Tips: Silicone Rubber Molds, i have to remember my own tips XD

WARNING: Technical post, expect usual crabbiness!! :P

in a previous post here:


http://snowfern-clover.blogspot.com/2010/04/112-pastries-breads-danishes-i-dont.html


i related how i had to get a different sort of silicone rubber than the first time i bought them, in this post:


http://snowfern-clover.blogspot.com/2009/08/i-have-had-difficulty-sourcing-for-good.html

 being the semi-disorganized person i am (i refuse to outright consider myself disorganized, i know where everything is in this organized pile of mess!), i don't think i mentioned where i got the material from, or if i had, it's probably in my comments. so to those in Singapore, you can purchase 1kg portions from:


http://www.weeteetong.com/

directions to the place are in the website itself, and it's best you call the salesperson before heading down to, as i like to put it, "jalan ulu ulu". i'm trying to translate that phrase, best i can come up with is "middle of ****ing nowhere" :P i tend to exaggerate, i know :X

ANYHOW. before i start on my personal experience, if you're wondering where you can get more comprehensive knowledge on moldmaking, please please PLEASE go HERE:



http://www.hirstarts.com/moldmake/moldmaking.html

it has EVERYTHING you need to know, kinda sorta. i picked up whatever i know from that totally awesome site, and then wasted lots of material experimenting and adapting to local climates and conditions. so whatever i experience, please keep in mind that i'm in Singapore, and climate conditions definitely affect the pouring of silicone and resin etc since i don't have any of the funky machinery to help me remove bubbles and measure out the portions with extreme precision.

as always, proceed with caution, and i refuse to answer questions because.....hahaha i don't really pay all that much attention to what i do, this is my way of trying to REMEMBER what i did so i don't repeat the same mistakes again :( SUGGESTIONS ARE TOTALLY WELCOME THOUGH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! need all the help i can get....

Below are notes on RTV 589 vs RTV 585 (the first batch i purchased)

- RTV 589 is definitely softer and more pliable than 585

the catalyst is pink, so the resulting pour is a lovely strawberry yoghurt colour (i RIKES!). this is a good/bad thing, depending on usage. for recordkeeping purposes, i'm gonna flat out state that i would prefer 585 for larger, uneven items since i can stick in the clay and expect it not to distort that greatly. of course, if you use ADC, this wouldn't really matter. and either one for smaller resin pours. so for even larger food items, i probably have to stick to alley goop, which is a 2-part silicone putty and you can get that from clayalley.com. it cures firmer and faster than any silicone pour, although the learning curve is...a little trickier depending on the temperature of your surroundings and your hands. anyhow, that's another post for another day.

- take into consideration the size, detail and space between the items to be molded

i made the mold pictured above for 1:12 macarons, raspberries, eclairs, danishes etc, and in order to conserve on the amount of silicone pour used, i tried to squeeze in as many items as possible, into as little volume of mold as possible, but that also means that the mold itself is more flexible than if i used a larger container. and because i did that, i messed up my 1:4 and 1:3 molded items (not pictured), as i used the same container to make it. 589 was too soft for me to use polymer clay in it. i could have spaced the items a little better, resulting disaster is the price i pay for impatience and stinginess :P

- pick the right container

i used to use lego blocks, as suggested by the Hirst link i gave earlier, but after a while i've found it to be too much work for items that are so small. some japanese miniaturists i've seen use recycled milk cartons, properly cut and sealed with duct tape etc as the cartons are waterproof, and that's great and all, but again, i had plenty of sauce containers, and i tend to pick a clear container (this time, it was a PP  polypropylene plastic box from Daiso) since it's easier to see if there are bubbles trapped at the sides of the masters. i didn't choose a hard plastic in case the thing got stuck too firmly. ionos. the great thing about inverted sauce/takeaway containers too is that they are clear, and all you have to do is pop the lid off and push out the mold. naturally, i cut off part of the container to allow pouring. if you're confused about what i'm referring to, you can probably google for moldmaking with recycled margarine containres, plenty of resources out there (and probably where i got the idea from, but most likely cos i was lazy and just have too much crap lying around that i could use)


- make sure the items are properly adhered to the base of the container


if the master shifts during the molding process, not only do you 'lose' the item, fishing it out before the molding material hardens is a sticky and messy affair, and if you try and extract it -after- the silicone rubber has hardened, you risk ruining the entire mold, or the master itself. with a 1 pour mold, you could probably follow faithfully the steps suggested by Hirst, but i am always too excited to get it done that i hate too much prep work :X that's why i fail so much! LOL anyway.....

