Thanks to my dad, I am a huge Star Wars fan. I remember him bringing the betamax movies home and watching them all day long. Today, I don’t watch them as much, but I still love the characters especially the Storm Trooper.

Since my husband also likes the movies I decided to make him a Storm Trooper pendant to wear with a leather necklace. I liked the end result so much that I needed to make more. I didn’t wan’t to do all the melting, pouring, rolling, cutting, soldering, filing, sanding, and polishing all over again (especially for multiple pieces) so, to make my life easier, I made a mold. Let me show you how.

1. First, gather the basics. Silicone mold rubber material, aluminum frame and plates, brass sprue, and your piece of jewelry.

I like this one, it feels like silly putty.

2. Cut two layers of silicone, and insert them one at a time inside the frame until you have filled it to the middle. Press the sprue in the center edge, making sure it touches the frame. Press the pendant into the silicone rubber and also make sure it makes contact with the sprue.

3. Cut two more layers of the silicone and place them on top of the piece, making sure every corner is covered. Add the top aluminum plate and place it in the Vulcanizer for 1 hour 15 minutes at 300 degrees F.  It’s 15 minutes per layer, but I always leave it a little longer.

waiting…

4. Let it cool. Open the frame, take the mold out and cut it open with an X-acto knife.

mold cut in half

5. Inject the mold with injection wax, as many times as you want to replicate your item.

wax injection model

6. That’s it! It’s ready for casting. The time it takes me to make 20 pieces using this technique is the same time it would take me to make just one piece from scratch!

prototype and wax model

Molds can last many years. Proper storage in a well ventilated area will preserve your molds for over 30 years. Neat huh?

It takes a lot to make hand made jewelry.  🙂

AWL