffer Exactly correct! And going forward, I will make new molds from my polished resin casts, not the raw 3D printed ones. It's just nice to have the raw molds as a backup in case something happens to my polished masters.

[@1Blackstaffer]

@@DiceWitchery Cool, thanks !

[@Nommicus]

Question, when using the pipe, why do you use tape for the top part? Would not turning the base over and filling pipe from other end to make the top? Surely that would be better, or have you tried that and found a problem? Edit: is it just for the neat jar shaped raised edges top? Also this is the neatest mould technique ive seen yet, well done.

[@DiceWitchery]

The pipes I used in this are couplers, so they have a ridge in the inside (I picked them to show an option for mold housings you could buy off the shelf if you didn't have tools to cut pvc pipe). Unfortunately that means the bottom half of the mold won't slide back in far enough to allow for a thick enough lid. But if you had sections of regular pvc pipe without the ridge inside, that would totally be the way to go. And thank you! It has worked really well for me for a very long time!

[@MrVapesarsenal]

How important is the pressure pot for the molds? I want to try to make a set but don't have a pressure pot.

[@gregoriolopez471]

Para no limitarse en la altura

[@ZakuRX82]

Can you use silicone release spray instead of vaseline?

[@nevyn007jay]

Could you then drill a small hole through the lid down to the face, and widen it like a funnel, so you have a cap mold/ sprue mold combo?

[@DiceWitchery]

Sure!

[@davidtikwa423]

which dice are you using for the main mold? love the sharp edges cant find it anywhere i feel

[@DiceWitchery]

I had masters custom printed for me. If you want to have your own, I recommend these shops on Etsy: The Blue Mimic, ArcanaCast, TypeXIII just to name a few. There are probably more that I just can't remember offhand.

[@CallousCoder]

Cool use of PVC pipe as a “mould” box. One suggestion, there’s no need for two part moulds in this case (unless you want to insert something in the die. Otherwise you can just do a single part cut mould. And you can dissolve the Vaseline in benzeen/naphtha to make it really easy to apply a quick coatz

[@jaimieharcort-billingham8467]

Very clean molds! What diameter are the pipes?

[@DiceWitchery]

1 1/4" for most of the dice, and 1" for my smaller ones (my d4 is small, and my d2/coin).

[@mickymikaila]

Hello! I have a question, i have my own 3d printed dice that im fixing to make molds from. I sprayed a clear laquer coating on them instesd of inhibit x, because i am seeing that silicone wont cure around the surfaces if they have sulfur in them. I do not know if they have sulfur or not. Do you think the silicone will cure with the preparations ive taken?

[@DiceWitchery]

I'm not sure of any 3d printer resin that contains sulfur, that is usually an ingredient in some clay and it does not work well with silicone. Usually the cure issues come from the resin not being fully cured and still off-gassing. I am not sure if the lacquer will help with cure inhibition, so I would suggest maybe trying to mold just a single die to test it out first, that way if it doesn't work you don't waste a bunch of silicone. Platinum cure silicone (which DragonSkin20 is) can have issues curing with 3d printer resin, especially if your dice masters are not fully cured and are still off-gassing. You can leave them in a sunny windowsill for a week or two and that will greatly help. I would also suggest molding your dice masters raw/unpolished (make sure to coat them in baby powder as a mold release), then cast resin dice from those and polish those up to make shiny molds from. Sometimes sanding/polishing the 3d resin dice can remove cured layers and cause your dice to react with silicone.

[@mickymikaila]

@@DiceWitchery This is amazing advice, i appreciate it so much! I am actually doing a single die right now to see how it turns out. Thank you!

[@llamaser1]

Wow excellent video ! how can you put the logo or name on a face of the dice?

[@DiceWitchery]

Thanks! You would need to contact a master dice maker to get a custom logo on dice. If you search Etsy, there are lots of shops there that can do custom masters for you.

