Two-Part Clay-Up Mold Vs. One-Piece Cut Mold

In this video I make urethane resin castings of a collectible figurine. I cut the silicone mold open and build a casting cradle to help close the mold properly. Then I cast the resin copy.
This video is Part 2 continued from this video:
• Resin Casting From A C...
For more fun with resin wrestling figurines check out Zaash on The Figure Guys: / eq_pg1 DJpiw
Here is a list of suppliers for the rubber, resins and waxes I use in my videos:
www.dropbox.com/s/kz6mhmf7v5v...
Do you have a project to suggest for the channel?
Here’s a .pdf with everything you need to know:
www.dropbox.com/s/pjb0l6fr7zj...

[@GenesisMoss]

Saw this in my suggested videos (been watching you for a while missed this somehow) and as a rasslin' fan I loved seeing Sean Waltman get recasted in resin!

[@3dtcb]

I watched the video and I saw the flesh and thought "OH NO! There's no scissor on the table!!!" but luckily there was one behind on the wall! Your videos are great! I love them! A few more days and I will probably try to cast something!

[@madmania5080]

Robert is a ninja he just dresses like a regular guy

[@mschambon]

eyeball trick is genius, genius

[@BioMusing]

Watching your videos makes me feel like I'm learning at my grandpa's shop. Thank you

[@RobertTolone]

Thanks Tobias!

[@thenotontvshow1928]

This was great, that cutting a hole 🕳 and taping the patern to the wood was revolutionary.

[@joelnoles4530]

I see people in the comments saying they’re having issues with cutting one piece molds. A bit of advice from my learning experience is start with a translucent/transparent silicone like smooth on moldstar 20T. This will allow you to see your piece inside the silicone as you’re cutting and once you build up confidence in your mold making/cutting abilities you can switch to a cheaper colored rubber. More expensive to start with but saves you money in the long run.

[@RobertTolone]

Great tip Joel! My regular supplier Silpak sent me a freebie sample of some semi-clear platinum silicone rubber and I am using it to cast a small figurine next Friday! it definitely comes in handy to be able to see the model through the rubber.

[@U014B]

Aside from generating muscleymen, that mold also serves as an excellent makeshift dinosaur head.

[@usna19]

Haha, Toblerone Tolone,. Hope to be able to get a mold half as good one day :D

[@RobertTolone]

That is a relic from my childhood. One day, someone went to a local store near my high school and took a black marker to all of the Toblerone bars on the rack. Naturally, the store owner was furious and called my father. He accused me of doing it but I pointed out that I was not so stupid as to commit vandalism and leave my name all over the crime! My father offered to buy all of the bars in the store and that settled the matter. I never did find out which one of my so-called friends did that to me. But everybody got a huge laugh out of it at school.

[@joevano]

Love the eye tape trick. I’ve never seen that before, but as they say “You can never unsee it.” I’ll be using that on projects in the future for sure.

[@RobertTolone]

In my early days when I was a woodcarver I used to tape paper patterns to boards all day long. That trick really came in handy then.

[@maysonnehemiah8397]

I guess Im pretty randomly asking but do anybody know a good site to stream newly released tv shows online?

[@karsynmack2874]

@Mayson Nehemiah i would suggest Flixzone. You can find it by googling =)

[@huxleymitchell5407]

@Mayson Nehemiah Lately I have been using FlixZone. You can find it by googling :)

[@lonewolflabs7284]

Oh my god !! The eye trick!!thanks for sharing that one! So simple, but so genius.

[@emilyrealname634]

Eye tape trick is amazing, thank you. Could you do a video about PDMS resins? Im working on microfluidic projects and I would love to hear your take on handling and casting small objects in PDMS.

[@RobertTolone]

The first thing I had to do was go look up what PDMS resins are. I have absolutely no experience working with them. Give me an example of one of the microfluidic projects you are working on.

[@1Freddie55]

The eyeball trick, genius! I could use that when I'm cutting out patterns from foam core as well!

[@RobertTolone]

Works like a champ Karla!

