Mold and cast an action figure ( or anything ) // How-To | I Like To Make Stuff

It's easy to make an accurate copy of something with a silicone mold. You can cast a copy in resin, wax and lots more. I got all of my molding supplies from Inventables.com, links below:
I've got links to everything you need on my site
www.iliketomake...
Mold making is yet another thing I’ve had tons of interest in for a long time, but have never really done much of it. The one occasion that I tried it out was to make some climbing holds, which worked surprisingly well, actually. I was able to find everything I needed at inventables.com so I decided to give it a go.
I was surprised at how well it worked on the first try. Although the mold wasn’t perfect, and the cast wasn’t either, they were both really close.. and for my purposes, good enough. Having done some research, I found that having a vacuum chamber (I have to see if I can make one of THOSE) is hugely beneficial for removing the air bubbles from both the molding and casting materials.
Check out my process below, and if you have more experience with silicone molds, please leave some tips and tricks in the comments below!
Here’s what you’ll need:
(purchasing via these affiliate links supports ILTMS)
Oomoo 30 silicone rubber - amzn.to/1VuTwTM
Mold Release Agent - amzn.to/1QPrJvS
Color matching resin - www.inventable...
Measure your item, then add 1/2″ to each side.
Measure out four strips of plastic or foamcore for the box sides.
Cut the sides out, just make sure the height is well above your object’s height.
Cut a square for the bottom piece of the box.
Hot glue your object in the center of the box bottom.
Hot glue on the walls of your box.
Seal all cracks with hot glue.
I used Oomoo 30 for the mold material.
Mix the parts at a 1-to-1 ratio.
Mix thoroughly, scraping the sides and bottom fully.
Slowly pour into your mold in a thin stream to reduce bubbles.
After it’s cured, remove the box from the mold.
Cut a serpentine pattern on two sides.
When you’ve opened the mold enough, remove your object.
The molds maintain ALL of the tiny details.
Spray the inside of the mold with a release agent.
Using wooden side supports, tape the mold to keep it closed.
Mix your resin. In this case, I used a 1-to-1 mix urethane resin.
Slowly fill the mold, spinning the mold to fill pockets and release air bubbles.
After it fully cures, remove the cast item.
Check out the final result!
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Mold and cast an action figure ( or anything ) // How-To | I Like To Make Stuff
• Mold and cast an actio...
I Like To Make Stuff
/ iliketomakestuff

[@mikebrooks164]

To get rid of bubbles: Turn on your hand held sander and hold the cup onto the handle portion. The shaking will help the bubbles reach the top and be removed from your mixture. Not the best, but it works in a pinch. I just recently found your channel and am loving it.

[@mcdonaldization]

You can also use the vibrator on your phone

[@billygrow3d]

I've been doing this for years now and I find that if you try the following tips with your current tools and materials you could reaper better results. 1. If you're going to paint your figure, then spray a mold release into your mold before casting. Wait for it to fully dry, then spray an auto-body primer "Plastikote works perfect", then finally pour your resin. 2. Reducing surface bubbles in your resin on the cheap.when you are casting you resin make sure your mold is sitting on or being affected by a vibrating tool. whatever you have on hand. i.e. a drill zip tied on, fan on high, a cheap back massager. 3. when pouring the silicone onto your part to make a mold... Be sure to pour in one corner making a tiny stream of material and keep it constant, letting the silicone fill and find it's own paths. 4. The best way to mix is, pour parts A & B into one container and mix thoroughly. Then, pour that into another container and mix thoroughly again. This is called the double mix and pour method. ... If you wanted to get more invested, I'd recommend a simple pressure vessel $60, because you likely already have compressed air. This way when making your mold or casting plastic you pop it into your vessel and pressurize it to 60 PSI. Mold will likely have no bubbles, and plastics WILL have no bubbles, plus you could scrap the vibration method, and pretty much scrap the pouring method.

[@Iliketomakestuff]

Great stuff thanks!

[@billygrow3d]

I Like To Make Stuff I was off with calling it a pressure vessel, the one I use is called a "Paint Tank". It's more like $100 on ebay instead of $60. P.S. I liked your video, your other videos, and your channel. Later!

