Can someone help me learn how to mold things?

Question

I'd like to know how to make molds from existing parts and recreate them out of, in this instance rubber, or plastic ect. There are many sites about this but they want to sell me a book. I'm cheap.

But where do you get the, plastic, rubber, ect. to use to fill the mold and make the new piece?

Answer 1

There are also loads of sites that do not want to sell you a book (they may want to sell you something else though):

http://www.smooth-on.com/
http://www.alumilite.com/ - how to's
http://www.danperezstudios.com/workshop.htm
http://www.ravensforgeminiatures.com/faq20413.php
http://www.hirstarts.com/moldmake/moldmaking.html
http://www.modeltrain.com/rubbermold/rubbermold.html

The cheapest method is latex mould with plaster cast. Best for most purposes is silicone rubber mould with polyurethane resin.

The first two links above can also supply you the material. You can also check at do-it-yourself, arts and crafts stores.

Geena: injection moulding is not just expensive but also potentially dangerous since you are working with a lot of pressure and heat. Still, it's possible to do home injection casting, though this will be best for products of which many copies are needed. Some articles and threads on this;
http://www.cnczone.com/forums/showthread.php?t=17150
http://www.nhsouth.com/crafts/workbench/injector.htm
http://www.lindsaybks.com/dgjp/djgbk/inject/index.html

Final note: careful what you copy. Some items are copyrighted.

Answer 2

Well my dad does some of that stuff. He built his own vaccuum former and he heats sheets of plastic and then sucks them against shapes in a box to make things. He wants an injection molding but it seems to be expensive so I don't know.

Answer 3

I use powdered silicone from the craft store. You put it in a little bowl, mix it with water and stick an object in it. When it hardens, take the object out and you've got a mold.
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