i had previously used double sided tape, that worked pretty well if you didn't care about the unsightly surface, and wanted a quick and dirty pour. well, i messed that up majorly with this pour :( i thought i hadn't mixed enough catalyst in, and so placed the poured mold near my laptop, which acts also as a heat source since this machine freaking heats up real fast even with the fan underneath it. i'm not sure where i got the idea that heat speeds up the process, but i think it stands to reason, after all it is an exothermic process, and the heat generated helps the rubber itself to cure. any physicists or chemists out there want to help me verify this? XD anyhoo, my point is, the double sided tape melted and created this gooey mess on the base/surface of the mold that try as i might, could not fully clean off. :( :( :( i took my blade and sliced off as thinly as possible the top layer, after scraping off whatever gunk remained after i let it soak in rubbing alcohol...alas, it is only marginally helpful, it's no longer that icky gooey and most of the glue residue was removed after 4 hrs of carefully cleaning (i really should try out the WD40 but ...the smell of that stuff makes me wanna puke) the surface, i gave up and prepared a new pour. i'll still use it though, for as long as i can tolerate the icky texture XD

- get the ratio right!

i think there's always an 'optimum' amount to mix such materials, like i've mentioned, the heat generated factors into the cure rate, not just the amount of catalyst. well, that's my opinion anyway for epoxy resin. but for silicone pour, i think it's even trickier, as soon as the catalyst comes into contact with the rubber, reactions start happening, gah! if you don't stir rightaway, or if the silicone rubber has been sitting around for a while (there's always a shelf life for silicone rubber/epoxy resin, as far as i know anyway), the resulting pour can clump up before you even attempt pouring :( the suggested ratio for 589 was 2-3% of the silicone rubber portion, but i think that's for amounts larger than 1-2kgs. for this pour, only approx 20ml was used!!!! i tried to play safe by keeping it to a 1-1.25% ratio for our climate, and oh boy, does temperature affect the pour. when i first tried out 589, Asuka was around to help me, and we were in my air-conditioned bedroom. that was a pretty successful pour, with the room temperature at approx 18-20 deg celcius. the weather this week has been hot and humid, and i don't usually work with the air-conditioner on, so i totally forgot to factor it in, and TADAH IT CLUMPED. i was frustrated, and thought back on all the possible variables since i kept the ratio the same, and so tried again today with the airconditioner on. PERFECT. no clumping. oh, and if you can, invest in proper measuring tools, my goal is to get an electronic scale.....soon...soon :( no place to keep my tools!!!!

- keep the stream thin while pouring, and TAP TAP TAP. this is to get rid of any bubbles that could have been introduced into the mix. i got tired of the tapping process, so recently i took to running an old epilator against my work surface (which is usually a box, to introduce further reverberation) LOL. don't judge me!!! i can't always have the washing machine running! XD and yes, the epilator is clean. :-/ freaking effective, just really noisy.....alternatively, you can place the container against a fan, which is what i used to do until i got this new table = no space for fan XD

- use wet wipes to clean up spillage

if any. XD

ok i'm sure i missed out other stuff, but this is a sorta 'newbie' post still, i'm still making mistakes and figuring out what i'm comfortable with....so remember, even if you fail the first time, you have to keep on trying!!! conditions of your environment are SUPER important when it comes to working with temperamental materials such as silicone rubber and epoxy resin!

comment if you've found this useful, or made it through the post without falling asleep ;) i know Asuka probably didn't even make it past the first paragraph ;P *snort*

party time!

assorted goodies in 1:3 and 1:4 scale :)

1:3 donuts and macarons, a customer request.

the camera wasn't really co-operating with me (yea, i know the bad workman always blames his tools....ok so i'm a sucky photographer). the ochre seems overpoweringly yellow. well it's not in real life *defiant look* :P

see. and this image wasn't processed :( just cropped.

 or i should just try and take pics when there's more sunlight. bleh

made an extra batch of 1:4 macarons, and just for kicks, here's another contrast pic, 1:3 vs 1:4 :)

bouncing back to the 1:4 cakes and tarts....these were taken under my magnifying lamp light.....i tried to edit the contrasts/colours/exposure...but maybe my eyes are tired?? (oops more excuses...)

contrast that to the pic i took in daylight which to me appears more washed out.

opps, didn't mean to let this post turn into a photography related one.

i think it looks like lightly toasted coconut flakes, cousin at first glance thought it was white chocolate :(

the jam tarts are harder to make than it looks. i guess i have to figure out the right proportion of paint:clay;liquid fimo. had to redo it twice :(

had to make a mold of the raspberries. at least now i have one in 1:12, 1:4 and 1:3 ^ ^

decided to put in 'seeds' to the jam, cos strange as it seems, i enjoy picking them out of my teeth? :X

and because i had leftover clay, i made a few extras, played around with leftover piping too ^ ^

will probably make these available on DoA :) or Etsy. or whatever. too tired to think or care.

