Looking for an alternative to mould release

[fractalign]

Hey.

I am looking for an alternative to mould release preferable something i can buy from my local hardware store, chemist or supermarket because there are no hobby shops with in a 100 mile radius of where i live.

I also need something to coat parts with before i mould them, i thought of car wax but i am not sure whether it will react with the silastic, again it need to be something i can pick up locally.

Any feed back will be greatly appreciated.

Thank you.

[Chief Joseph]

Silicone molds actually don't require a mold release, but it will usually extend the life of the mold. You can spray a coat of lacquer paint on the inside of the mold and that will serve as a very good mold release. You can also thin petroleum jelly with naphtha and brush or spray that into a mold (caution, highly flammable!). You'll probably have better luck just not using any mold release at all. You can always dust the inside of the mold with talcum powder to help prevent bubbles, but the powder does not take the place of a mold release.

You can usually get away with waxing a master before molding it if you are using condensation (tin) cured rubber. Addition (platinum) cured rubber might have a problem curing against the wax; it depends on the particular rubber and the wax. Always do a test with platinum rubber if there is any doubt.

Hope this helps a little. You can do a google search for these topics and find all kinds of information.

[fractalign]

Thank you for the info !

[Mike Kucaba]

You could order some from Price-Driscoll, but you might look in the baking section of your local supermarket and try PAM a spray on cooking substitute for using cooking oil. I don't know if that's available in your country.

[Greg Wann]

http://smcbofphx.proboards.com/index.cgi?

Putting weird stuff in a mold might cause the resin to not cure. Forrest Gump Once said "Life is like a box of Chocolates. You don't know what you're gonna get" If you are new to resin casting it will be true here too. You are welcome to take a look at the resin work I post at the bottom of our forum here in Phoenix, AZ. I have a huge quiet following. Lots of looky Lous. I would try doing as Mike above suggests. Call Price Driscoll. My first can was free for the asking. I personally use the ULTRA 4 Urethane Parfilm. It is a paintable mold release. I really would not put anything on your parts before pouring silicone over them either. It could cause valuable detail to be washed out. Besides, silicone will not stick to your model car parts. Are you trying to cast something other than model car parts?

Edited July 30, 2013 by Greg Wann

[fractalign]

Hey Greg.

I am not new to moulding and casting I have been doing for over ten years now but what I am trying to do is rethink my approach to how I go about it. I know I don't need to use mould release and I don't bit what I am concerned with is getting the masters as slick as possible so that de moulding is easier. Over the last year or so I have been casting more complex parts that have required my to virtually turn the moulds inside out to get the parts out. This is why I am looking at anything I can put on the masters that will give the mould a slick finish and cut the resistance. I have something in mind that I will give a try in the next few days, if this works I will let you know.

[shucky]

Robert, if you want your masters to release / demold easier I would also suggest as Greg mentioned using Price Driscoll Ultra 4 mold release. Using any of these other funky alternatives simply is not worth the clean up hassle. I've used the PD stuff for this purpose myself and it works wonderfully.

[Greg Wann]

Well......if you want the mold to have a slick finish then perhaps the parts should be first polished. Perhaps what you are trying to accomplish far surpasses my experience. So I am probably no real help.

[Freeman Cars]

WD-40 Most all my masters are sprayed with lacquer primer. In the past 25 years I have found that the only thing that RTV rubber will stick to is wood and lacquer primer. I polish my masters out to about 12000. Polish it with polishing pads, then lay on a coat of WD-40. Never had anything stick. Good barrier between the rubber and a two part mould is vaseline. I've tried the other stuff that companies tried to sell me, but nothing worked as well as vaseline. Not generic store brand either; real vaseline. There seems to be some difference, I'm not sure why.

Sam

[MoparWoman Jamie]

Try Stoner