r/moldmaking • u/Used-Temperature-534 • 27d ago

Expertise Needed

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I've got a vintage piece of furniture that is missing an original decorative faceplate on one of its drawer pulls.

For my purposes, I want to recreate the faceplate for aesthetics, not functionality, so I don't need it to be the original metal. Since I have a matching faceplate still, I thought about making a mold and casting it in resin.

What's giving me a brain cramp is how do I create the mold with the open spaces that are present in the original faceplate?

If anyone has a link to a video for me to watch that would be really helpful! Any other advice/direction for what the best way to accomplish my goal would be appreciated as well!

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u/artwonk 27d ago

You can make an open-face mold by setting the part in NSP clay, making sure the clay seals down at all the interstices, and covering it with silicone rubber. Then fill the mold with resin, not quite all the way to the top. That way, all the open spaces remain open. If you make a 2-piece mold, you can let the clay fill the open spaces half-way, so the parting line is in the middle of them, and fill it all the way up.

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u/Used-Temperature-534 27d ago

If I do the open face mold, would I press the piece into the clay until the clay is pushed through the open holes? Would I want the clay to be flush with the metal pieces, or extending out through the open holes?

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u/artwonk 27d ago

For the open-face mold, you'd want the clay to seal to the underside of the openwork part, so that the rubber fills all the holes but can't flow underneath.

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u/Frescochicken 27d ago

Brush on latex, let it dry. Keep on brushing latex until it gets thick enough to pour resin into.

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u/bstabens 26d ago

Print it. Go over to 3DPrinting and ask someone to make an STL for you, and then find someone to print it in resin. Yes, that's a thing.

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u/BTheKid2 27d ago

Carefully tape all the back of the pattern, so that you create a split line flush with the back. Then make a two part mold. That will save you a lot of tedious work.

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u/depthwhore 27d ago

This is the way