[@andrewwebb6270]

Just out of curiousity, how large are your masters? I recently got some masters that are quite large compared to regular dice so I want to adjust my pvc fittings accordingly

[@DiceWitchery]

My masters are slightly larger than standard (Chessex) dice. I took them with me to the hardware store to make sure they'd fit.

[@harrisoncaldwell4541]

Sooo clean. Where did you get those masters??

[@DiceWitchery]

Thanks! I had them custom printed by Jezebel's Creations!

[@estieboshoff8341]

@@DiceWitchery Your masters are delightfully shiny! I've only found up to 7000 grid sandpaper. I then use a polishing disk, but not getting my dice nice and shiny. Do you find that it gets shiny from the sandpaper that is between 7000 and 15000? Or what grid has the biggest influence on yours?

[@DiceWitchery]

@@estieboshoff8341 Thank you! Look for Zona polishing papers, they're life changing! That's what I use to polish mine. If the die doesn't need much sanding, skip the green paper and start with the gray and go up from there (wet sanding)! Also, make sure you're waiting the full time for your resin to cure, otherwise they won't get as shiny.

[@thegreyarea42]

Just out of curiosity: why do you dye your silicone?

[@DiceWitchery]

DragonSkin20 is mostly opaque anyways, so it's nice to color each set of molds I make. I have two sets now, one is purple and the other is teal, that way I can easily tell them apart.

[@EchoMirage72]

Why not get pipes that can screw onto each other rather than using tape for the second mold?

[@Jamittens]

Could this be done with a container large enough to hold all the dice side by side, like a plastic Tupperware or something? Or is there a problem doing it like that? (sorry if you explained it in the video, I watched with the sound off)

[@DiceWitchery]

You absolutely can, that's a slab cap mold. The steps are pretty much the same as what I've done in the video, just with a larger container.

[@heathern7318]

I can’t wait to try this and when ordering the supplies, I was wondering why both 1” and 1 1/4” of the pvc coupling?

[@DiceWitchery]

I did smaller coupling for my smaller dice to conserve silicone. You might not need different sizes depending on your dice sizes.

[@mahotombetoile]

Hi thx for your video! I have some questions before try to create my molds. 1) when the vidéo records, what was the price of dragon skin 20? Have you a other recomended product with less expensive ? 2) you use custom dices for create your molds but how you create custom dices. Do you have a website to create them ?

[@DiceWitchery]

Hi there! I do not know the current price for DragonSkin20. You can search Amazon, or SmoothOn's website and they can give you current pricing. I don't have recommendations for cheaper silicone, as I like to use DragonSkin20. It works the best for me. You can search for dice masters on Etsy and there are several shops there that can create custom dice for you! I do not create custom dice myself.

[@Badassest]

You can prefill the face side of the dice side you want custom, make a sub mold which will produce a die with a flat faced side, then you can etch in your own design with a dremel carefully. Make a new master after that for each die although the consistency of a hand etched logo may vary if each is done manually. However- you can hollow out or drill a specifically sized hole a few millimeters deep an make a matching sized logo master to fit each die during the process, for more consistency. Just make sure to check each fit before pouring the masters or it may leave a fine ring around the logo- not a bad thing unless you want that side to have a clean edge around the logo.

[@arrtx]

Can you tell me where you found your couplings? The ones I'm finding don't have a stop nearly as large as these. Thanks!

[@DiceWitchery]

I found them at our local hardware store (Ace Hardware).

[@alanplechaty8097]

How long do you cure between phases, and how much pressure do you use?

[@DiceWitchery]

DragonSkin20 cures in 4 hours, so as soon as the first layer is done I will pour the second layer. I cure my molds in the pressure pot at around 45 psi, but I cure resin at a lower psi (around 30-35).

[@minguad]

I don’t understand what I did wrong. I used Amazing’s mold rubber and got all the way to the lid duct tape section (13:22 in the video) and everything was going fine. But when I poured the lids and checked on them later, it had all formed into one block and I couldn’t get the two pieces apart. What did I do wrong?

