search  current discussion  categories  techniques - moldmaking 

making a mold for a mold

updated sat 21 sep 02

 

Christena Schafale on wed 18 sep 02


I am now about to reveal my near-total ignorance of mold making, so be
gentle.

I've been working on Currie testing now for a couple of months, and have
made a couple of molds for the 5x7 grid tiles. I've done this by casting a
slab of plaster and then carving out the lines that will form the divisions
between the cells. This works, but is laborious.

My question is: how would you go about making a mold that you would pour
the plaster over, so as to get the lines molded in, rather than having to
carve them? In other words, if I wanted a labor-saving way of making
multiple plaster tile molds, how would I go about it? I'm sure someone has
done this, so what's the secret?

Thanks for any help.

Chris

Light One Candle Pottery
209 N Woodrow St
Fuquay-Varina, NC 27526
(919) 567-1098
candle@intrex.net
www.lightonecandle.com

Donn Buchfinck on wed 18 sep 02


first of all,
the only stupid question is the unasked one,

this is a great question actually,

there are rubber mold compounds that you can make a master mold out of then
pour the plaster into,

I do not know the names of them
but your best bet is to start looking at sculpture casting mold making
techniques, they have all the cool things you are looking for

Donn Buchfinck
Bayareaartist@aol.com
San Francisco

Snail Scott on wed 18 sep 02


At 11:41 AM 9/18/02 -0400, you wrote:
>...Currie testing...[multiple molds]...have
>made a couple of molds for the 5x7 grid tiles. I've done this by casting a
>slab of plaster and then carving out the lines...This works, but is
laborious.
>
>My question is: how would you go about making a mold that you would pour
>the plaster over, so as to get the lines molded in, rather than having to
>carve them?



Why not just use the grid tiles that you make from
the first mold as patterns for more? Just slap a mold
frame around them and pour the plaster while they're
still wet clay - easy! You can make the next wet-clay
tile while the previous mold is still setting up, then
when it's hard, move the mold frame down to the new
one and start again. With multiple mold frames, (or
use clay-slab frames) you could really crank 'em out!

-Snail

Don Goodrich on wed 18 sep 02


Chris Schafale asked:
>My question is: how would you go about making a mold that you would pourth=
e=20
>plaster over, so as to get the lines molded in, rather than having tocarve=20
them? In >other words, if I wanted a labor-saving way of makingmultiple=20
plaster tile molds, how >would I go about it? I'm sure someone hasdone this=
,=20
so what's the secret?

Hi Chris,
Here's my super-secret method of making a Currie tile master for molding:

1) Make a 1" square stamp. Wood or plaster would work fine, but I used one=20
of those little plastic squares that holds a single pat of butter in=20
restaurants. It was just the right size, so I filled it with epoxy and stuck=
=20
the sawed-off end of a round clothespin into it for a handle.
2) Roll out a slab of clay at least 7=BD" X 10=BD", or 19mm X 27mm, and 3/8=
"=20
(10mm) thick.
3) Stamp a 5 X 7 grid into the slab, keeping a suitable interval between th=
e=20
squares. Leave room so they can be numbered along the sides. You can scribe=20
grooves in each square at this point. They'll become texture in the finished=
=20
tile.
4) Frame the slab, to make a mold case. The sides of the mold case need onl=
y=20
be an inch high, but should be level along the top.
5) Mix your plaster and pour it into the case, covering the stamped slab.=20
See to it that the plaster fills the case, so you can run a straightedge=20
across the top to level it. This level top will become the base of your mold=
,=20
so it's important if you want to make tiles of even thickness.
6) Once the plaster has set, remove the mold case and peel the clay off.
You now have a plaster negative of the 35-square test tile. Assuming there=20
are no undercuts, you can apply mold release, invert and recase the mold. No=
w=20
you can cast another plaster master ( ! ) to make as many more molds as you=20
want.

Alternatively, you can roll clay slabs into the original mold with a=20
rolling pin. Rolled tiles this size may tend to warp a bit, but for this use=
=20
it doesn't matter much.

Good luck,

Don Goodrich
goodrichdn@aol.com
http://members.aol.com/goodrichdn/

John Kimpton Dellow on thu 19 sep 02


Why not buy a large block of segmented chocolate and take a mould
of it .:).
Down under one can buy a block for $A2 .

