Marking Silicone Molds

[factor40]

In the course of building up Mad Robot Miniatures, I am also building up the number of molds I have on hand. With multiple molds for each items, they are stacking up and I still have not found a consistent way to mark them. No markers or pens will work, that I know of, and even tape will not stick to it.

Any ideas of a way to approach this, maybe adding something to the mold before I pour the silicone? What about some kind of branding/engraving? Will that create a bunch of nasty fumes?

-Steve

[Deadmeat30]

scotch tape stuck on with perma pen written on it? or shelfs with labels?

[factor40]

[Deadmeat30]

Problem is youll end up spending alot of time marking the moulds, just keep it simple, lol.

[mangozac]

I can't think of any engraving or etching techniques that would work. You could maybe try a soldering iron to burn writing into the silicone, but it might not be hot enough...

You could have an alphabet of little reversed letters you could stick into the wall of the mould box when pouring the silicone, but like Al says it's a lot of time screwing around. You could have routed or 3D print a name tag (again reversed) though.

[Hiflt4]

after vacuum, if you dont pressure cast your molds you can with a tooth pick make marks on the back of the mold before it is done cureing leaveing a design or letter set. Or use a soldering iron to burn a mark or word into the back.

[Munkey Joe]

[mangozac]

[Munkey Joe]

OK well I tried my "hypothesis" and Yes It works..... But I need something other than the clay Im using.

Heres a Breakdown of how I did it.
Got my stamp


Rolled it out


Stamped it


timmed and boxed it


poured it



let it cure and removed


Problem I had was my clay STUCK to the pour Horribly. Real Horribly. I used no release of any kind so i had it coming and I got off 99% with a stiff brush. I think the Idea is sound BUT I need some sort of release between the clay and resin to make it viable. OR I could just scrub it well after to remove clay. I used Super Sculpy today BUT I think Plasticine will give me about the same results with sticking. I may try it later.

[factor40]

What about using mold putty? This could be a reasonable alternative to what I'm currently doing

[Munkey Joe]

[factor40]

You mad genius! DO...IT...NOW!

Post pics ASAP! LOL

[mangozac]

Nice work MJ! But what I don't understand is why you're making the resin piece? In Steve's case he will need a different word each time so what about pressing the word stamp straight into the clay at the bottom of his mould box. Or into a thin piece of clay on the inner wall of the mould box?

[factor40]

Couldn't you stamp the instant mold, use clay to from the imprint and then smack it up on the side of the mold box? Then after the silicone hardens, just pull off the box and the clay with it, you could re-use the same blob of clay over and over.

[mangozac]

Why use the clay at all? Just stamp the instant mould and stick that to the side of the mould box...

Edit: Oh I know - otherwise the text is mirrored...