Jump to content

Reproduction badges from silicone moulds


Recommended Posts

I was going to put this thred in the "how to" section, but, depending on how this turns out it might become a " how to NOT do something" thread.

 

Following the lead of a couple of Ratsuners recently who are either doing repro badges, or designing stuff using 3d modeling I decided I'd have a go at casting some badges using silicone moulds.

 

This was partly inspired by the 1600 grille badge I saw on here a while back and me thinking, if only I could make one of these.

 

I've had these 180b SSS pillar vent badges stashed away for a while and as they are becoming harder to get, these are the first things I'm going to try and reproduce.

 

a21d63f9.jpg

 

Started off by giving one a good clean up with paint stripper, and then using a scalpel blade and some fine grade sandpaper, removing as much of the peeling chrome and blemishes as possible.

 

0856e420.jpg

 

Next up was to make a small mould box to contain the badge. This is placed on a granite kitchen bench offcut I've been holding onto for about Ten years (I always told my wife it would come in handy some day).

 

88ceb44c.jpg

 

I the used double sided tape to hold the badge to the bench top offcut, and placed the box I'd made around it, sealing the sides agains any possible leakage with some blutack.

 

82b96985.jpg

 

The silicone mix and catalyst was then mixed up using a set of digital kitchen scales. Mix ratio is approximately 20:1, but , given the cold weather here and on advice from the retailer I've used slightly more catalyst. The waxed paper cup with the hole cut in it was an idea I got off YouTube. Basically, the hole is covered with masking tape and the mix the poured from the plastic mixing cup into the paper cup. The paper cup is held at a reasonable height form the mould and the masking tape peeled away from the hole. The theory being, the mixture being poured from a reasonable height, and through a small diameter hole, will reduce the number of air bubbles (time will tell).

 

5fbaa4c5.jpg

 

This is the results thus far.

 

d875e18e.jpg

 

Looks like a box full of milk!

 

The recommendation is to leave it for at least 24 hours, although I'm going to give it at least 12 hours longer. Depending on how this goes, and if the mould works, I may be able to progress to the next stage which will be resin casting a reproduction badge.

 

Thanks for reading.

 

Stay tuned.

 

Cheers

 

Jason

 

P.s. Mods, please move to appropriate section if you need to do so.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
  • Replies 278
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Top Posters In This Topic

Top Posters In This Topic

Cool project!

 

My only issue with casting items is that if you're going to go for quantity, it blows. You could only make one at a time and it takes 18-24hrs for the project to cure.

 

It would be good for someone is no 3D modeling access.

 

If you can model you might as well have them printed out. Cheap, quick, and you don't have to do any of the work (unless you have a 3D printer). Just an opinion.

 

I did have a lot of friends that make a ridiculous amount of moulds as they were "artists" and that was their medium. So far the project looks great and I'm excited to see how it turns out. Good luck!

Link to comment

Cool project!

 

My only issue with casting items is that if you're going to go for quantity, it blows. You could only make one at a time and it takes 18-24hrs for the project to cure.

 

It would be good for someone is no 3D modeling access.

 

If you can model you might as well have them printed out. Cheap, quick, and you don't have to do any of the work (unless you have a 3D printer). Just an opinion.

 

I did have a lot of friends that make a ridiculous amount of moulds as they were "artists" and that was their medium. So far the project looks great and I'm excited to see how it turns out. Good luck!

 

I disagree with this statement. Mold making is much less expensive than 3D printing, and can output much higher resolutions. Short of high end equipment most filament 3D printing is still of low resolution and takes an extremely long time to print anything of decent size. Even relatively high end stuff (UV polymerized Acrylic) still has issues with complex curves, and still takes several hours. A one off casting from a mold in polyester or other resins is <1$, discounting the cost of the reusable mold, while anything of decent size from a 3D printer -at cost- is still several dollars.

 

Best use so far of the technologies, and this is what we are currently using at work, is for unique designs 3D print it and create a silcone mold to make cheap replicates.