[@DiceWitchery]

Did you apply Vaseline between the layers as a mold release?

[@demonoftheweb]

this might be a weird question but why did you not flip the mold and use the other end to help form the cap?

[@DiceWitchery]

The coupling I use has a lip on the inside middle, so if I did that they lids would not be very thick. Definitely an option if you're putting weights on your lids (thinner lids), but didn't work well for me with this instance. I think having regular pvc pipe would work great for that suggestion, I just didn't have any on hand at the time. :)

[@SamGGreenberg]

I noticed that your cap and base have the same coloring, but you had to work at that, right? They were different pours, so different pigment applications? Do you have a guess for Si oz per mold base and oz per mold cap? Just to guess the mixes closer without wasting Si.

[@DiceWitchery]

Pigment amounts? No, I pretty much just eyeball it, you don't need much. Maybe a pea sized amount of pigment for the base, and a bit less for the caps. If your cap color is looking off when mixing, you can always add a bit more pigment. The color won't really matter though, just as long as the mold works!

[@lisadennis3834]

what pressure pot would you suggest?

[@DiceWitchery]

California Air Tools Pressure Pot for Resin Casting 365C! I have the 365B and I love it!

[@RonaldGramm]

It's ok. But flat bottom key cutouts in first part of mold is not a good idea in lots of reasons. Just use tetrahedral ones. This way mold cap will fall into the correct position under its own weight.

[@PeacepuppysRawesome]

How much silicone did you measure out for the bases and the lids?

[@DiceWitchery]

10 oz for the bases and 6 oz for the lids.

[@sajjukcordreadanar]

@@DiceWitchery is that 10oz total or 10 from each half sorry, I really love this tutorial and I wanna make sure I do it right :)

[@DiceWitchery]

@@sajjukcordreadanar no problem! 10 oz total for the base, so 5 oz part A and 5 oz part B. 6 oz total for the lids, so 3 oz part A and 3 oz part B. I hope that answers your question?

[@sajjukcordreadanar]

@@DiceWitchery Thank you! Now I just gotta find some better dice to make a mold with :D

[@nourson54]

Hi , it seems Dragon skin new formula does not fit well anymore for dice making (amazon reviews) Are you aware of that ? if it's the case what are you using instead ?

[@DiceWitchery]

SmoothOn has been having trouble with some of it's batches of Dragon Skin. It seems to be random, and varies depending on what material your masters were printed with. The safest bet is to use mold release. I haven't encountered any issues, but I bought my gallon of DS20 before they were having issues (and I haven't run out just yet). I'm not sure what a safe replacement would be, I've heard other makers having luck with MoldStar20T or MoldStar 15 Slow.

[@bakedpwn4131]

where can one source the metallic paper that is sticky on the metal side?

[@DiceWitchery]

I'm not sure what you mean by metallic paper? Do you mean the packing tape that I use for the bottom?

[@catgoddess1829]

Hi, I know this is an old video but I'm hoping you're still reading comments lol. I'm new to most of this and I probably missed something, but how do I pour the resin into the mold? I didn't see any holes or anything being made. Do I just put the lids together and poke a hole at the top?

[@DiceWitchery]

Hey! So you leave the lid off, pour resin into the openings (overfill just a bit), and then put the lids back on, making sure to squish it down just a bit. You can make holes in the lid to basically create what's called a sprue, but once the resin cures you have to cut them off (I find it's more work than necessary). I hope that helps?

[@catgoddess1829]

@@DiceWitchery Yes it does and I feel very silly for not figuring that out first lol. Thanks!

[@DiceWitchery]

@@catgoddess1829 No worries! And there's no silly questions, especially when you're learning new things!

[@Doomblade403x]

Rookie question...if you buy a kit of moldstar 15 for the molds....how many molds can you make with one kit? Enough for a set?

[@DiceWitchery]

One set easily! It's been a while since I've used the trial kits, but I think there's enough in there for at least 2 full sets, possibly 3? If not 3 full sets, you can likely get 2 full sets and then maybe a couple single d20 molds. Of course this all depends on the size of your containers too!