[@1Freddie55]

@@RobertTolone Where has this trick been all these years, no layers slippin' out all over the place, it's a miracle, I tell ya!

[@David-bc4rh]

you've helped inspire me to begin casting. I'm looking around my junk piles for a suitable DIY vacuum tank.

[@RobertTolone]

I bought my tank from a used restaurant supplies store.

[@adrianacruz6177]

Love it . Thanks Robert . 🌺🌺

[@hombrebala_toys]

I get always a big lesson from you Robert! You're the number 1, thank you! Greetings from Spain!

[@RobertTolone]

Thanks for the nice comment!

[@dzzywibble7318]

Thank you Robert for another great video!

[@RobertTolone]

Glad you enjoyed it Dzzy!

[@LH74]

This is fantastic. 👌

[@RobertTolone]

Glad you think so! I appreciate you watching my videos.

[@templer4295]

Thanks Robert. I really enjoy your video's, because it seams that you really enjoy your craft.....please keep them coming!

[@RobertTolone]

I’ll keep on keeping on. Thanks for watching!

[@IPrint3dMinis]

Great video Robert, love what you do.

[@securityrobot]

Another grand job done.

[@roger.agburn]

Lovely video. =) I like the "Tolone" chocolate in the background. :D

[@RobertTolone]

That is a relic from my childhood. One day, someone went to a local store near my high school and took a black marker to all of the Toblerone bars on the rack. Naturally, the store owner was furious and called my father. He accused me of doing it but I pointed out that I was not so stupid as to commit vandalism and leave my name all over the crime! My father offered to buy all of the bars in the store and that settled the matter. I never did find out which one of my so-called friends did that to me. But everybody got a huge laugh out of it at school.

[@roger.agburn]

@@RobertTolone :D That's a hilarious story. Hopefully you liked Toblerone chocolate at home, so it wasn't a waste of money. ^_^' Nice you kept it all the years.

[@rowanstephenson3192]

Absolute joy to watch so very clever TY

[@ScottBourke]

Always informative. I cant help but think that mould looked like a robot dinosaur head. Hahaha

[@RobertTolone]

Somebody said it looked like the robot dog from Doctor Who!

[@MRNIIK]

Thank you for all your videos Robert! Always a pleasure learning your high standards and reasons behind them. I get to skip over all those mistakes now haha.

[@RobertTolone]

I hope they help you avoid lots of mistakes!

[@jerthemaker]

You are an amazing purveyor of information, Sir! Thank you!

[@RobertTolone]

Thanks!

[@johnbon7449]

Thank you for sharing your knowledge.

[@RobertTolone]

Glad it was helpful! Thanks, John

[@ArcticFlies56]

Robert, another great job!

[@RobertTolone]

Thanks, Richard

[@wollibar5263]

Another great master lesson, learned something new. Hopeing for yet more figurine projects, perhaps at a smaller scale...Thank You very much.

[@RobertTolone]

The tune in next week Wolli! We’re doing a small figurine.

[@edgargabrielsanchezdomingu9844]

Beautiful work Mr Robert, one more time i have the privilege of learning from you. Thanks

[@RobertTolone]

Thanks for watching Edgar!

[@flytrapjohn]

More handy dandyness. Thank you.

[@maverickstclare3756]

always a pleasure, and I only watch for fun

[@RobertTolone]

Thanks for watching Maverick!

[@tonycooper5599]

The link in the description for the first part actually redirects to another video (cone holder casting).

[@floraazul7622]

Just found your channel, I love your content!

[@RobertTolone]

Glad you enjoy it Flora!

[@madmania5080]

I made some molds following the exact way Robert does things the only problem is you have to be an expert to cut things out of molds which I am not ended up wasting $200 worth of rubber on molds that I cut to pieces trying to cut the mold objects out from now on I'm going with two piece molds but I can still admire how amazing this guy is

[@Hiryustudio]

The important things that I use most of the time are the air duct for understand the best direction to cut the molds.

