Quick and Easy Silicone Custom Fit Earbuds

Allen Lab Vlog #311, 9/27/2021
I’ve made these a few times. The easy way is fine, but can I make it better? I tried it the hard way. I made a plaster cast of my ears to mold the silicone earbuds, but it didn’t work as well as just mashing the silicone plugs directly into my head.
Silicone earplugs I used:
www.amazon.com...
Casting kit I used:
www.amazon.com...

[@_Yep_Yep_]

I bought the 12 dollar mash it in your ear stuff, mashed them in my ears then squished my earbuds inside. Works. Doesnt look great, but sounds good and fits in a way that the buds dont fall out. This actually cost less than foam earbud replacement tips, and sounds better, and fits more comfortable...and doesnt fall apart.

[@jackroman8821]

Great video. First one that actually goes over both processes and compares the final result. Much appreciated.

[@jeanoroid]

I have for years made my own by making an initial positive with Radians then using Smoothon Dragon skin to make formal molds. You can then make as many new positives with Dragon Skin silicone (you'll definitely need EZ Release as to not bond Dragon Skin to Dragon Skin) as you want. I've found Dragon Skin silicone is the perfect material for noise-reducing plugs (live band rehearsal etc). You can buy a thickening agent to make the silicone even more firm and dense. I see a company is now offering essentially the same thing for over $150 per set. That's insane. I can make 40 sets for that price.

[@g_niac]

great video! i’m a multimedia artist and am frequently challenging myself to find creative alternatives for otherwise pricey endeavors lol. there’s also a science element to this that is incredibly interesting! cooler to say the custom fitting earbuds being used were actually self assembled. liked and sub’d. the world needs more collective maker stuff and this fits that need

[@minilab9030]

Interesting material for making a variety of cool stuff! Did not know about it. Thanks Peter

[@PeterAllenLab]

Thanks for checking it out. If you want a similar material for other uses (not in contact with skin) check out Sugru Mouldable Glue

[@AfdhalAtiffTan]

I don't even know such material exists, thank you! 🐈🐱

[@PeterAllenLab]

You're welcome - hope it was useful

[@MrArdytube]

Thanks so much…. I have been struggling to get a good fit…. And have decided I have atypical ears. This looks perfect

[@kevinmaxim]

I could definitely see myself thinking this would be a good idea. This way, you could make several ear molds without needing to spend several hours doing so. I wonder if this small adjustment would make for a better seal. Typically, it is suggested to create the molds while your mouth is open. I bet if you did that with the more complex approach, you'd get an ever better result.

[@PeterAllenLab]

Great point! I didn't know that about the mouth open. That could have helped.

[@dannygonsalez27]

Real ghetto how you did the dirty method.looks scary but you have a mold for both ears so you can make more custom tips. Great tutorial

[@dejayrezme8617]

Fascinating, thanks! Now I'm wondering what one could do with over the ear custom fitted earphones. If both the ear cups fits your ear and the hoop fits on your head perfectly (no need to be adjustable?) maybe both comfort with minimal pressure and noise cancelling could be improved. 3D scanning your head and 3D printing could work.

[@richardwallinger1683]

great presentation . quality casting outcome . I was looking for ma behind the ear custom molding process.

[@bibliophile99]

Thank you Peter! I really appreciated your going through all of this so I don't have to. I'll try your first method! I'm assuming that when it wears out that the part that fits in your ear can simply be cut off and a new ear insert made. More expensive than simple replacement earbuds, but it will stay in my ear!

[@PeterAllenLab]

Yup, my current pair need to be refurbished in this way. The silicone doesn't really stick to the earbud, just traps it mechanically. Thanks!

[@difflocktwo]

I have seen one video where the guy coats the ear impression by dipping it in molten paraffin wax. This coat adds thickness which makes for a slightly oversized mold when you cast from the impression. The slightly oversized casting from that mold might make for a better fit.

[@Andrew_O]

One step I saw skipped in this is that to get a proper seal when singing, etc you should bite down on something around 1" think like a brush handle, etc as the shape of your ear-canal changes as you open your jaw. This should substantially improve the fit.

[@mrmatthewpaul]

I was thinking about doing the casting of the ear but now I know it doesn't work as well. I wonder if you use the first method to make the impression then make the casting would that work better. The reasoning is now you have a casting of your ear to make another ear bud once it starts to wear out.

[@COTUFAK]

Thank you from Chile 🇨🇱. It's amazing

[@Falk4J]

Awesome! Thanks for trying both methods so we don't have to 😊

[@slicedpage]

not a good idea to pour anything into your ear. It probably won't stick to your eardrum but because the canal twists, it is extremely possible that some of the paste will stay in there as you remove the mould. The first option is the best. I have done this using reusable plastic, which lasted longer than the earphones.

[@florenomorence1492]

OMG thanks! I wish I'd seen this before I paid out the @$$ for my UE earbuds!

[@hazidizhar2366]

Hey can I ask if it will work with tws? Seem appropriate for it application

[@fellmikemech1768]

Does it tear if you remove it from the earphones? I need answers please, thanks!

[@fozbstudios]

I’m more interested in increasing comfort for long wear. Does this do that?

[@milton7951]

Abraços de um fã Brasileiro (Text in portuguese)

[@matthewm8289]

Excellent, thank you!

[@blairdavis]

I can't help but wonder if this is totally safe to do considering you're pouring liquid in your ears.....like how on earth do you know you're not getting it on your ear drum? Sorry if this is a stupid question lol

[@PeterAllenLab]

It's a valid concern. It's pretty viscous and didn't really go down my ear canal very far, but your results/anatomy might be different. The first method is far better as far as this goes. The silicone material is putty-like and doesn't really flow or drip.

[@romanbolgar]

Спасибо! Это именно то что я искал. Жаль не нашел на русском. Очень странно что у такого полезного видео так мало комментариев и просмотров. Я как раз ищу что-то что бы быстро застывало и было не сильно твердым. На амазон не заказывал. Не знаю могу ли я вообще там заказать, т.к. я из Украины. У нас тут вообще почти все в наемном рабстве, но биороботы этого не замечают... Поэтому не до амазонов... Но хотелось бы узнать подробный состав и купить что-то подобное у себя. В частности альгинат, т.к. задался целью сделать хорошие беруши и наушники, но повторюсь из-за рабства нет времени этим заниматься. Все время уходит на работу, а что остается на быт... Рад, что в Мире есть свободные люди... У которых есть деньги без необходимости не экспериментировать, а покупать готовое. У рабов и на эксперименты даже времени и денег не хватает. Поэтому даже вот такие вот элементарные и мелкие полезности на удивление никто не использует.

[@PeterAllenLab]

Thanks for visiting! You can look for silicone putty or silicone glue. Don't let silicone touch your skin before it is hard.

[@loonyt22]

I wonder if this method could be adapted for wireless earbuds where the earbuds need to be separated from the mold in order to charge?

[@PeterAllenLab]

I tired it once, but it didn't work for me.

[@Steve_Just_Steve]

Apparently we have different meanings of the words "quick" and "easy"

[@aliciastarkey6351]

Definitely do not recommend making a mold technique, got alginate stuck in my ear canal and have some hearing loss 😢

[@zmaxx21]

Honey! Help I did it again!

[@JosePereira-cc1ju]

well ill be dam