 

For at home stuff, this is a tin cure silicone using LEGO blocks to make the outer mold container for pouring the silicone. Easy and reusable. I'm still learning this of course, and have developed a dislike for some of the polyester resins as a result of their poor thermal stability.

 

613e169a.jpg

  • Like 1
Link to comment

Sure, high resolution printers are crazy expensive but there's many companies out there that offer the service for very low costs for production runs or just a single piece. I'll give you that larger scale items do take quite some time to print out... But we're talking badges.

 

I'll admit that 3D printing and casting are not my industry so there may be some things I do not know. I'm just in the market to start a home 3D printing business and have done a moderate amount of research. I'm sure anyone currently in the industry will know more than myself.

Link to comment

Thanks for the reply guys.

 

3d printing is DEFINITELY something I'm interested in.

 

This is a quality, not quantity project.

 

P.s., Tristan I'll mail you some of the samples when they are done.

 

They might become iconic pieces of how NOT do do this stuff !!

 

:)

 

 

 

Link to comment

Haha thanks Jason. I'm sure you'll get the hang of it. I'm no where near bashing your process... I'll most definitely be staying tuned to this thread; Interested to see how it turns out. I was looking for a Supersonic badge for my grille as it didn't come with one when I got it. I stumbled upon one on eBay but it was a mould reproduction... It was actually transparent like DGuys piece. I was a little hesitant and just decided to forgo the badge and run without one.

 

Anyway, eagerly awaiting updates.

Link to comment

For at home stuff, this is a tin cure silicone using LEGO blocks to make the outer mold container for pouring the silicone. Easy and reusable. I'm still learning this of course, and have developed a dislike for some of the polyester resins as a result of their poor thermal stability.

 

613e169a.jpg

 

any brands you had a hard time with in particular? i'm no professional, but i've made some molds and done quite a few pours. i used to use the casting resin from TAP plastics, it yellowed really fast. i tried a few brands until i stuck with this stuff called MAX CLR high performance. i've done some pretty thick pours (about an inch, before i knew better) and never had any problems with thermal stability. nowadays i never pour thicker than 1/4", usually i keep it down to about 1/8" thick. with the stuff i use, i don't think there would be a problem doing this emblem in one pour. all epoxy systems are going to overheat if you pour too thick, the max clr stuff seems to be the most stable i've used.

Link to comment

Basically, the hole is covered with masking tape and the mix the poured from the plastic mixing cup into the paper cup. The paper cup is held at a reasonable height form the mould and the masking tape peeled away from the hole. The theory being, the mixture being poured from a reasonable height, and through a small diameter hole, will reduce the number of air bubbles (time will tell).

 

and air bubbles... don't get me started.

i used to have problems with air bubbles in my resin pours. i tried heat guns and butane torches to pop the bubbles from the surface (dangerous). this didn't work very well on resin, i'm sure it won't work for silicone.

what i ended up doing is building a vacuum de-gassing chamber. i bought a brake bleeder pump, put an air fitting on a large jar lid and that's it. when i whip up anything that i want to get air bubbles out of, i pop it in the vacuum jar (in a cup of course) and suck it up to about -20 psi. the bubbles get huge and float right up to the surface. it works great and all of my stuff comes out crystal clear. hey it is also a great way to instantly marinate meat! throw some meat in a jar with some marinade, suck out all of the air from the meat, the juice sucks in to replace it. then you'll be ready to "throw some shrimp on the barbee" haha that's an australia joke, mate. good luck and wear gloves and use ventilation.

 

25$ degassing chamber. that's a brake bleeder from an auto store... if they don't one have you can go to a sex store and buy a wiener pump. haha just don't let your buddies see you there.

DSCF0003.jpg

  • Like 2
Link to comment

then you'll be ready to "throw some shrimp on the barbee" haha that's an australia joke, mate.