[@captaincrap3258]

i just cant understand why you would spray primer into the mould before resin, after the resin is dry wouldnt it be far more efficient to spray it then

[@Strykelife]

​@@captaincrap3258 I may be late to this. But when you spray the mold release and let it dry and then the primer. The primer more or less floats on the layer of mold release. So when you cast the resin and it cures, the primer stays on the resin but not the mold. Saving some time by giving your cast a nice and complete coat of primer right out of the box.

[@AprilWilkerson]

This looks like fun, When I start thinking about it, there are several things I would love to try this on. Good video Bob.

[@Iliketomakestuff]

April Wilkerson Thanks April!!

[@jakeabel2548]

I Like To Make Stuff Did you watch Tested because this looks like Franks tutorial.

[@Iliketomakestuff]

Jake Abel I have seen his stuff in the past, I learned a lot from him.. he's fantastic at what he does! Did you see the Ackbar mask?? Unbelievable

[@jakeabel2548]

Frank Ippolito has made many impressive molds. My favorite is Professor Farnsworth from Futurama. Just looks like you used a few of his methods.

[@Katniss36]

April Wilkerson Hi, Bob, I love making stuff, too, even though some stuff I need help with sometimes. I am a crafty person and love making a lot of things. I'll have to show you some pics of some shirts I made in the past few years. I'm sorry if this doesn't look the greatest typing-wise, but I use a screen reader, so it has some trouble reading what I type sometimes. Sometimes

[@gelerson1642]

The silicone mixed together reminded me of Trix yogurt when I was a kid.

[@brandon9271]

This stuff didn't taste nearly as good! 😋

[@theOfficial476]

rip Trix Yogurt

[@tey1728]

Yes

[@g.steitz8619]

Wow I completely forgotten about Trix Yogurt until now, thx for bringing back the memories lol

[@peterbrownwastaken]

This was great! Alumilite is tough to work with but the bubbles kinda work with this piece. End of line.

[@gigglesgames1]

Peter Brown HI peter!!!! I'm a huge fan! Mind if ask for some advice?

[@peterbrownwastaken]

+Daily Cup of Justin shoot me an email: [e-mail]

[@brandonduemling7101]

Hi I’m looking to cast come stormtroopers in a new oomoo 30 mold what resin is the best for cure time speed/ Less bubbles. I’m looking to produce a large quantity for a display shelf.

[@joshthebasil]

This was easily the most helpful, most easily understandable video I could find on this! Thank you so much!

[@NickFerry]

I've done tons of mold making for theater props with both resins and sugar glass - it can be really addicting and you almost look for stuff to replicate - sugar glass is always fun as the high temperatures make burns almost a certainty - good job Bob

[@w0mblemania]

+Nick Ferry I've seen a number of these videos now, and they always use extremely expensive resins. Stuff that usually costs way more than the actual thing being duplicated. Nick, what are you using for your resins? Have you found anything that is cost-effective? Cheers.

[@magnuswootton7368]

do you mean ordinary sugar - or is it hardened with something - please tell!

[@michaelrich5501]

Suggar glass will render that mold useless after one use, silicon don’t like to much heat

[@TheSpelledMilk]

@@w0mblemania I was just thinking the same thing. The resin I see everyone using is so expensive, not even worth it. You can get the item cheaper then making it. I know your comment is old, but did you ever end up finding anything cheaper. Please let me know w0mbles?

[@SteveCarmichael]

That was cool and fun to watch Bob. Always wanted to try that. Those figures reminded me of the Micronauts I had when I was a kid. lol

[@Iliketomakestuff]

Micronauts!! Yes! This was actually from Tron :)

[@camquintana]

I use an old sander to make the bubbles come out with the vibration.

[@Iliketomakestuff]

Camilo Eduardo Quintana oh wow, that's a great idea.. thanks!!

[@camquintana]

I Like To Make Stuff that's how my teacher thought us back in the day. I need it to make a line to use one of the 5 sanders of the college shop.

