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Today's tutorial (I tried to wait for Tuesday, but I guess now's just as good!) is a revamp of my old Oogoo glove mold/Ultracal mother mold tutorials complete with fresh tips and updates. Resized so FA won't take it down, but you can view/download the full-size here on my website.
Pretty self-explanatory really. Make sure your silicone smells like vinegar; that's the kind you want for these molds. You could use plaster of paris in the place of the Ultracal, though you'd have a longer cure time and a more fragile mold. This is the same process I use to make my footpaw molds as well!
Pretty self-explanatory really. Make sure your silicone smells like vinegar; that's the kind you want for these molds. You could use plaster of paris in the place of the Ultracal, though you'd have a longer cure time and a more fragile mold. This is the same process I use to make my footpaw molds as well!
Category Photography / Tutorials
Species Unspecified / Any
Size 710 x 1280px
File Size 1.53 MB
Any natural fiber that will soak up the Ultracal well enough. I originally used gauze and did two/three layers, and switched to this because it took less time and applications. I'd bet you could use old t-shirts if you really wanted to (and now I might have to test that theory...).
Not that I can find my SD card reader right now for proof, but I've tested it and you CAN use cut up t-shirts to do a mold like this. I used two layers, and it's acceptable but I think next time I'd use three or four. Burlap definitely wins as far as ease of application, but I'd go as far as to say any fabric that could soak up water (and thereby the ultracal mixture) will work to do this kind of mold. Just aim for a minimum of 1/3" thick on the mother mold, however many layers that ends up being. I applied my layers all in one go too, no need to wait for one layer to cure or anything.
So yeah, good luck! I think this should work just fine.
So yeah, good luck! I think this should work just fine.
For the Ooogoo/silicone, yes. Tubes of clear silicone caulk aren't that much at Walmart. (less than $4 a tube usually). Corn starch isn't expensive either. I got mine for $0.98 each at Walmart as well. You can purchase burlap from any fabric store usually, and at Jo Ann it's about $2.80 a yard, And I bet you won't even need that much XD. Ultracal 30 isn't expensive either, and Monster Makers isn't the only place to get it (on there it's like $35-$36 a bag, and can be found cheaper elsewhere.)
Riiya's breakdown is pretty similar to mine. I pay ~$3 per tube (I've been case buying for a while now so it's actually a little less in bulk) of silicone, I buy my starch in the bulk bins at my local food store for something like $.50/lb, I buy 50# bags of Ultracal locally for about $40 with tax that last me about two years and dozens of molds, and the burlap I've never paid more than $3/yd for and you use less than 1/8yd usually for a mold.
The two caveats with this method are your molds don't pick up ultra fine detail, so you wouldn't want to do this on a beak or claws or something that is supposed to come out of the mold 'finished' (you could brush on a layer of Oomoo/Rebound for details and slather Oogoo overtop for bulk), and it's physically demanding to mix unless you use a power tool (which I found out about four years too slowly).
The two caveats with this method are your molds don't pick up ultra fine detail, so you wouldn't want to do this on a beak or claws or something that is supposed to come out of the mold 'finished' (you could brush on a layer of Oomoo/Rebound for details and slather Oogoo overtop for bulk), and it's physically demanding to mix unless you use a power tool (which I found out about four years too slowly).
I know 100% it sticks to Oomoo, and have had another maker tell me it works fine with Rebound. I haven't used Rebound, so I can't personally vouch for it, but both Rebound and Oomoo are tin-cure, so it would stand to reason that if the Oogoo mix could cure to the one tin-cure silicone, it would with the other too.
You can also use this mix to patch/reinforce already cured Oogoo/Oomoo molds! This mix is incredible, and I don't think I'd use anything different.
You can also use this mix to patch/reinforce already cured Oogoo/Oomoo molds! This mix is incredible, and I don't think I'd use anything different.
That burlap soaked in ultracal is a pretty neat idea.. But is it possible to just still use plaster bandage o.o? Also, your oogoo doesn't smell after you've started mixing it? Or transfer the acidic smell to your casts? (I use the exact same brand of silicone caulk as shown above)
Yeah, you can do whatever mother molding technique you're comfortable with over this stuff. Yes, the Oogoo outgasses acetic acid (what vinegar's made from), but a simple exhaust fan works wonders. I just turn my kitchen one on and cast in the living room and it doesn't get too overpowering. Once the silicone is cured, the outgassing is very minimal and doesn't even make the mother mold smell of vinegar, let alone castings that are only in contact for a few minutes. The molds are really shelf stable too; I'm still using the very first wolf mold I made four years ago. They're pretty much indestructible!
How does this hold up over the long run? My rebound molds have been holding up REALLY well, but the molds I made with a blue silicone (can't remember) ending up tearing after maybe 15 pulls. ;___; and how do you keep from trapping bubbles when you spread on the silicone starch mix?
I've still got the very first mold I made this way, and still can take good pulls from it. The blue stuff is probably Smooth-on's Oomoo, which I also had bad luck with and have stopped using entirely.
Some small voids/bubbles are kind of common, but you can minimize them by applying a thin layer first, or go one step ahead and use a thin layer of a better silicone like Dragonskin for the detail layer and use the Oogoo to make the bulk of the mold. I just use the Oogoo mix and spend ~5min with a razor knife or Dremel to touch up those little spots.
Some small voids/bubbles are kind of common, but you can minimize them by applying a thin layer first, or go one step ahead and use a thin layer of a better silicone like Dragonskin for the detail layer and use the Oogoo to make the bulk of the mold. I just use the Oogoo mix and spend ~5min with a razor knife or Dremel to touch up those little spots.
Out of compulsion I must ask..
I have Smooth cast's OOMOO silicone, would adding starch to it opt for similar results??
I'm having trouble making it thick enough to stay on the mold while it cures.
[I'm also in a much colder climate at the moment and require a hot box in order to get anything over 55F in my workplace, any tips you could throw at me??]
I have Smooth cast's OOMOO silicone, would adding starch to it opt for similar results??
I'm having trouble making it thick enough to stay on the mold while it cures.
[I'm also in a much colder climate at the moment and require a hot box in order to get anything over 55F in my workplace, any tips you could throw at me??]
Oomoo is a tin-cure silicone, it's a different chemistry so unfortunately that won't help you. What you need is a little ThiVex! It's really effective, so just the small bottle will go a long way. You essentially want to do one 'detail' layer with unthickened silicone, then add ThiVex a few drops at a time to the rest of your mix until you reach your desired thickness. I use this stuff all the time in my horn and claw molds!
Unfortunately I have trouble doing castings in the winter too. I've found running my dehumidifier helps to heat my workspace enough to get a good casting session once or twice a day, but I can't vent air continuously like I can when it's warmer. I know my Oogoo mix doesn't really care much about temperature, though!
Unfortunately I have trouble doing castings in the winter too. I've found running my dehumidifier helps to heat my workspace enough to get a good casting session once or twice a day, but I can't vent air continuously like I can when it's warmer. I know my Oogoo mix doesn't really care much about temperature, though!
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