 

I'm sure he's never heard that one before <_<

 

 

 

I've thought about making a vacuum chamber for a few projects. What kind of pump are you using to make suction? I'm trying to figure out for a decent smaller pump. I've thought about vacuum molding smaller CF/FG pieces... Nothing on a large scale. I'm sure the same pump could be used for both Jason's bubbles and vacuum molding?

  • Like 1
Link to comment

I'm sure he's never heard that one before <_<

 

 

 

I've thought about making a vacuum chamber for a few projects. What kind of pump are you using to make suction? I'm trying to figure out for a decent smaller pump. I've thought about vacuum molding smaller CF/FG pieces... Nothing on a large scale. I'm sure the same pump could be used for both Jason's bubbles and vacuum molding?

oh i just threw a pic up in the last post. look up^^^^ it's the brake bleeder from harbor freight. i used jb weld on the seal because the thin metal was hard to get a clean hole drilled into.

  • Like 1
Link to comment

I'm sure he's never heard that one before <_<

 

 

 

I've thought about making a vacuum chamber for a few projects. What kind of pump are you using to make suction? I'm trying to figure out for a decent smaller pump. I've thought about vacuum molding smaller CF/FG pieces... Nothing on a large scale. I'm sure the same pump could be used for both Jason's bubbles and vacuum molding?

hmmm it would be too slow for vacuum molding... i haven't done vacuum forming yet but i've been studying up on it. i think you would need a shop vac for any kind of home vacuum forming because you basically pull a hot stretched sheet out of your oven and throw it on your former and hit the vacuum switch. it has to get sucked down pretty fast.

this is the setup i'm planning on building soon.

  • Like 1
Link to comment

Maybe vacuum forming was the wrong term. I was talking more about laying carbon fiber sheets and such on a form and vacuum sealing them to cure.

ahhhh sorry. i can kind of picture what you are saying... i was thinking along the same lines for making reproduction plastic lenses a while back but i never quite figured it out. that's a tough one. maybe you could use the same setup as the vacuum former in that youtube video, but have some way of sealing around the form so that you can just hold it airtight. i don't know.

damn i love plastic, all of this talk makes me want to go make something. good thing i still have a gallon left!

Link to comment

Sure, high resolution printers are crazy expensive but there's many companies out there that offer the service for very low costs for production runs or just a single piece. I'll give you that larger scale items do take quite some time to print out... But we're talking badges.

 

I'll admit that 3D printing and casting are not my industry so there may be some things I do not know. I'm just in the market to start a home 3D printing business and have done a moderate amount of research. I'm sure anyone currently in the industry will know more than myself.

 

Most of the quotes I saw for a emblem sized piece in an acrylic equivalent (cheapest) were in the $30 dollar range (Shapeways, and one other I forget?). Even the one at work (Objet 260) at cost, not counting operator time (free), was still running in the $20 dollar range for something emblem sized. Maybe 10-25 cents per gram, including support material, I forget how much exactly. The high resolution printing supplies are just damn expensive. If you found an outside company that was cheaper I would be very interested, as I had similar ideas about a side business. Interestingly, the 3D scanners are not too bad at all, around 3-4K depending on options.

 

 

any brands you had a hard time with in particular? i'm no professional, but i've made some molds and done quite a few pours. i used to use the casting resin from TAP plastics, it yellowed really fast. i tried a few brands until i stuck with this stuff called MAX CLR high performance. i've done some pretty thick pours (about an inch, before i knew better) and never had any problems with thermal stability. nowadays i never pour thicker than 1/4", usually i keep it down to about 1/8" thick. with the stuff i use, i don't think there would be a problem doing this emblem in one pour. all epoxy systems are going to overheat if you pour too thick, the max clr stuff seems to be the most stable i've used.

 

 

 

The TAP plastic polyester resin is what I was using (Clear-lite). The thermal stability issues were not during the pour but afterward. Basically, if you put the emblem in the sun at all it started to soften and become slightly "sticky". That resin was also somewhat to brittle to use for thin emblems, the 510 fender emblems I also repo's were very fragile. I will take a look at the MAX CLR stuff, thanks.