[@diycentral]

Camilo Eduardo Quintana Using the metal or rigid corner of the base on a palm/sheet sander has worked best for me. Wondering if you are doing it a better way.

[@camquintana]

diycentral I don't have a very good English but I will try to explain. With the size of Bob's mold I just put my sander upside down and put the mold. The downside is that your hands get a little numb after. If the mold is bigger I use a flat surface to apply the vibration. I've also seen people taking advantage of the vibration of their machines e. Band saw. Hope is useful.

[@diycentral]

Camilo Eduardo Quintana That english works for me. Thanks.

[@pracheed3919]

Oh bless the world of silicones and resins! Great video. Thanks for uploading

[@NaluRash]

Another tip is to use what's called "the two cup" method to mix the mold material. Mix it up in one cup, then pour your mixture into a second cup and continue mixing. This will insure that you don't get any streaks from the sides of the cup. As always another awesome video that will inspire people to get out and make stuff!

[@perezident4507]

Awesome video, I've seen a few others on casting and molding but I really appreciated the in depth explanation. Didn't really occur to me how this could replicate carvings, especially rotary carvings on my CNC. Thanks for the idea. Keep it up!

[@gradeez]

Love every single one of your videos!!!!

[@Iliketomakestuff]

Thank you!!

[@thesinister8921]

how to make things Green hi

[@ScrapwoodCity]

Awesome, never did a casting before but I am really looking forward to mold something! Thanks for sharing this!

[@ashtonmueller2803]

same

[@BloodSweatnBass]

This video helped a ton...you have a way of simplifying your explanation of all your projects and make them easy for me to complegte... Thanks for sharing.

[@Iliketomakestuff]

BloodSweatnBassOutside That's great to hear! Thank you!

[@Frontdesk_tragedy]

when working with resin, its best to stir super slow, in more of a folding method. This REALLY helps in a bubble free resin.

[@daveellingsen4854]

In the woodworking realm I could see using this technique for making templates to use in conjunction with a flush trim bit, and stencils as well. Good video Bob, food for thought!

[@smoothon]

Great video! Thanks for sharing this.

[@Iliketomakestuff]

Thanks! Really enjoy your products! I'd love to talk about working together!

[@The666Reaver]

Nice video. Another good technique that avoids cutting the mold and risking tearing/damage to the original item, is to do a two part mold. Cover half the item with something like Plasticine, so for example just the back half of your toy figure, then build your mold box around that. Pour your mold substance into the remaining half. Once cured you can peel away all the Plasticine, spray the figure and half mold with release agent, then pour another batch of mold substance into the box. Viola, you have a two part mold that comes apart easily and locates back together well (as the plasticine will have had lumps and bumps to act like a key) much more reusable and safer for your master item. Worth trying if you haven't already.

[@TomHowbridge]

Great project project Bob, lots of possibilities !

[@mikylabruder6436]

That Vedic was so cool!

[@TheShavingWoodWorkshop]

Certainly a game changer to keep in the back pocket - Thanks Bob

[@weneedmorelemonpledge4002]

If you do not have access to an evacuator do a high pour with your silicone. Physically extend your arm upwards while pouring to create an extremely small silicone stream into your mold. Try coating your fine detail areas first. This will eliminate some air bubbles. In regards to running a batch of silicone within the silicone mold-your mold MUST be clean. 99% isopropyl alcohol and a chip brush with the brussels cut off work best. To have a more effective release agent-use around 60% dish soap and 40% of the alcohol. Mix well and coat your mold with a new chip crush. Buff in using a DIFFERENT chip brush. Let it completely dry and do around 2-3 layers total. It will give you the most effective release without damaging the mold or form you're casting. Best of luck! It is ENDLESS as to what you can creat out of mold making. It is an art and craftsmanship.

[@fhlaonpg]

wow, what a good way to make those little green army guys...

[@kevinnelson66]

Or knockoff Warhammer game figures.

[@magnuswootton7368]

thanks for the quick tut, using 3d printers seems more hi-tech and new, but good old moulding is what makes mass manufacturing possible, and its always been there.

