Learn Mold Making Basics For Jewelry

In my last post on lost wax casting, I discussed how to create an original pendant design out of wax, cast it in metal, and turn it into a finished silver pendant. Fort. This is what I do all the time to make the jewelry that I sell online and at my store, Dragon’s Treasure in Fresno, CA. Now let’s say you’ve made a pendant that you really like. You like it so much that you want to make a copy of it. How do you do it? You create a mold of it. Although there are different types of molds, I will talk about vulcanized rubber molds.To make a rubber mold, you will need the original pendant, a mold frame, rubber mold material, a pair of good sized sharp scissors, multiple curved blades, and a vulcanizing tool. The vulcanizer is a machine that regulates rubber by heat and pressure. You will also need a propane torch and a bent nail. The first thing I do when I want to mold is take my original pendant and make sure it’s as perfect as possible. I polish every bump and make sure all the details I want are in place.Next, I put the mold frame flat on the table. The mold frame will hold everything together. There are different materials for making molds. I use a natural rubber material in the form of a large flat sheet. I took a sheet of rubber material and cut out rectangles the same size as the hollow in the center of the mold frame. I put a layer of rubber on the bottom of the mold frame. Then I laid my original pendant down flat in the center of the rubber. I put smaller, chopped rubber pieces around my pendant, filling the empty space around it. I put another layer of rubber on top. Read more: 2009 to 2021 The frame is now full of layers and rubber pads, with my original pendant in the middle.I put the mold frame on the bottom platen of the vulcanizer. The vulcanizer is a heavy duty machine with top wheels. I turned the wheel to lower the upper presser plate, clamping the mold frame between the two plates. The vulcanizer applies heat and pressure to turn layers and pieces of rubber into a solid mass, with my original pendant embedded in the center.When the mold cools, I push it out of the mold frame. Then I used a curved cutter to cut very carefully horizontally and along the sides of the rubber block. I’m not trying to make the cuts flat, but uneven, almost serrated. You’re better off changing them more often than using dull blades, which are both dangerous and unhelpful to mold. I sharpened the top of the mold as I worked, being careful not to damage the embedded pendant with the scalpel.When I finished removing the original pendant, I was left with a two-piece rubber mold. Read more: How to change birthday on tiktok Keep your two mold pieces together. See how jagged cuts make for a snug fit? If the sides were cut smoothly, the two pieces would slide around and be very difficult to use. Finally, I heated a bent nail with my propane torch until it was red hot and I used this nail. to burn the channel from an inconspicuous spot. about the impression of the pendant on the outside of the mold. My mold is now ready to use.Next, you’ll need a wax injector, spray wax, and two pieces of metal or plastic, slightly larger than your mold.A wax machine has a pot with a high piston in the middle. I lifted my two-piece mold, holding it rigid and flat with a glass on either side. This keeps things from moving so your new wax will be sharp and detailed. I put the slotted hole on the top of the piston, pressed it down and the molten wax was injected into the mold. As the mold cools, the wax hardens. Then I slowly pulled the two pieces apart and carefully removed my new wax pendant pattern so it wouldn’t break. With my new mold, I can make as many wax models (and pendants!) as I want. I was able to turn my new wax models into silver pendants by following the steps in my first post on how to cast lost wax. Read more: how to make belly dance costume