[@Doomblade403x]

@@DiceWitchery Yeah this method to me looks to be the cleanest and easiest way to make molds I've seen. Now another question. This was all pressure pot right? No vacuum chamber use at all?

[@DiceWitchery]

@@Doomblade403x Correct, I did not use a vacuum chamber and just put the molds in my pressure pot to cure. I do them at a higher psi than I cast my resin at - about 45 psi for molds and about 35 psi for resin.

[@alimafion]

How do you get such clean location grooves with your scalpel knife, mine are so untidy 😩

[@DiceWitchery]

A new sharp blade! Makes it so much easier to get clean cuts!

[@alimafion]

@@DiceWitchery thank you 💖

[@marlatim578]

I know a pressure pot is preferred but what happens if you don't use a pressure pot?

[@DiceWitchery]

You could potentially have bubbles trapped on the surfaces or in the numbers of your dice, that would create uneven surfaces in your casts. You can try painting your dice masters with silicone before pouring to help minimize bubbles getting stuck where you don't want them.

[@joviteh6355]

Is sanding required after making dice with this mold ?

[@DiceWitchery]

If you get your caps on correctly, very minimal. I'll usually have some rough edges on the d20 to sand down, but that's about it. That's from sharp edged molds that is, I have not tried this with dice with rounded edges.

[@joviteh6355]

@@DiceWitchery nice to know, thanks!

[@nicholassels7411]

Wow, thise mold look fantastic! I think I'm going to try it out. I usually make rounded D6's, so I will be sure to share the results.

[@hopematheson4055]

is a pressure pot necessary for curing the silicone?

[@DiceWitchery]

Yes and no. The silicone will cure just fine without it, but it will have bubbles trapped inside that could potentially affect the surface of your dice. If you don't have a pressure pot, casting dice in those molds should be okay. But, if you do get a pressure pot, you'll have to remake your molds using the pressure pot, otherwise dice you cast in them will have a bubbly/pimply surface.

[@hopematheson4055]

@@DiceWitchery okay, thank you for the information ^w^

[@melissaflynn5711]

Just to add to this enquiry, for beginners who aren't ready to invest in a pressure pot is there something other than a pressure pot that you can use to help with bubbles in the silicon? You'll have to excuse my lack of knowledge I really am just starting this but could you use some sort of heat pad, sit the molds on that? Or put the molds somewhere that is likely to reach a certain temperature? I absolutely love your video above and want to use it as my guide to make my first molds but want to give them every chance to be as good quality as possible before i decide if I really want to get into dice making! Hope this makes sense!

[@DiceWitchery]

@@melissaflynn5711 Well, you can purchase a vacuum chamber, but they're not that much cheaper than a pressure pot. I have one and regret buying it, I never use it because I cast my molds and dice in my pressure pot. There are some people that mix their silicone, pour their molds, and then set the cups in the fridge for a bit - supposedly the cooler temp slows down the curing process and allows more time for the bubbles to rise to the surface. I have not tried this though. Also, you can try brushing on a layer of silicone on the faces of your dice, then pouring the molds, that may help keep bubbles away from the dice.

[@melissaflynn5711]

@@DiceWitchery thank you so much for the reply!!!! :)

[@anonymoussinner2209]

Hey does this work if you don’t have a pressure pot?

[@DiceWitchery]

Yes, if you can be careful about bubbles. If you have a vacuum chamber, you can degass the silicone that way. If not, I've heard of people putting their molds in a fridge, the cooler temp slows down the curing process and gives a little more time for bubbles to rise to the surface (but also makes it so they take longer to cure).

[@anonymoussinner2209]

@@DiceWitchery thank you this is really helpful! Am I just going to have to guess when it’s done curing though? Or does finger test work fine in this scenario?