[@WilliamLutesMaker]

Way to go Bob ! Keep doing your thing young Sir, you are really good at it :-)

[@MattDiresta]

Great info. That's def one skill set that I would love to start playing around with and learning. Great job.

[@ToastAndJellyfish]

All it took was seeing Sark in the thumbnail for me to be sold on this video, seriously.

[@iksnyzrog]

Really digging your channel. I really like the diversity of projects.

[@Iliketomakestuff]

iksnyzrog Thank you! That's really great to hear!

[@Wordsnwood]

You made a Tron Sark figure!! Cool vid, Bob!

[@Iliketomakestuff]

wordsnwood Yes!! I'm a huge Tron fan ;)

[@intellirongaming6502]

The bubble look, looks really cool

[@ShuriBear]

If you use wax, could you make a candle out of it? That would be very cool.

[@Iliketomakestuff]

Yes you could! I've actually been planning on making some candle making videos soon!

[@ShuriBear]

Awesome! I am looking forward to that.

[@vwstudios5156]

I Like To Make Stuff Can you guys do a video of how to make action figures like with articulation and stuff

[@Antiganos]

VW STUDIOS Just cast each segment individually, or lookup tutorials on making stop motion puppets. You can go "bionicle" style or go for a flexible rubber type material and a wire frame armature.

[@delvis7842]

ShuriBear you could also go Micronauts with this and get little magnets for the joints! :)

[@cuddlyteddy705]

i think the stuff you make is AWESOME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@TheChrisPineWorkshop]

This could be useful to make parts for re-creations of older modelparts etc... (Model rocketry parts) Interesting process! Chris

[@Iliketomakestuff]

Chris Pine Great idea!!

[@kevinnelson66]

Chris Pine?

[@thewoodenwonderlandco.7667]

Hi Bob, i also use this method for moulds with corrugated plasti board ive learned that if you knife the board half way through it folds onto itself with fluid tight seals instead of having to make many sides fluid proof you only need to worry about 1 or 2, just a little insight, watch your videos and listen to you Jimmy and Mark on making it podcasts religiously, great work you do keep inspiring.L&R

[@dombudhu5509]

Team up with the king of radom

[@Iliketomakestuff]

We're planning on it.. just have to find the right collab topic.

[@GAZAMAN93X]

+I Like To Make Stuff try to mold a tv. lol

[@caitlinschneider7484]

I Like To Make Stuff yay!

[@eileen8780]

You did such a cool job!! The other videos I've seen that cover this are a bit more complicated. You really simplified it and made it more efficient as well. Thanks a bunch!

[@maltezachariassen7496]

Tip: f you are making the figurine out of silicone, and your mold is made of silicone, you might have to put an extra layer of mold release, because silicone has a tendency to stick to itself easily and it could ruin your mold.

[@Iliketomakestuff]

Malte Zachariassen Great tip! Yes, silicone only sticks to silicone from my understanding!

[@denniscarr4407]

Thank you for a very simple solution to my problem. This method is just what I needed.

[@MarkLindsayCNC]

Hmmmm... or maybe cut your logo on the Shapeoko, making a silicone mold of it, then cast it in resin. Once cured, paint the orange part of the resin (maybe someone makes a translucent orange paint for resin?) but leave the "white" parts clear. Light it from beneath with an LED strip embedded in a wood stand. Then sit back and watch that logo glow. Just thinking out loud...

[@Iliketomakestuff]

Great idea!!

[@MarkLindsayCNC]

Yeah - I'm great at coming up with things for other people to do... :)

[@froztikilla]

Thats really cool! kinda gets you thinking of all the endless possibilities it opens up

[@Antihobutt]

Great job as usual sir. I always love how clear and concise your videos are. Not to mention perfectly lined up shots of the action. You obviously take the time to intuitively estimate what questions might arise or issues that may occur. The consistently various project types are refreshing as well. Educational, creative, and entertaining. I thank you sir for making... and making well. Also, Diresta, Picciuto, and yourself are a MAKER trifecta. Can't get enough you guys. Love the podcast and can't wait for what is next from all of you. Nothing but love and gratitude. Thank you.

[@Iliketomakestuff]

Wow, thank you so much for saying all of that Bob! I REALLY appreciate the support and encouragement!!

