Thread: "Glove" Mold Making 101

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Originally Posted by UnOrthodOx

Be back soon with instructions on how to make nice hollow plaster skulls from this mold, as well as how to color the skulls you make.

I started this project using a Bucky skull yesterday. Looking forward to some finished product pictures.

Alright!

I wanted to make sure the recipe was the same for the Lindberg skulls as they appeared just a bit bigger than my older molds.

This doesn't picture well, so just follow what is hopefully some easy instructions:

To make nice, hollow, plaster skulls with plaster of paris, we need to apply 3 layers of Plaster.

Each layer should consist of 1 cup of plaster powder, then mixed per the package directions. But first, a few notes about plaster of paris in this application:

• The instructions (1/2 cup water) are JUST A GENERAL GUIDE when making these skulls. You want the the mixture to be about the consistancy of Chocolate syrup. The actual amount of water needed depends on humidity, temperature, and the whims of fate. Add either more powder or more water as needed in VERY small amounts.
• Hot water will set up faster than cold water, which means less working time.
• Dry time, like how much water, varies by the whims of nature.
• Best results are had when all 3 layers are done without fully drying in between.

So, with your mold, measure one cup plaster into a CHEAP DISPOSABLE PLASTIC CUP. I prefer solo brand plastic cups, specifically the non-transparent ones. The transparent ones don't last as long.

Add in the water and mix up with a stir stick of some sort. We like chop sticks. And pour this into your mold, scraping the side to get as much as possible into your mold. Set that cup aside for reuse, DO NOT rinse.

Now just tip your mold around and swirl that plaster into every area. It will stay there in a thin layer. Once done, set aside to dry. I like to prop mine in a bowl to prevent flat spots.

Now, as dry times are variable, keep that plastic cup handy. About 15 minutes, check the cup by gently squeezing the side where you poured and there's a bit left over. If it cracks but goes back to form, it's not ready. If it cracks and pops off, it's time for layer 2. Simply pop all the plaster out of the cup, and repeat. Again leaving the cup as a guide for when it's time for layer 3.

IF FOR SOME REASON YOU HAVE TO LET A LAYER COMPLETELY DRY. Like, say, overnight, or a few hours. It's important to dampen up the layer in the mold or the new plaster will not cover the entire area.

AFTER layer 3. We'll want to let it dry just a bit longer than the previous layers, and can even allow it to dry completely before removing the mold.



Now then. On to coloring.

I use good old Minwaxe oil based stain. Right now, we have "Ebony" and "Red Mahogony" in el cheapo spray bottles (since the sprayer for my maple broke).

Take the neccessary precautions against getting it on you:

(the glasses were overkill, but funny)

Now, first thing is to SOAK our dried out plaster skulls.


Simply grab a skull, choose a color, and spray a bit.

THEN smear it around with your hands.

And...try not to get it all over your face...

All in a day's work...

Now, in the inevitability you DO get it on your hands/face/arms. For some reason Huggies baby wipes are SUPREMELY effective at removal. (with some scrubbing)

Now, you'll have to forgive a little of the TV bake show magic here. Most these are skulls of my previous molds, not the lindberg one.

Coloring full size ones is really no different.

I like to set em up upside down on the grass and fill em with the garden hose.


Then it's simply spray.



Smear.



Dry.



A few of the finished products.




It's important to note that just because a skull breaks when removing it from a mold, all is not lost. Some of my favorites are broken skulls.



And, the first out of the lindberg mold.

Outstanding work.
I'll let you know how mine come out.
I'm hoping to be able to shoot some Great-stuff foam into the mold, seal it up tight, and produce some lightweight foam skulls for use on walls, tombstones, etc.

I've had very mixed luck with greatstuff in these. Ruined the first mold with it, had some others that just didn't skin over right.

First, do not seal it tight. The expansion has to go somewhere. Leave a small area for that

Second, some kind of mold release is probably warrented. I'ver heard liquid car wax works well, but haven't experienced it.

Third, you need some kind of mothermold (outer shell), or the latex will just deform.

Good luck, and let us know how it goes.

Thanks so much for putting this tutorial out here! I've been looking at a lot of mold making tutorials, and hadn't found anything that was even close to economical till this.

Hmm, apparantly I can't go back and edit some of my older things, only what I've posted recently, so here's the missing pics and the info on prepping the Lindberg skull.

First, the eyes and nose were hollow, and needed to be filled. I was also worried about the nose bone being too thin, so we made one out of clay and covered it in the same glue we used to glue the top on, then sanded down as much as possible.



On the underneath there were lots of little holes. We plugged all those in and filled in the holes behind the eye socket.

Originally Posted by Handy_Haunter

Thanks so much for putting this tutorial out here! I've been looking at a lot of mold making tutorials, and hadn't found anything that was even close to economical till this.

Thanks!

Speaking of economical. I was in Micheals this last weekend, and noticed they are now carrying Mold Builder as well, in small jars.

http://www.michaels.com/art/online/d...ductNum=gc0514

I'm forgetting the price, but with one of those Sunday coupons, it's gotta be awefull good. I'ld estimate that jar as being roughly enough to make 1 mold of a full size skull.

With another coupon, the Plaster of Paris there would be killer cheap as well. Probably get both the mold builder and a bucket of plaster for $10 or so. The bucket should make 6-8ish skulls IIRC (we use 40lb bags these days).

WOW. This is a great tutorial, but I went to Michaels and they want $14 for a 16 oz can of mold builder. I can't swing that right now. I would need at least 2 cans of it

Yeah, it's not worth it without one of the 40% off coupons.

Delvies Plastics has the best prices I've seen (they're local for me, so no clue what shipping will cost.)

But, $7 for the 16 oz, $11 for a 32 oz, or $36 for a gallon: mold builder liquid latex rubber