Cheap Alternative to Molding

[SPRTNBD50]

Molding materials.....pretty expensive but worth but at some points in armor making, you seriously want to mass produce it but you don't have the money.
So I thought about it and came up with an idea....HOT GLUE MOLD!!! I thought, if you can cast with Hot Glue, you can mold with Hot Glue...and I'll tell you how.

Small Things: Coin, coin, coin etc(I couldn't think of anything else but coins :/)

What you'll need:
-Hot Glue(STAR OF THE SHOW!!)
-Hot Glue gun(Can be used)
-Lubricant or oil(Preferably WD-40)
-Cotton ball/Tissue
-What ever you are going to mold(I will refer to this as WEYAGTM in the steps :/)

Steps Through this:
1: Get your WEYAGTM
2: Get your lubricant and spray some on the WEYAGTM
3: Using Cotton Balls/Tissues, wipe it around the WEYAGTM
4: Apply your Hot Glue on your WEYAGTM using your Hot Glue gun
5: Peel mold off(should be easier to peel of because of the lubricant)
6: Begin casting

Note: I have tried this myself, took me two times to get a good mold. This is recommended for small things

Above the Small Things...Medium I would say: Grenades, small weapons(e.g magnum) etc

What you'll need:
-Hot Glue
-Portable Stove(Recommended because I recommend you to do this outside)
-Aluminium cake/pie pans
-Gas for Portable Stove
-Gloves(Safety...industrial)
-Mold Box(Can be homemade but I wouldn't recommend cardboard because the glue will stick to the sides, Plastic I do recommend)
-Lubricant/Oil(Again, I use WD-40)
-WEYAGTM
-Clay(Make sure it can take high temperatures)
-Cotton Ball/Tissue

Steps through this:
(In this case, my WEYAGTM will be a grenade)
1: Prepare your mold box(Basically Hot Glue the thick plastic sheets to form a rectangle...make sure to leave one panel open, recommended the side of the grenade...also making sure that 2 opposite sides can be opened)
2: Prepare your portable stove
3: Get your clay and fill at least half of your mold box(doesn't have to be perfect, imperfection actually helps)
4: Get your WEYAGTM and press it through the clay(Making sure that one end of the mold box is touching one flat end of your grenade)
5: Make 'keys' is your clay by poking holes with a pencil
6: Create a tip on the brim of your pan to make it easier to pour the hot glue
7: Start melting hot glue
8: Now is the right time to spray your Lubricant on the inside of your mold box, the grenade, the clay(Worried the glue will melt these, the lubricant will help a little by keeping these areas cool)
9: Once hot glue is melted, pour into mold box
10: Wait till hot glue dries
11: I told you to make sure the you left 2 panels that can be opened, open the opposite panel from the side you poured your first half
12: Doing the same thing, take out the clay and pour your hot glue on the other half
13: Wait for it to dry
14: Test(the fact that doing something larger than the small molds, its has a slightly lower chance that It'll work :/)
15: MASS PRODUCE!!!!

Now, If you want to do something bigger(Torso pieces, helmets etc)...I recommend actual molding.

Hope this help and post up pics of your attempt!!

Just to show you some pics....This was my 3rd mold yet still not perfect but it'll do :/
What I molded: A 20 cent coin

You can't really see the pattern but you can person. My camera, I used a Samsung Galaxy 5...2mp
Anyways, here is another

 

[nate98]

Sounds like a reasonable solution for molding, but do you have any pics on a mold or a cast?

 

[SPRTNBD50]

Sounds like a reasonable solution for molding, but do you have any pics on a mold or a cast?

Alright, I'll get it up on the first post

 

[ACDCrockr209]

This can work for some movie props(I.E. Bullets)

-Pony

 

[Ithica]

This is based only on certain sized projects and certain casting materials. Most Smooth Cast products along with aqua resin heat as they cure and will melt the hot glue. Another "cheaper" method is to use silcone caulk that you can buy at home walmart, home depot and lowes among other places. This is not the preferred method but when you need something fast it will work.

Ithica

 

[SPRTNBD50]

This is based only on certain sized projects and certain casting materials. Most Smooth Cast products along with aqua resin heat as they cure and will melt the hot glue. Another "cheaper" method is to use silcone caulk that you can buy at home walmart, home depot and lowes among other places. This is not the preferred method but when you need something fast it will work.

Ithica

This method is restricted in some ways....some ways because of the size....I would say the largest you could do is a magnum. Another problem is if the hot glue is melted improperly, there are most likely to have imperfection dents :/....This method pretty much goes to who ever is in a hurry or on a low budget like me....What?! The smallest pack of smooth-on mold material cost RM250:/. When I get my grenade finished, I'll try this method first, if it doesn't work well, I'll get a kilo of molding materials.

 

[rumble]

Guys, check out this link: http://bioweapons.com/HOW_TO.htm If you want to skip ahead, go to the "Molding the Armor" link. He uses hot glue for those particular sets of armor.

 

[kupokitty]

Ehhhh....molding materials would cost a pretty penny in Malaysia. I remember going over there several years ago with $45 and it converted to at least RM150. All I could afford was a new watch and a few bags of that wonton mee or whatever it's called. Mmmm.



How many pulls can you get from the glue mold?

 

[darknemisis]

I say you could only get about 5 or so pulls from it considering that it is glue your working with... I would invest in some cheaper RTV silicone rubber and some plaster and do it right...that way you can do larger formats and get great detail and long lasting molds

 

[rumble]

Ehhhh....molding materials would cost a pretty penny in Malaysia. I remember going over there several years ago with $45 and it converted to at least RM150. All I could afford was a new watch and a few bags of that wonton mee or whatever it's called. Mmmm.



How many pulls can you get from the glue mold?

He's not using hot glue for the mold itself though - he uses plaster or silicon for those. I may have misread the OP's intent. The pulls themselves are hot glue. He recommends using good hot glue - not the stuff I'd normally pick up at Hobby Lobby or Walmart.

 

[SPRTNBD50]

Ehhhh....molding materials would cost a pretty penny in Malaysia. I remember going over there several years ago with $45 and it converted to at least RM150. All I could afford was a new watch and a few bags of that wonton mee or whatever it's called. Mmmm.



How many pulls can you get from the glue mold?

Haha....yep, Wonton mee(noodles) is good!!!! I stayed in America for 2 and a half years and its nothing like america. If you convert you $ to RM, it would be mulitplied by 3.08

As for the pulls, as much as you want I guess :/