i spent half the morning organizing my workspace, the table now has an open space of approx 8" square....i think that will last oh, maybe another day at best. ha ha ha. -_-"

i hope to work on my WIP......got materials for my 1:12 roombox, kinda sick of the old prop that i've been overusing for my pics. and i'm working on stock for TDA, right now i do have 1:12 items for Etsy, but i haven't figured out how to price or package them, so...........guhhh my eyes and haed are spinning! @ @

1:12 gummy bears

haha they are so small i hadn't noticed it was upside down :( it's hard to take clear pics of them as they're translucent and barely 2.5mm tall. i tried making them smaller, but i'm already insane enough, i'll try again for the next batch, no promises! they're tough to make...i used epoxy resin, minute minute amounts....forgot to take pics of the mold....actually made them a while ago, and they took ages cos i had to work in batches for the resin to set (takes about a day for each batch)

finally figured out how to use brushes in GIMP!!!! just download the latest version (it's free) and put the free brushes in the appropriate folder, and TADAH!!!! omg so simple, free, and totally legal (provided you read the TOU for the free brushes XD ) going crazy making packing designs lately....

aaaand the contents of package spilling out, my fave thing to do when packaging minis....

aaaaand YOTSUBA!!!!! she gets some too!!!! i might make some available on etsy....depending on how attached i feel to them.

here's a sneak preview to what i'm making....you can probably guess if you celebrate it ;)

DING!! i'll post more after my friend gets her package (which i am trying to get sent out by today :X )

Cupcakes Galore!

Thank you Rosanna for the BEAUTIFUL teapot cosy and fruit jam signboard. they are sooo lovely...i am going to drag bf down to pick up supplies to build a country chic (?!?!) display. i am DETERMINED to get one done XD i don't know if and when you'll read this, have a safe voyage home!!!

Asuka and i met up with Rosanna and Sans for our monthly mini meet yesterday, and it was a blast! i wish my hands were more co-operative, but at least we had some mini-making done, i'll wait for Sans to put up pics ;)

i've been on a cupcake kick. the 3 in the picture are in 1:12 and were experiments, alas, the silver dragees really do not survive baking well :( i made a set for Dale when she visited, and so did not put up pictures. wanted them to be a surprise (she didn't receive these, she received the 'good' ones XD )

these are a request for 1:4 alice set + macarons. dang, my hands are shaky today....blurry pics :X

EDIT: BLUE SET SOLD! Thank you!!!

made 2 extra sets for sale, had pretty good feedback on them, but we'll see if they sell. each cupcake is 2 cm wide and 1.5 cm tall, the bottles are 2 cm tall excluding the cork.

you can drop me a mail at snowfern at gmail dotttt com if you're keen, i have already put up pics on flickr, dA and will list them on DoA if they don't sell over the weekend.....let's hope they sell, bf's birthday is approaching and i'm rushing out items to sell in order to get him a birthday gift!!! less than 3 weeks OMG OMG OMGGGGGGGGGGGGGgggggggggggggggggg

Thank you Eve!

i LOVE it! i won a giveaway on Eve of After Dark Miniature's blog, and this gorgeous little prep board arrived today. i told Eve that i really ought to start on a proper roombox, or display unit, this is the first food/prep board i've ever owned...totally blown away by the gorgeous detail and how everything goes so beautifully together. see, if i were preparing food, there'd be a heckuva mess, not this co-ordinated set here XD


please drop by her blog and say hi! and check out the rest of her beautiful works ^ ^



http://afterdarkminiatues.blogspot.com


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MEANWHILE. updates updates updates. almost done with current commissions, don't think i'm taking anymore (well maybe 1 more) for August. am preparing stuff to put up on Etsy as i have decided to no longer offer the cupcake liners for sale. those little buggers take too much time, and isn't very fun to make. whatever's up on my etsy is all that's left for now, but i have been known to accomodate special requests depending on the state of the hands :)



like i've said, i'm minimizing my time on clay to prolong the use of my hands....so far, that's not really working :X have been secretly working on something for my friends....almost all shall be revealed tomorrow ;)


on to the pics!!!!!!!!!!!!!RAWRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR

this request is finally done! yayyyyy the teapot/teacup set was the hardest to make, devoted 1 whole week to sanding, buffing, drying, re-gesso-ing, sanding, buffing, shaping, painting, glossing it. and there were some technical issues too, like the handle bit. i had to use wires of various gauges to reinforce the joints, the whole experience was a definite challenge, but that's the way i like it :P

and here are more 1:4 macarons. yes, they are definitely a popular item. i put it next to Eve's board to indicate the size difference XD being used to 1:12 makes the larger scaled items look absosmurfly gigantamous!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

oh, and lest i forget......i love my new keyboard! it's taking me quite a bit to get used to it, bf got it for me when we went on a 'date' to Sim Lim Square and Sim Lim Tower. look at all those itty bitty electrical components!!!! imma have soooo much fun...............*rubs hands greedily* **winces in pain from hands** XD it seems more and more of those electrical component stores are sprouting up at simlim square itself....eh? more people are into DIY these days? bf got himself a metal detector kit....that is so sensitive it keeps detecting the metal in itself XD XD XD *snorts and cracks up at her own joke*

time to hit the shower. really warm week we're having here in Singapore.............oh and, HAPPY BELATED BIRTHDAY SINGAPORE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

let's try something new

 there's a film of very fine la doll clay dust in my room. but these aren't the reason why.