[@RobertTolone]

I’m really sorry you had a bad experience Daniel. Feel free to send me pics of the mold pieces and your model and I’ll be happy to review what went wrong. [e-mail] The red flag I’m hearing in your comment is that you cut the mold into pieces. It is essential that the mold remain in one piece. That’s why they are called one-piece cut molds. If you cut the mold into many pieces you will never reassemble it properly. When I am designing a mold, laying out the sprue and vents, I am also designing the cut lines. Every single cut line is meticulously planned in advance. I often take photographs from all angles of my model and draw the cut lines on the photographs so that when I begin the cuts I know exactly where I’m going. It is really essential to plan the pattern of cuts and to know in advance that they will properly release the model and still keep the mold in one piece. A properly made cut mold can reproduce a much more elaborate casting than any clay-up two part mold can. That is because the parting line can be much more complex and go in multiple directions. These things are impossible in a clay up mold. If you have a model that you can clay up successfully you can make a cut mold of it much easier, much faster and deliver a vastly superior casting with minimal parting lines every time.

[@madmania5080]

@@RobertTolone Thank you for the advice. God Bless you and keep making cool stuff!

[@HaikalArts]

thank you

[@RobertTolone]

You're welcome

[@U014B]

There's something wrong with the link to the previous video in the description. It goes to a different video.

[@scavengerjoe1012]

Lack of a vacuum tank is really getting a pain for me now. Time to up my game and get sonething sorted.

[@RobertTolone]

You’ll never go back!

[@JohnJones-oy3md]

2:22 - Who else sees K9 from Doctor Who?

[@RobertTolone]

Hahaha! I would never have seen that in a million years!

[@quassisbelltower9408]

I have the same table saw. Did you move or remove the arm to make it easier to see what your cutting or just for the camera?

[@RobertTolone]

I find that the stock arm didn’t hold the material down very well and gets in the way, especially when making cuts on small pieces of wood. But of course an unguarded blade is much more dangerous and you do have to be very careful working with it.

[@polishfinnish3066]

If you need another idea for a video. I'm working on a few railroad passenger cars I want to eventually cast in pieces. Also maybe make a video on how design a model that's meant to be cast? (Maybe I missed you did it before)

[@RobertTolone]

Send pics to [e-mail].

[@BaronMcCausland]

Robert, what kind of wood did you use for the sides of the mold case? I ask, as it looks like either you sanded it, or, it's some sort of engineered wood product like a Masonite or MDF; yes?

[@RobertTolone]

Hi Baron, yeah, just MDF. Another construction dumpster rescue job. You have to love construction dumpsters!

[@BrianFowlie]

Was hoping you were going to try the vitaflex! Great work as always Robert!

[@RobertTolone]

Thanks Brian!

[@BrianFowlie]

@@RobertTolone very welcome!

[@Lions1977]

Was going to make a two part mold this weekend. Due to having a large hole in the middle of the object. Alright, I’ll try it as a single cut mold instead. Definitely quicker to make. Haha

[@RobertTolone]

It won’t work if your silicone rubber is too hard to stretch. But if you can pull it away from the hole you can successfully cut it through easily.

[@joek600]

This is great, would this set up work if the hands of the figure were on a different plane? For example bending forward. I cast my own tabletop minis, but I failed misserably when I tried to cast then in one piece. I ended up chopping the hands off. Then I use the legs as an air vent and place a reverse J formed channel as a pour spout in order to fill the mold from the bottom to the top, pushing the air out instead of risking it being trapped in pockets. Then I cut the mold up until the heigh of the scrutum and pull free the mini. In that way I avoid having a mold line from the waist up.

[@RobertTolone]

Generally speaking, the more complex the figure the better off you are cutting it into pieces.

[@jerthemaker]

Sir, quick question, if you are not able to afford the beautiful pressure tank you have, would a pressure pot with clamps be a good enough starting point?

[@RobertTolone]

I could not afford a pressure pot when we started out so I designed these and had them fabricated. Any pot will work as long as you can get the resin-filled mold into it and shut quickly enough.