Link to comment

That's some pretty cool stuff.

 

I have a friend that has a 3D printer @ work and a scanner, but no one really knows how to use it. I have access to it but no files to run through it.

 

I'll keep plugging away @ my emblems. =)

Link to comment

so dguy and ratwagon, i've been planning to do the same thing for an emblem that my b210 is missing. how are you guys planning on painting them? i think enamel model paint will work for the colors but the chrome is a whole different thing. i know that chrome electroplating is possible, but really really expensive. i'm cheap. and there is no spray on silver that looks right.

a few years ago i spent about $300 on different spray paints (one can at a time) and stuff that claimed to be "the one" but i never found it. so then i started looking into chrome plating and realized i can't do it myself and i'm not paying somebody else to do it either. i found a few strange systems for sale online... i can't even explain it so i will post a youtube video of it. they are these enclosed systems for sale, it looks awesome... BUT, i read a lot of reviews from people that bought the system and said that they could never get the stuff to stick, and it would just flake off. actually a LOT of people seemed to be really pissed at the companies selling these things. i'll just post the video, but be warned don't get mesmerized by the shinyness.

this spray stuff sucks balls too. don't believe the hype!

and hey shagy i've seen your emblems they are super awesome. i'm going to have to get some stuff from you one of these days.

Link to comment

 

 

Most of the quotes I saw for a emblem sized piece in an acrylic equivalent (cheapest) were in the $30 dollar range (Shapeways, and one other I forget?). Even the one at work (Objet 260) at cost, not counting operator time (free), was still running in the $20 dollar range for something emblem sized. Maybe 10-25 cents per gram, including support material, I forget how much exactly. The high resolution printing supplies are just damn expensive.

 

Just playing around with quotes to see rates, I uploaded a Datsun fender emblem at true size. I believe they wanted ~$4 to cut it. There were more expensive options but that was all plating.

 

Let me dig up some saved bookmarks and information. I'm extremely interested in 3D printing and it's the driving force behind me learning SolidWorks.

Link to comment

seen a shagy embelem on phixius's 521 the other day ... looked real good....i just lost both fender emblems on my 521 somewhere around town they fell off...

 

Thanks! The 521's are the similar to the 510 ones right?

 

 

and hey shagy i've seen your emblems they are super awesome. i'm going to have to get some stuff from you one of these days.

 

Thanks. I have been approached about chroming plastic. If I knew there was enough business I'd buy the equipment. There are some things out there that look really nice. There is a company in so cal that makes what looks like a quality product/system.

 

Just playing around with quotes to see rates, I uploaded a Datsun fender emblem at true size. I believe they wanted ~$4 to cut it. There were more expensive options but that was all plating.

 

Let me dig up some saved bookmarks and information. I'm extremely interested in 3D printing and it's the driving force behind me learning SolidWorks.

 

I was going to have my 510 emblem done up in metal. This one place wanted $375 to scan it and I never got to the printing price.. but man it would have been nice to have a new one in metal.

Link to comment

That may be about right on price. I've noticed shop rates for design time are about $100/hr. Then when you cut it you're charged for machine setup, labor, and material. Expensive if you only want one piece.

 

Now if you came in with your own 3D model it would be a bit cheaper, but would still make more sense to cut a few out and make a little back selling them. It's such a small item that one-off wouldn't be cost effective.

Link to comment

Thanks. I have been approached about chroming plastic. If I knew there was enough business I'd buy the equipment. There are some things out there that look really nice. There is a company in so cal that makes what looks like a quality product/system.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

that's good to hear, i honestly don't know much about those systems except that they are out of my price range. and yeah it seems like it would be hard to get enough business to make one pay for its self.

i'm always looking for the DIY way. sometimes i'm diy to a fault. on ocassion i will spend more money on materials to make stuff than i would if i just bought stuff already made. but what's the fun in that?

Link to comment

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Loading...
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

By using this site, you agree to our Terms of Use.