Mold Making and Casting – TECH 528 – 01, 02

Fabrication Techniques – Mold making and Casting

Course prerequisites: none

Instructor: Nao Matsumoto

Detailed description and Goals:

The aim of this course is to instruct students to various fabrication techniques using mold making and casting skills. The main medium used in this class are synthetic resin and rubbers such as; silicone, urethane, epoxy, etc.

Students are introduced to an array of fabrication techniques and processes surrounding mold making and casting. Students are trained on the safe handling of modern synthetic materials, including environmentally friendly methods of disposal of potentially hazardous materials. The main goal for this class is to methodically explain and train students, thus enabling them to perform complex mold making and casting procedures.

Some materials used in this class can have potential health effects or hazardous to the environment. It is EXTREMLY IMPORTANT that students know such hazards and procedures in handling and disposal of such materials.

ALWAYS REMEMBER THAT SAFETY COMES FIRST!!

COURSE CALENDAR:

WEEK 1: Introduction to the Course, Safety Regulations and the Studio

The purpose of making molds.
The benefits of mold making and its potentials
Introduction to the facilities
Safety issues and material handling

Demonstration: Preparing a Box Mold – Open Face Molds

Demonstration: Preparing the Mold, Mixing and Pouring Silicone

Assignment : Making a texture tile using a simple box mold.

Students have to create a 6” x 6” open face mold using Tin Base Silicone

WEEK 2 : De-molding and Casting a Open Face Mold

De-molding procedures
Preparation of the mold
Overview of casting medium – Smooth Cast 325 / 326 – Rigid Urethane resin
Pigmentation, and fillers

Demonstration: -Safe handling of urethane resins

Demonstration: - Pigmentation, mixing and casting into the open face mold

Demonstration: De-molding

Assignment: Make as much texture tiles from the mold you prepared in Week 1. Try different varieties using pigments and decorative fillers provided.

WEEK 3 : Cold Casting –Fake Metal Casting , Preparing a Jacket Mold

Cold Casting methods – using metal powders and casting
Safety procedures in handling metal powders
Overview of jacket molds
Overview of Tin base silicone- Mold Max 20 / 30

Demonstration: Cold casting using the open face mold you made

Demonstration: Making a jacket mold using Tin base silicone

1) Preparing the object and registration markings

2) Forming clay for mold making- The Clay Up

3) Making the mother mold using Ultra Cal

4) Mixing, and pouring Mold Max 20 / 30

Assignment: Candle making using a bottle of any kind .

Choose any bottle , make a jacket mold and cast the form in paraffin wax with a wick to make your original candle.

WEEK 4 - Studio Instruction - Making a Jacket Mold

Students will receive practical studio instructions surrounding the Candle project

All student must be present for class with necessary tools and materials explained in Week 3.

Assignment: Complete the jacket mold by next week for casting paraffin together as a group.

WEEK 5 : Casting Paraffin

Overview of Wax
Manipulating Wax

Demonstration: Preparing the mold

Demonstration: Modifying the color of wax

Demonstration : Casting methods to achieve different effects

Assignment : Cast as many candles with your mold .

Try to use techniques explained to achieve variety. Minimum of 2 candles required.

WEEK 6 : Jacket Mold with Multiple Pieces

Applying the similar mold making techniques in the previous week, a multiple piece mold will be reviewed. The complexity of the mold will increase noticeably but the potential of mold making will also expand with this technique. Due t this, students are expected to focus more on the technicality of the process.

Overview of Piece Molds
Crucial procedures to ensure a successful mold
Over view of Materials
Selection of Objects to Cast.- the limitations and complexity of the process

Demonstration : Determining the parting line on the object.

Demonstration: Preparing the object

Demonstration: Clay up procedures- Designating a pour spout, vents/ drains, registration keys.

Demonstration: Making a mother mold- using Plasti-Paste

WEEK 7 : Studio Instruction

Continue with individual mold

WEEK 8 : Studio Instruction

Overview of casting rubbers

Demonstration: Casting using rigid urethane resin

Assignment : Piece mold completion due

WEEK 9 : Studio Instruction

Demonstration: De-molding Techniques

WEEK 10 : Rotational Casting- Achieving a Hollow Cast

Overview of Rotational casting
Preparing the mold
Overview of Materials – Smooth-cast Roto

Demonstration: Rotational casting – Casting a hollow form

WEEK 11 : Studio Instruction

Assignment : Roto- cast a hollow form from the same piece mold.

WEEK 12– Life Casting Techniques

Mold making/ casting techniques on live surfaces are reviewed.

-Overview of materials and safety concerns.

Demonstration: Life casting techniques using Aljasafe and other life casting materials.

Assignment: Cast a body part of someone. Do not attempt to cast yourself. It is dangerous and impossible.

WEEK 13– Advanced Life Casting – Full body cast from a model

As a group, we will try to cast a large body section from a nude model . All students will participate in this project. This is a team effort and requires coordination in order to successfully achieve a body cast. Class may run overtime.

WEEK 14 - Studio Instruction

Completing the life Cast. Pieces are cast from the mold prepared in WEEK 13 to complete a sculpture of the model.

WEEK 15 – Final exam, critique and evaluation of projects.

COURSE REQUIREMENTS:

A Material FEE of $20 will be collected at the beginning of the semester for basic materials other than the mold rubbers and casting medium. Materials for the projects must be provided individually. For the acquisition of materials purchase materials from the following vendors:

The Compleat Sculptor www.sculpt.com

Smooth-on Corp. www.smoothon.com

2. IT IS EXTRE,MELY IMPORTANT to attend all class sessions. Valuable information and demonstration will not be repeated. Unless there is a family tragedy, emergency health conditions, absence will not be tolerated. Pratt Institute policy states , missing 3 or more classes is considered a failure.

3. IT IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT to take notes during class.

4. IT IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT to complete ALL assignments.

Incomplete assignments will become a drastic grade deficit.

5. Tools for the class that you are expected to provide:

- All Safety equipment discussed in WEEK 1

- Clay rendering tools – Available at the school store

- Notebooks , writing utensils

- Tape measure

6. GRADUATE STUDENTS MUST MEET WITH THE INSTRUCTOR to discuss the “DEGREE OF DIFFICULTY REQUIREMENT” you have in this course as an MFA candidate.

ASSESSMENT AND GRADING

Grades will be determined primarily by the instructor’s evaluation of: enthusiasm, finish quality and the creative capacities of fabrication methods.

The final grade will be based on:

70% Completion and finish quality of all assignments

20% Attendance, sustained attention during demonstrations, participation and enthusiasm

10% Exam result

Grades:

A 4.0 Excellent

A- 3.7 Excellent

B+ 3.3 Above Average

B 3.0 Above Average

B- 2.7 Above Average

C+ 2.3 Acceptable

C 2.0 Acceptable

C- (ug only) 1.7 Recorded as F for Graduate Students, Accepted for Undergraduates Only

D+ (ug only) 1.3 Recorded as F for Graduate Students, Accepted for Undergraduates Only

D (ug only) 1.0 Recorded as F for Graduate Students, Accepted for Undergraduates Only

F 0.0 Failure