I was watching some crafting videos on youtube the other day where a person made jewelry with Home Depot resin and candy molds. What I was wondering, is this... is there a way to mix and set resin in a "brush shaped" mold, in order to make a brush without the use of a lathe? If so... that could be a lot of fun. Anyone ever done anything like this?
Brush Creation. Am I just dreaming?
- Thread starter jzuzphreek
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- #3
My guess is the biggest challenge would be coming up with a mold.
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- #4
Maybe some of you with extensive SB collections would be willing to donate your handles for some "research"
This is what I'm doing at home, making my own handles. My football brush was made this way, if you've seen that post I put in here. Making molds gets very expensive because there is a lot of trial and error involved.
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- #6
just saw your footbll post. can you give any technical details about how youmade the mold? what materials, process etc.
Sure. First, I found a suitable object to copy. That's the easy part... For hardware, I invested in a vacuum pump, vacuum chamber, air compressor, and pressure pot. Accessory wise, I've purchased various tools and materials for sizing the molds, shaping clay, making the process scaleable... just many different items to make the projects easier. For silicone and resin, I've purchased a lot from different polymer plants, looking for the most suitable for my needs. In all cases, I was seeking a cost-effective way to handle my needs. Frankly, as I found out when I was deep into it, being cost effective doesn't pay if you want something decent coming out.
For a process, there are many ways to do it, but I'll follow this:
1. Build mold
2. De-gas silicone
3. Pour Mold
4. Wait until it cures
5. Cut out original
6. Mix and pour resin
7. Wait until cured
8. Remove from mold
9. Shave with new brush
Simple enough, right? Now, I will tell you that I've spent three times the money with this setup compared to a nice lathe setup. I don't mean Harbor Freight nice either, lathe-wise, I mean nice. Didn't know that going into it, because I've never seen anyone else do it, but I now know. Even with my practical knowledge, there isn't a cheap way to enter this arena, and the margin for error is incredibly small. If the mold is the least bit screwed up, every resin pour will be too, so you have to recreate it and discard the silicone.
Now, for some guys, money isn't a factor. From this perspective, I'll frame it for you: Let's say you know what you're doing, you can spend about $1000-$1200 for suitable equipment to make a solid handle. With that, you'll be able to pour out 4-6 handles that all look alike. You can add pigment dye, to mix up the appearance if you want. In my opinion, that's a lot of jack for a few handles that are copies of whatever you started with. If you want to build a business or have a hobby, which is what I'm doing, then no big deal because of the economies of scale. For just a few handles, it isn't worth the expense when you can have one expertly made by some of the guys here.
I've spent well over $2000 in goodies and have made just a few usable handles. Now, I can replicate them, which is cool but not real practical unless I'm selling them. For me, it was learning a new skill and having fun with something that is far different than I do in every day life. In hindsight, should have bought a sweet lathe.
PM me if you have any more questions about this.
For a process, there are many ways to do it, but I'll follow this:
1. Build mold
2. De-gas silicone
3. Pour Mold
4. Wait until it cures
5. Cut out original
6. Mix and pour resin
7. Wait until cured
8. Remove from mold
9. Shave with new brush
Simple enough, right? Now, I will tell you that I've spent three times the money with this setup compared to a nice lathe setup. I don't mean Harbor Freight nice either, lathe-wise, I mean nice. Didn't know that going into it, because I've never seen anyone else do it, but I now know. Even with my practical knowledge, there isn't a cheap way to enter this arena, and the margin for error is incredibly small. If the mold is the least bit screwed up, every resin pour will be too, so you have to recreate it and discard the silicone.
Now, for some guys, money isn't a factor. From this perspective, I'll frame it for you: Let's say you know what you're doing, you can spend about $1000-$1200 for suitable equipment to make a solid handle. With that, you'll be able to pour out 4-6 handles that all look alike. You can add pigment dye, to mix up the appearance if you want. In my opinion, that's a lot of jack for a few handles that are copies of whatever you started with. If you want to build a business or have a hobby, which is what I'm doing, then no big deal because of the economies of scale. For just a few handles, it isn't worth the expense when you can have one expertly made by some of the guys here.
I've spent well over $2000 in goodies and have made just a few usable handles. Now, I can replicate them, which is cool but not real practical unless I'm selling them. For me, it was learning a new skill and having fun with something that is far different than I do in every day life. In hindsight, should have bought a sweet lathe.
PM me if you have any more questions about this.
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- #8
wow. thays a lot of useful information. thanks for being so open abiut your experience. i guess what i need, then, is a friend with a lathe.
I'd suggest buying some fairly cheap clay and trying to create a mold of a handle you may already have.
The worst that happens there is that you waste some clay and dirty up an old handle.
The worst that happens there is that you waste some clay and dirty up an old handle.
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- #10
jack. that partmakes sense. i just wonder the best way to take the model and make a mold from it.
I'm not really sure. My father used to make molds for slip-casting pots. I might ask him as to how he did it.
It's pretty simple from memory though.
It's pretty simple from memory though.
A lot of brushes are made with moulds and not lathe turned. Look for the seams and you will see. Usually they are just trimmed down with a knife and poorly sanded.
Try a Google search : how to make a mold for resin casting
Looks like a few methods worth looking into.
Looks like a few methods worth looking into.
Toonr has it right, that's pretty much how I started. I will say this, when you look at silicone molds and they say it doesn't need vacuumed, they do, and when the resin says it doesn't require pressure casting, it does. A silicone mold that isn't vacuumed can have tiny air holes around the mold, so the resin pour will have little bumps all over it. If the resin isn't cast under pressure, the resin itself will have air bubbles all within it. It makes for an ugly handle.
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