had a request for a slight change to the usual sushi sets that i make in 1:3....UNAGI! i can't stand it myself, it's more the fishy taste and the little bones that put me off....otherwise i'd ordinarily eat anything teriyaki flavoured. would even drink up the stuff if i could :X

same customer requested i make these, which i first introduced in my previous post......i think they're adorable XD i plan to make some charms and hang them off my phone or summat....that is, if i can find the time to........

deja vu? yea i seem to be making quite a lot of these sushi sets. funnily, nobody even gave them a 2nd glance last year at TDA 09 T-T

i think the new wasabi and pickles look much better for this batch.

just for fun, i put some old 1:12 sushi i made a while back, onto a very dusty plate (also made by me XD) ok so it's more the gold paint that makes it look dusty, ughh....of course i had to make 1:12 pickles and wasabi....matchy matchy~~!

adjusted the colour on the kitsune, i think it looks better now. that's the initial pour of the soup base, need a second pour, probably will do that later tonight and add the remaining ingredients.

so. what's new? other than the onigiri and unagi, everything else looks....pretty familiar, right? even these forks.....which i had to coat with a silver paint cos i messed up experimenting on one of them. again, MATCHY MATCHY~~~! i think they look pretty ok here...but these are the last two forks in my stash. don't really have a stash, no place to stash the stash...........

oh oh...what a ghostly teapot and teacup set!

i enjoy working with la doll clay. i used la doll premiere to make these. had prior experience with it while making my dolls (pretty disastrous but excellent learning opportunity). they are a little bit smallish, but i based measurements on an actual teacup i had (4.8cm) and the teacups here are approx 1.5cm, while the teapot is approx 1inch wide (excluding spout).

there was plenty of down time as i had to wait for the clay to dry, so i took the opportunity to sand down some older 1:12 dishes i had made (with the help of molds), thus explaining the film of la doll clay dust all over the surface of my table right now. i'm not even gonna bother cleaning until it's all done, hark, do i hear a rattle in my chest?!?!? :P

back to work. oh wait, it's the weekend!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

so much mail today

Thank you sooo much Talina! i love them all!!! i will fix up the kits soon, i'm sooo itching to get to them, but have to prioritize!! i am so pleased! (can't think of a better word, my mind is so hazy from all the pain so i am not gushing as much as usual)  i LOVE THEM! aiee~~ Yotsuba's expression of glee sums up my joy at receiving these wonderful little gifts ^ ^

(i admit, the little 'tin' cans totally TOTALLY SLAY ME they are PERFECT)

((and i must add, the little yellow pencils in that jar? the eraser tips OMG THEY EVEN FEEL LIKE THE REAL THING. must. resist. urge. to. chew. XD ))

i also received this medium flat rate box today. for those who don't know (i didn't till i received it) it measures 14" x 12" x 3.5". that is a rather big box :O surprised because i was told my order from polymerclayexpress would come in 2 flat rate packages like my previous order did.

all the clay :O i ordered these before i screwed up my hand recently, and during my down-time (emotionally and work-wise) i was fretting over whether i'd still be able to use the incoming clay. well the hand is doing heaps better with the help of ibuprofen, so i hope i will!!

the cake is finally done! my customer wanted some plates too, and from past experience, plates are really quite difficult to get all nice and symmetrical. so as a test run on size, i cut up a disposable sauce dish to act as a plate. size-wise, i think it works. the fork is a jewellery charm, i snipped off the eyehook, and sanded off the rough edge.

managed to work with a bit more clay today. this is for a different 1-3 commission......need to tweak the colour on the kitsune (sweet tofu skin) a little more...but soon i will be able to pour in the 'soup'. have to also paint the chopsticks. might sand it down a little more if my hands can handle it tomorrow.

made the master for the 1-3 onigiri and made a mold for these. i think i must have rolled out at LEAST a thousand grains of rice *faints* took me all of yesterday just to make the original. yikes! just have to stick on the seaweed, and they'll be done. i like the shapes of these though, i love eating onigiri with crab mayo filling, YUM!

gonna rest a bit more. dad's little birthday cum retirement dinner yesterday is wreaking havoc on my digestive system. serves me right for being a greedy little -----  :9