[@bradisdrab]

Vacuum chambers aren't hard to make, you might want to try making one for a future video ;)

[@kaiyodei]

that is good

[@tompritch56]

You always have something really cool to see. Thanks again

[@Iliketomakestuff]

Tom Pritchard Thanks Tom!

[@kreambo1235]

hit the left arrow key on your keyboard repeatedly on the start of the video. thank me later.

[@_T.C.G_]

xDD

[@decompiler7726]

Best thing I've done all day

[@QuestWilliams]

Spamming '6' is also quite good, if you listen.

[@jakekaye5581]

no spam 8

[@decompiler7726]

Spam 4 and it sounds like some kind of techobeat

[@joecandoit5341]

I've had my hand at mold making and casting. Huge learning curve. In the end, I got ultra clear castings by first preheating the mold. While that was happening, I had a small vacuum chamber and pulled out air from parts a and b. Mixed them together and then poured into the mold. Finally I let it cure but in a pressure chamber made from those pressurised paint cans. I think mine was from Home Depot. Lots of work but it was perfect EVERY time!

[@tk429]

Ever thought of disassembling your action figure and molding the parts separately? Then you could duplicate the articulation.

[@Iliketomakestuff]

Tim Fox Yeah definitely! For the purpose of this video, it was kind of out of scope (and the particular figure can't be taken apart) but it would be awesome for something like a GI Joe that can be unscrewed, etc.

[@tk429]

I Like To Make Stuff Cool. I was assuming it was a standard action figure with the screw in the back that opens the torso into 2 parts and allows you to remove the head, arms, and legs. I see the benefits in making your own action figures. I know there is a small community of people that mod existing figures to make them appear more like minor characters that never had their own action figures. As a parent, I can also see where this would be cool for toy accessories. Just think if you could reproduce all those small lost accessories that come with toys.

[@kevinnelson66]

@@Iliketomakestuff Or some of the old 8 and 3.75 inch Mego figures. I'm sure Mego CEO Marty Abrams would love that.

[@davidskeeterskeeter1835]

You’ve been a BIG help,,many thanks. All the way from the uk,👍

[@Iliketomakestuff]

Glad to hear it!

[@halorat2047]

How’s the molded one still articulated

[@mr.meeceecss452]

That’s what I was wondering

[@borbleborb4586]

It was probably just flexible since it wasn’t fully cured

[@ConstructIcon]

Very cool! I will trying this in the near future! As always great breakdown of the steps involved!

[@rinrio-oki3665]

I'm gonna get silly with the silicon. Just like the famous "1st rule of Fight Club", there should be a 1st rule for silicon mantra. So, the first rule of silicon is, "Silicon Sticks To Silicon!", remember that. Topic: A $$$ degas machines for what? When it comes to making the mold (not the cast), there is really no need to degas for air bubbles. Please let me explain. The only area where air bubbles matter will be the outside layer of the object being cast, so any air bubbles caught within the mold itself will not matter. Don't go down any financial rabbit holes of wishing for expensive machines, just paint a silicon thin layer over your model. For a measuring cup use a Pepsi bottle cap to mix equal parts, and get some toss away kid's paint brushes on the cheap from (Walmart). This thin layer will pick up every details of your object! Unsightly air bubbles can only show up here, which is now impossible. Wait about 20 mins. and box everything up and pour the rest of the mold and say "Silicon Sticks To Silicon!" At this point, any air bubbles within the mold won't matter, because the point where the mold and cast "kiss" has been taken care of (on the cheap).