[@DiceWitchery]

@@anonymoussinner2209 Depending on your silicone's cure time, I'd say give it a poke an hour or so after and see if it has set. Maybe test it on a single dice mold, that way if it doesn't work out, you're not out a bunch of expensive silicone! Also, try painting silicone on your dice before pouring, that may help keep bubbles off the surface while curing.

[@oliviertremblay8546]

then to use this to make die you just pour the resin ans wait?

[@DiceWitchery]

Pretty much. But, if you're not familiar with working with resin, there may be some trial and error involved in getting successful dice.

[@oliviertremblay8546]

@@DiceWitchery so no other equipment needed? that's perfect!

[@DiceWitchery]

@@oliviertremblay8546 Make sure you have your safety equipment (nitrile gloves, respirator rated for organic vapors, eye protection, well ventilated workspace) as a bare minimum. A pressure pot does make getting rid of bubbles so much easier, but you can make dice without one!

[@ashes2115]

is the pressure pot really necessary for making this molds and dice?? It's just so expensive D:

[@DiceWitchery]

No, you can make these without a pressure pot. It's just much easier with one to get bubble-free molds.

[@ashes2115]

@@DiceWitchery okay :D thank you, I'll start making dice soon and I'm really excited

[@DiceWitchery]

@@ashes2115 fantastic! Good luck!

[@jeffreyphipps1507]

Dice making ASMR...

[@unit555mage]

What if you don't have a pressure pot?

[@DiceWitchery]

You can still make these without a pressure pot, just be aware there's a chance bubbles can get stuck in numbers and your molds will have holes there. Carefully stirring your silicone, and painting your dice with silicone before pouring helps minimize this.

[@SoulStoneSeeker]

you could have put them upsidedown in the pvc and then pour through the pvc again, and you'd have a cap :D no tape!

[@CountDracusVanWolfen]

Quick question. Why aren't you just flipping over the mold and using the other half of the PVC conduit coupling? If you cut the key grooves into the separator ring in the middle all you need to do is pull the mold out and flip it over after reapplying vaseline. It would make the process a lot easier. Edit: Let me rephrase. I know you are using the empty side to push out the mold but if you use vaseline it should come out since its flexible. Just use a frosting spreader or the butter knife you used earlier to pop it out. I don't like to waste part of a resource is all.

[@DiceWitchery]

I did this tutorial as easily as possible, so that anyone with a local hardware store could make their own molds. If they didn't have access to a lot of tools, it wouldn't be a challenge for them to make the molds. That's an interesting idea to cut keys out of the center divider ring, I may have to try that in the future.

[@elizabethstevenson9707]

Might wanna increase the speed when you’re showing the same step for the other 6 molds. I ended up skipping forward through those parts.

[@macewen1]

Is that a 2 part silicone? Dying your mold is kinda pointless but you give yourself way more working time if you add your color to the B part of a two part material. You may want to consider using a silicone mold release as the petroleum in vaseline will cause the mold material to break down and decay a lot faster.

[@martinsoka17]

Dyeing a mold has many uses, including keeping track of how many pulls you’ve done. That’s why I dye my molds. Silicone mold release leaves a film on the face of the dice, which means more finishing, defeating the purpose of this type of mold. Petroleum, when used a as a releasing agent, has had zero effect on the almost three-years worth of molds I’ve made using it as such. Maybe next time, come with more constructive criticism instead of mansplaining to someone with much, much more experience in this sector of creating than you :)

[@cassiebrindley5370]

It's not pointless at all. Many makers have multiple sets of molds. It makes it 1000 times easier to pair your molds with the appropriate caps when they're color coded, don't ya think?

[@DiceWitchery]

Hey, thanks for commenting, but I want to let you know your wording comes across as mansplaining. Maybe next time, ask a maker why they do things a certain way, instead of assuming it's the wrong way. The other two replies from Kat and Cassie explain wonderfully, and I appreciate them! I've been making dice for over two years, and working with resin for over three, so there are many techniques and hours upon hours of research I've done to find what works best for me and the results I'm trying to achieve.