Snail Scott wrote:
>
> At 11:41 AM 9/18/02 -0400, you wrote:
> >...Currie testing...[multiple molds]...have
> >made a couple of molds for the 5x7 grid tiles. I've done this by casting a
> >slab of plaster and then carving out the lines...This works, but is
> laborious.
> >
> >My question is: how would you go about making a mold that you would pour
> >the plaster over, so as to get the lines molded in, rather than having to
> >carve them?
>
> Why not just use the grid tiles that you make from
> the first mold as patterns for more? Just slap a mold
> frame around them and pour the plaster while they're
> still wet clay - easy! You can make the next wet-clay
> tile while the previous mold is still setting up, then
> when it's hard, move the mold frame down to the new
> one and start again. With multiple mold frames, (or
> use clay-slab frames) you could really crank 'em out!
>
> -Snail
>
> ______________________________________________________________________________
> Send postings to clayart@lsv.ceramics.org
>
> You may look at the archives for the list or change your subscription
> settings from http://www.ceramics.org/clayart/
>
> Moderator of the list is Mel Jacobson who may be reached at melpots@pclink.com.

--

John Dellow "the flower pot man"
Home Page http://www.welcome.to/jkdellow
http://digitalfire.com/education/people/dellow/

Christena Schafale on thu 19 sep 02


What a criminal waste of good chocolate! At least, I assume you couldn't
still eat it after pouring plaster over it! and what kind of mold release
would you use for chocolate?

Chris

At 07:39 PM 09/19/2002 +1000, you wrote:
>Why not buy a large block of segmented chocolate and take a mould
>of it .:).
>Down under one can buy a block for $A2 .

Consultation and Referral Specialist
Resources for Seniors
christenas@rfsnc.org
http://www.resourcesforseniors.com
Phone: (919) 713-1537
FAX: (919) 872-9574
1110 Navaho Dr, Suite 400
Raleigh, NC 27609

Dannon Rhudy on thu 19 sep 02


John said:

> Why not buy a large block of segmented chocolate and take a mould
> of it .:).......

I loved that answer - and it works very well, by the way. I had
a couple of students come up with that when they wanted a very
precise mold (they made a half dozen, actually) to make their
glaze grids.

regards

Dannon Rhudy

claybair on thu 19 sep 02


What about using a cheap sheet of small bathroom tiles from any home store.
You know one that has small tiles glues on some kind of mesh backing. You
could seal the mesh between the tiles from the back with some clay, glue or
caulk.

Gayle Bair
Bainbridge Island, WA
http://claybair.com

-----Original Message-----
From: Christena Schafale



What a criminal waste of good chocolate! At least, I assume you couldn't
still eat it after pouring plaster over it! and what kind of mold release
would you use for chocolate?

Bonnie/Jeremy Hellman on thu 19 sep 02


And just think what fun you'd have researching the best kind of chocolate
bars to use for the mold. Eating a little plaster probably won't hurt, so
you wouldn't even need to waste the chocolate after you make your mold. The
sad thing is that cheap chocolate is frequently made with wax as an
ingredient, and might well be the best for making a mold.

If anyone does this, let us know the particulars of which brand, size,
flavor works best.

Bonnie



----- Original Message -----
From: "John Kimpton Dellow"
To:
Sent: Thursday, September 19, 2002 5:39 AM
Subject: Re: making a mold for a mold


> Why not buy a large block of segmented chocolate and take a mould
> of it .:).
> Down under one can buy a block for $A2 .
>
> Snail Scott wrote:
> >
> > At 11:41 AM 9/18/02 -0400, you wrote:
> > >...Currie testing...[multiple molds]...have
> > >made a couple of molds for the 5x7 grid tiles. I've done this by
casting a
> > >slab of plaster and then carving out the lines...This works, but is
> > laborious.
> > >
> > >My question is: how would you go about making a mold that you would
pour
> > >the plaster over, so as to get the lines molded in, rather than having
to
> > >carve them?
> >
> > Why not just use the grid tiles that you make from
> > the first mold as patterns for more? Just slap a mold
> > frame around them and pour the plaster while they're
> > still wet clay - easy! You can make the next wet-clay
> > tile while the previous mold is still setting up, then
> > when it's hard, move the mold frame down to the new
> > one and start again. With multiple mold frames, (or
> > use clay-slab frames) you could really crank 'em out!
> >
> > -Snail
> >
> >
____________________________________________________________________________
__
> > Send postings to clayart@lsv.ceramics.org
> >
> > You may look at the archives for the list or change your subscription
> > settings from http://www.ceramics.org/clayart/
> >
> > Moderator of the list is Mel Jacobson who may be reached at
melpots@pclink.com.
>
> --
>
> John Dellow "the flower pot man"
> Home Page http://www.welcome.to/jkdellow
> http://digitalfire.com/education/people/dellow/
>
>
____________________________________________________________________________
__
> Send postings to clayart@lsv.ceramics.org
>
> You may look at the archives for the list or change your subscription
> settings from http://www.ceramics.org/clayart/
>
> Moderator of the list is Mel Jacobson who may be reached at
melpots@pclink.com.
>
>

