molds from Apoxie Sculpt

[southern or]

I have a lot of this stuff since I use it for static models, but I'm going to be needing to make some molds for a project and I was wondering what would stop it from adhering to the mold, but won't harm the chemical process? I'd also like to keep the molds if possible. I've used Apoxie Sculpt for just about everything but I've never made molds before. I know it doesn't shrink or expand and when dry it'll fulfill my needs.

[ward shrake]

Have you tried using "Parafilm-M"? It's intended as a laboratory film, for doing things like sealing lids and bottles very well ... but some people (large-ish scale figure painters, mostly) love it as a masking material for odd or irregular shapes.

http://www.parafilm.com/

I've used it several times now, more or less as a "mold release agent" in conjunction with "Magic Sculpt" -- (which some would say is pretty similar to "Apoxie Sculpt" except that I feel it's a LOT easier to smooth and manipulate, using only water) -- and I've had very good results with it, each time.

I'm mostly using it to make parts out of Magic Sculpt, which are essentially molded (as it were) onto pre-existing kit parts. In other words, making my own parts, which fit basically perfectly onto somebody else's pre-made kit parts ... fitting like they were made just to fit there ... because they essentially were.

[southern or]

Have you tried using "Parafilm-M"? It's intended as a laboratory film, for doing things like sealing lids and bottles very well ... but some people (large-ish scale figure painters, mostly) love it as a masking material for odd or irregular shapes.

http://www.parafilm.com/

I've used it several times now, more or less as a "mold release agent" in conjunction with "Magic Sculpt" -- (which some would say is pretty similar to "Apoxie Sculpt" except that I feel it's a LOT easier to smooth and manipulate, using only water) -- and I've had very good results with it, each time.

I'm mostly using it to make parts out of Magic Sculpt, which are essentially molded (as it were) onto pre-existing kit parts. In other words, making my own parts, which fit basically perfectly onto somebody else's pre-made kit parts ... fitting like they were made just to fit there ... because they essentially were.

I'll have to look into that, thanks. My aunt has a florist license so I might be able to get it in bulk for cheap.

[tom dougherty]

Speaking as an everyday user of parafilm (alas for molecular biology, not model making), its is a relatively think material and will obscure fine details. If you want to try some, I can send you some since we buy it by the tens of meters.

Tom

[tom dougherty]

That should read "THICK" material. %$#*@ autocorrect!

[southern or]

That's alright Tom. My mom and my aunt are both florists and they have tons of it. Thanks though.

[bigdave]

If you use silicone molding rubber to make your mold your master part will not stick.
The only thing that sticks to silicone is silicone.
You can spray on some mold release agent if you want but I never do.
I have made hundreds of molds and nothing has ever stuck using silicone.
Urethane is another matter. It is cheaper to buy but everything sticks to it.
I used it once years ago and never again. BD

[bigdave]

I think I misunderstood your question.
Do you want to make the mold out of the sculpt?
If this is the case good luck. Let us know how you make out. BD

[southern or]

I'll have to look into the silicone rubber, but isn't that a liquid when it starts out? Apoxie Sculpt starts life as a clay which is really nice, but it loves to stick to EVERYTHING before it drys. It's nice that it'll stick to just about everything, but it makes it hard to do molds with it. I made a boo boo on my Oscar's prop housing so I'll be using it to fix that. FedEx bashed in the bow on one of my surface boats and you'd never know now thanks to this stuff. FedEx and I don't have the best of relations. Guys over at the replica prop forum have been using it to make just about everything.