[@swedishclix7248]

Oh Robert oh Robert...I have been into casting about a year soon. Your channel is really the best for learning this stuff. So thanks for that! I mostly make small figures and usually goes for two part molds. Seeing you I always get inspired to try more cut molds. Did one yesterday. But I just dosn’t work out for me. I never gets any control over the cut line and the cast turns out with huge mold lines. Dont know what I am doing wrong. Tried both with more and less pressure on the mold. But I think its my cut thats not good. I wonder if maybe my silicone is harder than yours. But most likely its just lack of experience. But, would och you still recommend cut molds for figurines small as like 5 cm? Or does it become harder and harder the smaller the mold gets?

[@RobertTolone]

If you want, send me pics of your disaster to [e-mail]. I’ll be happy to review it with you and see what went wrong. Sorry you had a bad experience.

[@mrbluesteen]

what is the best resin to use on figures like this?

[@RobertTolone]

That would depend on the qualities you are looking for. I would use a urethane resin and decide if I want a rigid casting or a casting with some flexibility. Most vendors have a range of resins to choose from so you can pick the qualities you want in the finished sculpture.

[@gerbendenheeten6905]

Question: If you do have some bubble holes, can you fill them with epoxy? (and after that, paint it over so it won't be seen on the resin) I am planning to start molding/casting my (simple) cat characters soon, but don't have the pressure/vaccuum equipment.

[@RobertTolone]

Yes, you can use most epoxy fillers, also bondo or other polyester fillers.

[@gerbendenheeten6905]

@@RobertTolone thanks!

[@stephenfenech1263]

Hi Robert , one question please, can this be done with pour blanket method ? sometimes they call it matrix mold ?

[@RobertTolone]

Yes, I'm sure it could be.

[@IdRatherBeMaking]

I see what you meant about cut molds, the original parting line is clearly visible and any flash comes off cleanly. I am increasing my tool collection, and I started to wonder about starting from scratch (perhaps this should be a future video?). I am repurposing a second hand lab vacuum pump I bought years ago for metal casting and recently picked up a harbor freight air pressure paint tank for curing under pressure. If you were a beginner today, what would be a minimal but useful casting setup? What would be your first project? Thanks!

[@RobertTolone]

It sounds like you have bought the basic set up that you need. Also get a good accurate gram scale. If I were starting out again I would do simple, small projects. That way you could learn a lot without spending a lot of money on materials. I would keep careful notes and records of each mold and casting. Note the materials that you used and any problems that you had with them. I would read the material data sheets for my rubber and resin and I would be meticulous in following the manufacturer’s directions. I would work in a comfortable environment. If you can wear shorts and a T-shirt in your studio your resin and rubber will be happy. If it’s too hot or too cold you will have all kinds of problems. Don’t get discouraged when things go horribly wrong. Just learn from your mistakes and go on. And have fun!

[@coulterjb22]

Informative and entertaining. The only thing missing is popcorn! Is there anything different that you would do for injecting wax in smaller molds (Including 'Robert Tolone' tips on cheap mold release)?

[@RobertTolone]

I'm not an injection fan, I prefer to design molds for pouring. The cheapest way to buy mold release is by the gallon and brush it on or put it in a spray gun; otherwise you're stuck with spray cans.

[@coulterjb22]

@@RobertTolone Thank you. I'll start looking into brands.

[@gateaccess818]

awesome i love these videos!! can you please share what plastic mixtures are best for replicating car parts? i have a few small plastic car parts i would like to remake myself with small modification to my liking.. only issue is, once i finalized my plug, and have made my split mold. i have NO IDEA what plastic mixture i should be purchasing in order to have a plastic part as strong and durable as say an OEM car mirror. one that can withstand wind pressures and florida heat lol... im looking to make my own AERO mirrors for my car, but again, once i finish my plug and my split mold... i have no idea what plastic mixture to purchase in order to ensure my parts hold shape and withstand the elements =] your wisdom, knowledge and expertise in this area is very much appreciated! all the best and god bless my friend!!