Philip Poburka on thu 19 sep 02


Oh...it would not be like the Chocolate one eats as
confection...it is different.

Sculptors have used it for ever...it gets quite firm...is
not 'sweet', nor soft when cured.

It is more like a semi-hard dark brown rubber or
Gutta-Percha in it's ways...

I know someone who used to use it...I will ask them, and
relay whatever further information as they may give me...

Phil
Las Vegas


----- Original Message -----
From: "Bonnie/Jeremy Hellman"
To:
Sent: Thursday, September 19, 2002 4:21 PM
Subject: making a mold for a mold


And just think what fun you'd have researching the best kind
of chocolate
bars to use for the mold. Eating a little plaster probably
won't hurt, so
you wouldn't even need to waste the chocolate after you make
your mold. The
sad thing is that cheap chocolate is frequently made with
wax as an
ingredient, and might well be the best for making a mold.


If anyone does this, let us know the particulars of which
brand, size,
flavor works best.

Bonnie



----- Original Message -----
From: "John Kimpton Dellow"
To:
Sent: Thursday, September 19, 2002 5:39 AM
Subject: Re: making a mold for a mold


> Why not buy a large block of segmented chocolate and take
a mould
> of it .:).
> Down under one can buy a block for $A2 .
>
> Snail Scott wrote:
> >
> > At 11:41 AM 9/18/02 -0400, you wrote:
> > >...Currie testing...[multiple molds]...have
> > >made a couple of molds for the 5x7 grid tiles. I've
done this by
casting a
> > >slab of plaster and then carving out the lines...This
works, but is
> > laborious.
> > >
> > >My question is: how would you go about making a mold
that you would
pour
> > >the plaster over, so as to get the lines molded in,
rather than having
to
> > >carve them?
> >
> > Why not just use the grid tiles that you make from
> > the first mold as patterns for more? Just slap a mold
> > frame around them and pour the plaster while they're
> > still wet clay - easy! You can make the next wet-clay
> > tile while the previous mold is still setting up, then
> > when it's hard, move the mold frame down to the new
> > one and start again. With multiple mold frames, (or
> > use clay-slab frames) you could really crank 'em out!
> >
> > -Snail
> >
> >
____________________________________________________________
________________
__
> > Send postings to clayart@lsv.ceramics.org
> >
> > You may look at the archives for the list or change your
subscription
> > settings from http://www.ceramics.org/clayart/
> >
> > Moderator of the list is Mel Jacobson who may be reached
at
melpots@pclink.com.
>
> --
>
> John Dellow "the flower pot man"
> Home Page http://www.welcome.to/jkdellow
> http://digitalfire.com/education/people/dellow/
>
>
____________________________________________________________
________________
__
> Send postings to clayart@lsv.ceramics.org
>
> You may look at the archives for the list or change your
subscription
> settings from http://www.ceramics.org/clayart/
>
> Moderator of the list is Mel Jacobson who may be reached
at
melpots@pclink.com.
>
>

____________________________________________________________
__________________
Send postings to clayart@lsv.ceramics.org

You may look at the archives for the list or change your
subscription
settings from http://www.ceramics.org/clayart/

Moderator of the list is Mel Jacobson who may be reached at
melpots@pclink.com.

Janet Kaiser on fri 20 sep 02


I have not been following this thread, but the mention of chocolate caught
my attention!

My solution for the problem (as I understand it): just press a plastic
ice-cube maker into a slab of clay. It would be a shame to waste a whole
bar of chocolate!

Janet Kaiser - who must be heading for some hormonal change... Have never
wanted chocolate or needed sweeties ever, but now find a bar of Cadbury's
whole nut seems to be one of life's necessities once a week....




Janet Kaiser

The Chapel of Art =95 Capel Celfyddyd
8 Marine Crescent, Criccieth LL52 0EA, Wales, UK
Tel: 01766-523570 URL: http://www.the-coa.org.uk