[@Caitlinsculpts]

+Rin Rio-Oki Depending on the model degassing the silicon can help a lot, even with a thin layer of silicon on the model and air bubbles close to the surface can expand with the heat of the curing resin and cause faults and dimples in the actually cast

[@rinrio-oki3665]

+Caitlin Ashford I agree with you, and thank you for this insight of a real world possibility. And like you said it will depend on the model and materials used for both the model and mold. This video is using Oomoo 30, which I have stopped using because it doesn't hold up as well as Rebound 25, which by its name suggests, tears less easily vs. the Oomoo purp goop. So, far I've only casted in resin (Smooth Cast 325) which does get hella hot, but I haven't noticed faults from trapped bubbles, and I can tell you the potential of trapped bubbles in my molds are high. To save money on material, I've recycled old molds and the leftover silicon linings from many mix cups and scissored them up into bits that resemble onion cubes and coleslaw cabbage, and mixed those up into a new batch of silicon to be poured, yet have not noticed model faults from these trapped air pockets. (1st rule, Say it: Silicon Sticks to Silicon!) Both Oomoo and Rebound have a high viscosity that naturally forces air bubbles out, and I help this process along by pouring on top of my washing machine and jumping it to a spin cycle for the vibrations. (Blender vibrations might work too, trying that next.) My point is, with the right material and a tweak in the actual application, maybe a degas machine isn't worth the investment. If a person already has access to one through their school or job, cool, use it, but for those that don't... Worse case, if a big ol' bubble rears its ugly head, simply cut/slice the bubble out, box that small section, pour more silicon to fill that void and cut off any excess (1st rule). So, If it's at the surface of the model maybe, but if hidden more than a millimeter down... And finally, deviations in casts can be a shady marketing ploy of claiming that every cast is slightly unique. ;)

[@suvi0075]

That looks really cool, your videos are awesome all time and every time you make something, it always inspires every beginners woodworker or just anybody with an open mind and hand. Keep up the good work.

[@jamespool4442]

mmm...chess pieces for Steve Ramsey

[@Iliketomakestuff]

James Pool YES!!

[@BLTspace]

Awesome! I just realized the sub growth you've had and it's great that people recognized how good your channel was. Good stuff man keep it up!

[@Iliketomakestuff]

Thanks for that, I really appreciate it!!

[@MrGmach75]

I love it when you get your maker on, you always show me something new and explain it so well. Thanks for being a continuous source of inspiration (my missus & wallet probably don't appreciate it too much though lol) Keep it up Bob! (From the noob formerly known as MrGmach75)

[@rinrio-oki3665]

My earliest molds were made using Oomoo 30, but quickly learned that if a model had any intricate work, like for example, a deep ear canal, or mouth cavity blocked by narrow teeth, Oomoo would tear during de-molding. I've even used Oomoo with more simple low-profile objects, and even with these after a few casts the mold would tear at the corners. I no longer use Oomoo 30 and have upgraded to Rebound 25 which mixes the same as Oomoo, but the end result is no more tearing. The company provides a spec sheet of each product's "tensile strength", the degree at which it will tear/shear when pulled. Rebound is very amazing. Final verdict: If doing a one shot single cast, Oomoo is great, but if you are casting multiples, it might be a waste of time and money, because it won't last the abuse. If multiple casting. I'd go with Rebound 25.

[@cthulha_north]

this helped me understand how the process work pretty and ima use it for reference.

[@Iliketomakestuff]

Excellent!

[@jenniferneisler7219]

I love all of your projects!

[@TheMarcball]

well done, thanks. Can't think of any uses right now, but they'll simmer and pop out at some point !

[@ginger_autry9722]

So Cool!! I'm going to make my own soap molds and this helps a lot!

[@JoebobbedGaming]

thank you for the video. Would love to see you cast metal from a home made furnace

[@obsidianwing]

Just a small hint from a baking person.Hit the container with the mixture a few times on the table,it cracks up air bobbles,you do this with the mold too.I do this with liquid cake dough , an this works very well.

[@nathankirkland2024]

I realize this video is years old and I'm sure you've figured this out by now Bob, but I've seen quite a few people without vacuum chambers get rid of the bubbles (in the resin at least) by holding an electric sander to the side of the mold before it cures. Thanks for the awesome videos!

[@MotorcycleRiderUK]

Love your videos dude. Amazing stuff! Thanks for the work that goes into sharing your stuff.

[@Iliketomakestuff]

+BootiDaddy thanks so much!

[@boostaddict_]

This is exactly what I needed. Thanks for making this!

[@tinylittlejiji4136]

Really nice! Awesome explanation as well! Loved it.

