I'd still try making a silicone moldTo get rid of the PVA quicker I figure a cheap aquarium heater to keep the water warm. Then I need something to make "bubbles". An aquarium air stone maybe?
Ideas on a post card please!
I'd still try making a silicone mold
De-molding is easy and you can make lots of wax patterns for when more people want them.
Have you tried melting the wax beads that came with the warmer? Any good for making moulds?
You need a degassing chamber to get rid of the air bubbles in the siliconYes. Exactly.
Something like this, there may be cheaper available..
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Or possibly high temperature stuff you could cast pewter into directly?
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Vibrate for a few minutes to get rid of bubbles.
Use vaseline thinned with IPA as a mold release....
No you don't. It's nice to have but vibration or rapping will get bubbles out. And careful pouring into one corner of the mold also helps.You need a degassing chamber to get rid of the air bubbles in the silicon
You’ve obviously been lucky then. I tried and air bubbles were an issue. Landed up getting it done by my ex next door neighbor who makes silicon molds for the ceramics industry. Two minutes in his degassing chamber and the results were like night and day. Zero airbubbles.No you don't. It's nice to have but vibration or rapping will get bubbles out. And careful pouring into one corner of the mold also helps.
Very interesting thread
You’ve obviously been lucky then.
This was an eye-opener to me......the casting technique not the puzzle.Very possibly will and indeed the PLA forms are done but I just wanted to try wax.
Have you actually done lost PLA?