Part 2: Casting Mold and Security Support

What do we make?

Part 2 of a bigger picture to lower a switch. We are now going to make the mold for the form we made in part 1. Once we have the mold, we can start casting our first safety support; the Eclips.

What do I need?

-Two Components Silicone Transparant 22 - Two Components Silicone Bleu 22 - mixing bar - 2 cups - box for mold
-Silicone mold - pipe 6mm - brochette stick 3mm - duct tape - mold release - scale - two cups - a stick to mix (not round!) - Component 1 F16 (white) - Component 2 F16 (reddisch) - some paper to clean your hands - color pigment for polyester gel coatings
-Eclips block - abrasive paper

What do I need?

Two Components Silicone Transparant 22 - Two Components Silicone Bleu 22 - mixing bar - 2 cups - box for mold - scale

Let's make!

1) Calculate the volume where the silicone has to come (count in the amount that will stick to the mixing cups!)

HINT: calculate in decimeters, so the volume wil be in liters!

2) Divide the volume in two because it's a two

components silicone. Weigh half of the volume of the Silicone Transparant 33 and pour it into a cup.

3) Take another cup and repeat with Silicone Blue 33.

4) Take a big plastic cup and a rectangular stick to mix the two components together in this cup.

5) After mixing, the silicone is full of air bubbels. This is very bad for silicone! Put the cup in a low pressure machine or else just lift the cup a few centimeters up and let it fall. Repeat this until there are just a few bubbles left. HINT: Don't wait too long. Once mixed, the reaction starts and the silicone will get less and less liquid.

6) Start pouring the silicone into the box you made in step 2. Do it slowly so the leftover bubbles can get away.

7) Stop pouring just before the silicone reaches the upper edge of the foam. Remember it is an open mold!

What do I need?

Silicone mold - pipe 6mm - brochette stick 3mm - duct tape - mold release - scale - two cups - a stick to mix (not round!) - Component 1 F16 (white) - Component 2 F16 (reddisch) - some paper to clean your hands - color pigment for polyester gel coatings

Let's make!

1) Wipe the sticks with the mold release wax.

2) Put the sticks trough the holes of the silicone.

3) Take some color pigment and mix it with the white component. (We used blue, so don't be confused, silicone is blue too)

4) Now mix the white component with the color pigment with component 2 (the brown one). The mix will be the color of the pigment

HINT: if you want a pastel color, don't add too much color pigment (it is very powerful!)

5) Now cast into the silicone mold. And let it react for a while (30minutes should do it)

6) Carefully remove the Block from the silicone mold so you can reuse the mold.

7) Now the Eclips Block is born! As you can see, many colors are possible. We chose blue because of the interior.

What do I need?

Eclips block - abrasive paper

Let's make!

1) Because of the casting, the upper side has some sharp edges (=the back of the block). Take some abrasive paper. HINT: use rough paper to make big changes and use softer abrasive paper to adjust the details.

2) Rub until the sharp edges are removed.

3) The Eclips block is now ready to assemble!