[@TDF3529]

In college I 3D printed a mold out of a material called Z cast. Then poured aluminum in the mold to make the part. Worked pretty well. Maybe you can print your next mold. Great video. Keep up the great work.

[@FredMcIntyre]

Really cool Bob!

[@ShaunBrownintheworkshop]

I like this one Bob, real cool stuff. I ran across something similar a few years back on a high end restoration project. I like what you have been doing, opening minds up for new creations

[@Iliketomakestuff]

Shaun Brown Thanks so much Shaun!!

[@grintalthecrafter3604]

That was a pretty interesting video. Thanks for making it.

[@MattLaneWoodshop]

Really cool, looks like a fun project for sure! I'm sure your boys will have lots of ideas for things you can make a mold of haha!

[@nategibson6582]

This is such a cool way to army build!

[@Iliketomakestuff]

Nathaniel Gibson I hadn't really thought of that, but you're right! These wouldn't be posable, but for that purpose, it might not matter! If you wanted posable figures, you'd have to cast each piece separately and assemble them. That would still probably be worthwhile if you were wanting to make a lot of them though.

[@nategibson6582]

They look cool regardless!

[@Harryofalltrades]

It probably wouldn't be too hard to make a crude vacuum chamber. You can get a electric vacuum pump from Harbor Freight. They're usually used for automotive AC work. Then you'll probably need some kind of brass fitting and a metal bucket with a uniform lip. Attach the fitting to the bottom or side of the bucket and use the bucket like a bell jar. As a gasket for the lip of the bucket just use a sheet of smooth rubber or use your silicone to make a ring gasket. You might be able to use really tough plastic bucket, but I suspect you might crush it. I've never made a vacuum chamber but if I needed one I would attempt this first. I think Ben from Applied Science made his own, but his is a high vacuum pump

[@KittieZombieSlayer]

Heat like a candle lighter or using a straw on the surface of the mixed resin by blowing through it will eliminate bubbles. I've had some really clear casts using these methods. Also the slower you mix the two part resin the less bubbles you'll have to eliminate

[@TheSingingBUn]

my experience with casting was disastrous, but then that was because we were casting for wax heads. even for a first timer, you've done waaay better than what I had done (I've always wanted to work with resin, but we went for wax unfortunately). undercuts are the worst. when casting for wax, there's a tendency for the wax to seep between the lines as well as clinging onto the mold when there's an undercut. (but then again, the mold was made from plaster in prep for a bronze cast after doing the wax casting). Shame we never got to the bronze casting.

[@MatthieuLibeert]

nice to see you trying new stuff! this projects is closer to my way of prototyping and making stuff :) here's a tip: heat your mould in an oven at 60°C and heat A+B from the resin separately, than mix them while they are still hot. you will find out the viscosity is lower, which solves your 'airtrap" problem a bit (vacuum is better though) with your mould being hot, you should get a better surface finish as well, because the resin will flow better against the mould surface (lower viscosity) have a look at my KZbin channel :) your find more "composites and mouldmaking" videos/tutorials! once again, love your videos, keep up the good work!

[@BNorbi83]

+Matthieu Libeert (Mat's Prototyping) the problem with heating up is when it cools down it shrinks. It means your mold should be slightly bigger than the original model to compensate this difference. (I know for cast iron it is 1.01%)

[@ZacHiggins]

Awesome video Bob, I use Alumilite for making "acrylic" turning blanks and haven't ventured into that level of mold making, great to learn about! One tip when using Alumilite, you really want to measure the part A and B by weight, not volume. Great work, thanks for sharing!

[@Iliketomakestuff]

Zac Higgins Oh really? Interesting, I'll do that next time.. Thanks Zac!

[@TheWoodLab]

Fun project Bob! - Jim

[@Irishrebel092]

a good trick for getting air out is to use a DA sander (without any sandpaper of course) and use it to vibrate the mold. just press it against one of the boards on the side of the mold.

[@willgo6456]

Hmmm so we meet again mr. I like to make stuff... definitely subscribing

[@LeeMcC123]

I'd love to see a revisit now you've made a vacuum former that could be made into a vacuum chamber with not too much effort! Be neat to see an air bubble-less cast :) could be cool to see a candle making project too! Good work though!