[@gateaccess818]

p.s. im subbed on two accounts and i have the bell notification on for both accounts. always a thumbs up from me! again godbless me amego

[@RobertTolone]

My expertise in this area is knowing what I don’t know. So I can’t advise you as to what resin will give you the mix of durability, flexibility, strength etc. that you require. That is a question best directed at a material supplier. You could call Don at my regular supplier Silpak. www.silpak.com or Brooke at Reynolds Advanced Materials. www.reynoldsam.com. Or do your own internet search for suppliers. Thanks for subbing and watching!

[@nickpascua5078]

and what brand of resin u used also

[@RobertTolone]

Silcast 2 from www.silpak.com

[@sd4055]

I love your channel! I have to make 15 sets of dinner cutlery. I have a KZbin channel where I do a sort of stop motion animation. The dolls I use to animate are not standard size for most accessories so I need to make pretty much everything. Here is where I wonder - these cutlery sets (I have only 1 master set to use to mold) are about 1 1/2 inches long, 1/8th in wide (maybe) I was going to attempt a 2 piece mold - is that the way to do it? My confidence is struggling as I am new to this and just don't know quite how to do this. Any help would be much appreciated.

[@RobertTolone]

Send me pics of what you're casting to [e-mail].

[@sd4055]

@@RobertTolone OK!

[@nickpascua5078]

hi robert what rubber mold u use?

[@RobertTolone]

Econosil-25 from www.silpak.com

[@aleksandarlazov6564]

What is that machine? Hot steam or what? How did the epoxy cured for 30 minutes? What material you are using for the mold (the blue thing)? Thank you!!

[@RobertTolone]

It is a pressure chamber. It subjects the mold and resin to 50 pounds per square inch of compressed air pressure. This helps to eliminate bubbles. it is not epoxy resin, it is urethane resin. And the cure time is 30 minutes. The mold material is a tin-based silicone rubber.

[@aleksandarlazov6564]

@@RobertTolone Wow awesome! Thank you so much for the quick response! ❤❤❤

[@blewprent]

Robert, I have a piece that I 3d print, but would like to start casting. However, I do not want it public because I sell this item. Do you do contract work? I just want 4 or more molds made. How does one contact you?

[@RobertTolone]

My channel has become a full-time job so I only take commissions I can do as channel projects.

[@Vancegeoffmen2]

Honey colored boy… Honey Boy.

[@tftf60]

The lesson today, don't cut to your thumb? 😂

[@RobertTolone]

By far the most dangerous tool in my shop (judging by the number of times I’ve cut myself) is my X-Acto knife.

[@damianpark236]

Rob another ripper video.

[@RobertTolone]

Thanks Damian!

[@fuzzpuppets]

Hey Robert! Another great tutorial, thanks so much for sharing your experience. Looking forward to applying many of your lessons soon. When you get a chance, please check your email, thanks!

[@RobertTolone]

Hi Larry, sorry I'm so slow responding to emails. I'm in a constant state of mild overload these days!

[@fuzzpuppets]

@@RobertTolone No worries at all, I understand!

[@levinebette15]

The scraping hurts my teeth!

[@RobertTolone]

I practice by running my fingers over a chalkboard.

[@madmania5080]

The moral of the story is don't even think about doing one piece molds like Robert does unless you have an x-ray machine and you're an expert like Robert is and cutting out objects from rubber one bad cut and the whole mold is gone

[@RobertTolone]

Bad cuts are not fatal. I make them all the time. This despite the fact that I very carefully plan each and every cut in advance. In a cut mold, a bad cut doesn’t really hurt anything. Worst case it just makes an unnecessary parting line and may be a little extra flash. The only truly bad cut is one that cuts the mold into two or more pieces. Then you have pretty much destroyed your mold. I don’t have an x-ray machine. I have an iPhone and an app that I can use to draw on pictures. That’s how I plan my cut lines. But I feel your frustration. I have endured countless mold failures in my career. I have been cutting molds for 30 years and I still get a pit in my stomach when I pick up the knife and begin the cut.