MYSTIC MOLDS HAVE ARRIVED

Post by **maria** » Fri Apr 19, 2013 11:13 am

Hi everyone. I'm about to get started on the molds. Had no time all week and we were very worried about a friend of ours who was running in Boston (she's fine)--and I've been a bit anxiety ridden about my loved ones being in crowded situations--that's passed--so I'll let you know how the wood putty works out soon

Post by **maria** » Sat Apr 20, 2013 7:09 pm

Argh. Still haven't managed to find the time for this mold. Hopefully tomorrow.

Post by **maria** » Sun Apr 21, 2013 3:34 pm

Hello everyone. Well so far this is a bit disappointing; it turns out the mold is simply plaster--not happy about that as degradation has already begun and I am losing crispness. It also turns out these are meant for porcelain slip although some people use these molds for polymer clay; I've used the clay and that works well enough but I can already see some degradation of the mold's finer details. Hot glue works the best but as you all know, hot glue is unstable. The wood putty I would not use again.

So I'll keep trying and let you know. i really thought that the mold would be something stronger i.e. more permanent. I'll come back to this next week.

Post by **paulrace** » Sun Apr 21, 2013 5:30 pm

How disappointing to spend $55 on something and discover that it's a plaster cast that breaks down if you use anything other than "porcelain slip." There's a note on the home page about contacting them BEFORE you order if you're not planning on using porcelain slip. I wonder what they say? Thanks for the report. - Paul

Post by **maria** » Sun Apr 21, 2013 7:43 pm

Wow you found that. I didn't so perhaps it's my fault. It was $45 by the way. Oh well, I am getting some casts that aren't too bad.

Such is life. The quest continues. Next time--a silicone mold perhaps.

By the way they did indicate that had I told them I would not be using porcelain slip, I would have gotten a mold a little harder...oh well, next time I won't let my excitement get ahead of me...all and all though, disappointing

Post by **maria** » Tue Apr 23, 2013 8:43 am

Well it took some work but I have cast my own molds from the mother mold before it deteriorates any further--I made these molds using hot glue and it's almost impossible to shoot with any detail so I won't bother posting pix. Today I'll start casting using these hot glue molds--and put the "mother mold" away for now.

Hope to pour some figures later--trying the wood putty again.

Post by **les** » Tue Apr 23, 2013 9:15 am

Sorry about the disappointment with the molds. Good luck with the next the batch!!! Will be interested in the result.

Post by **maria** » Thu Apr 25, 2013 11:21 pm

Let it suffice to say all the fine details were gone. You live and learn.

Post by **Tom Hull** » Mon May 13, 2013 7:19 pm

Back to the drawing board on these. The originals likely WERE plaster BUT the technique was a bit different as they would have PRESSED wet clay (not slip) into the molds. This would have been simple fire clay - like what old bricks are made of. Two piece molds would have been as complicated as they would have gotten. Often simply one piece molds. The wet clay would have been fired. Have you tried pressing Sculpty into the mold and oven baking the result? I think this might work and make a VERY durable figure. I have made molds from the Sculpty and from Latex silicone rubber like they use in automotive applications for gasket cement. Also it is used for bathroom caulking. It is genuine rubber BUT you want to apply it in several thin layers so that it will set up on the inside. Put a hole lot on the outside and it takes FOREVER to cure. The little setting bulldog I made from Sculpty and made the mold out of black silicone rubber. It has worked well. I took a sharp knife and split the rubber mold up the back to get it off of the dog.
The first molds I made were plaster and they do loose detail quickly using Durham's rock hard putty because it is just a VERY durable form of plaster and sets up the same way. HOWEVER a bit of caution, if you use this product be SURE and remove it from the mold before it gets TOO set up as it will be VERY hard to remove. Using this product the plaster molds do deteriorate quickly. I bought one of those molds but haven't used it as The seller was going to give me the name of a suppler of a product to use as mold release but she never got the info to me. I have used lard or Crisco but that leaves something to be desired. I think I will get some Sculpty and try my mold after I get out of the hospital. Tom