[@RobinThompson301]

Creating makerspace at our digital learning lab/media center at Richmond Hill HS. I think my students would love doing this over a few days. Love your videos and ideas!

[@Iliketomakestuff]

Robin Thompson Thanks! Yes, I bet they would love it!

[@joedell71]

Awesome video man. I'm making custom figures and needed to kow how to reproduce alot of them. Subbed on the strength of this vid. Can't wait to watch the rest of your stuff!!!

[@sarahosinovsky4025]

You are brilliant! I am trying to make miniatures 1:12 scale. Thanks !🙏

[@KittieZombieSlayer]

A candle lighter or a straw will remove bubbles before pouring. Blowing through the straw on the surface of the resin will pop bubbles. I've gotten lots of clear casts this way

[@imayhem1]

hi the use of a bullet vibratior taped to the side will rid ur moulds of bubbles as the vibrations will force the bubbles to the surface hope this helps

[@raajmata]

Mann . You are amazing !! Love it

[@everythingmeeko925]

thanks so much!! I needed to figure out a way to cast my sculptures....now I have one!

[@ecstaticbanana1063]

Pretty nice cast!

[@TheMrByrom]

When you cut the corrugated plastic, only cut half way through so you have less work to glue it back together. Also, Alumilite needs heat to cure. If you heat up the mold a little first it will set faster. I use Alumilite to make pen blanks. I also just posted a video showing how to make Vacuum form molds with it too. I like to make stuff too.

[@REZdct]

Nicely done, if you haven't pressure pot of something , after mix resin with hardener put resin's cup(make sure it's plastic) on top of the hot water and let it float and let it rest 5 min then pour mold with that, that's not clear casting but so close to it

[@atomichabanero9101]

I think you just earned a new sub

[@esporgi]

Hi Bob ! I'm currently restoring an old Dodge Charger 1969. Parts aren't cheap and molding looks like a good idea for reproducing parts ! Thank you !

[@johanthedestroyer6316]

Great video, I really enjoyed watching! As a tip, I'm not sure if someone said this already but, you could try making a two part mold. In that method, you would want to use some clay to line your original, halfway up the width, so it would be like you had the action figure lying down. Use a tool to make the serpentine pattern in the clay. Build your box around it and pour your silicon. Let it set, remove the box and clay. Clean it up, and do the other side! A little more work, but much easier to remove and reuse! Hope all that made sense!

[@G_Hand-vy3rh]

Pretty cool I’m making this during my b-day party

[@MarkDolan]

Hey Bob, Nice video. Another way to get rid of bubbles is to set it on your (running) drill press table. The vibrations will get out many bubbles if you don't have access to a vacuum or pressure pot.

[@Iliketomakestuff]

Mark Dolan Great idea! Someone else mentioned holding a sander up to it, which would work about the same way. Thanks!

[@boldger13]

I Like To Make Stuff Try cutting the corrugated plastic halfway thru and folding it instead of cutting it and hot gluing it back together. One other tip that works for me as a chemist, (it may/ not work for you) pour the silicone in the box against the side at an angle and not directly down in the center. That reduces or eliminates trapped bubbles. I hope this helps. Thank you for the video.

[@Iliketomakestuff]

Great tips! Thanks!!

[@happyfarmer6823]

Great video. Im gonna try this out. Would be cool to incorporate the bubbles intentionally into the design somehow. Maybe some strategic use of glitter too, try some gradient with an LED light in a base or a axe or sword type handle with a magnetically gripping hands that shine thru the body parts.

[@biggboi1025]

I took a metallurgy class in high school. We learned how to do this with metals though, but some concepts are applicable. If you have sharp edges in your mold, it will not be properly filled in. Also, doing this in a vacuum where there is no air will make a huge difference

[@diegoalfpicanderson6002]

WHAAAAAAT... A PIECE OF ART, U HAVE 1 OF THE BEST VIDEO 4 THIS PAL, YOU ARE "THE GREATEST" XDI , WOW