Fine Molds
What is the best material to use to make a mold of a clay ornament?
It is a small clay piece that I need to make several molds of. Plus, it has a lot of fine detail that I am trying to capture. I like using rubber molds but I'm afraid it won't catch all the details. Any ideas?
The best material to capture your ornament is called alginate. It's the stuff that dentists use to make impressions of your teeth. It comes in powdered form and is probably available at your local craft store. The powder is mixed with water and then painted on the piece you want to copy. You need to leave enough room to get the original out of the hardened alginate. It's rubbery and pretty forgiving.
If you have experience with liquid latex, that's a way to get a mold that you may cast many duplicates from.
It all depends upon the complexity of your original and how many copies you want to make. For longevity, the latex mold is superior.
If your clay is not fired, it might be vulnerable to the moisture in both the alginate and the latex. If it has a smooth surface, either will release pretty easily.
Alginate may also be ordered from a dental supply. Possibly on line? Here ya go:
http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&lr=&q=alginate+for+sale&btnG=Search
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