Perception of Space

Have made a moulding box from MDF with it’s reasonably smooth surface I should be able to get away with not having to use a releasing agent. Each piece is screwed together so that it can be taken apart, therefore making it easier to remove moulding once set.

Clay plug in place and ready for moulding.

Top left photo showing chunks of vinyl rubber ready to be put in heating machine (righthand photo). The vinyl rubber is heated to a liquid state then poured into the moulding box. Unfortunately it hasn’t work very successfully. The resultant mould is very poor quality so will try again.

With a little more work the melted vinyl was much better, but transferring it and a bucket before pouring into the mould was a mistake as vinyl started to set too soon. So continued pouring direct from the machine.

Although result was better the quality of the mould is still no where good enough. I’m now trying the Silicone Rubber compound.

With the idea to make representations of large water droplets and failed so far to find a suitable item for the mould ‘plug’ that is droplet shaped, large enough and has a highly polished surface, I have decided to make it out of clay. Not ideal as the surface of the clay is obviously not ‘glass smooth and polished’, but needs must and have to start somewhere, and have something to work with. By not having the glass polished finish on the plug it means there will be more work involved in cleaning up and polishing the final resin castings.

This is my first ever go on a potter’s wheel … should be interesting!

Well as first attempts go, I’m rather pleased.

I’d created a profile from MDF to get an accurate shaped finish the clay plug.