Making molds with силикон оловянного отверждения is like baking a cake. You need the right stuff and the right steps. If you do it wrong, the cake, or the mold, can get smaller! This is called shrinkage. We don’t want that! So, we will learn to make silicone molds with minimal shrinkage.
What is Tin-Cure Silicone?
Силикон, отверждаемый оловом is one of silicone rubber types. It starts as a liquid, like milk. Then you add a special helper, called a отвердитель. This makes it turn hard, like clay. This is good for making molds for things like toys, soaps, and fancy wall decorations.
Why Do Molds Shrink?
When силикон оловянного отверждения goes from liquid to solid, it can get a little smaller. Think of it like drying clothes. Wet clothes are bigger, and dry clothes are smaller.
Силикон, отверждаемый оловом shrinks more than another kind called силикон платинового отверждения. Tin-cure can shrink about 0.3% to 0.5%. Platinum-cure shrinks only 0.1% to 0.2%. If your mold shrinks a lot, it will not match the model.
How to Make Molds Shrink Less
Here are some easy steps to learn to be better at reproduction molding4.
1. Use the Right Amount of Helper!
Сайт отвердитель is like salt in cooking. Too much salt can make the food bad. With силикон оловянного отверждения, too much отвердитель makes it shrink more. We need a perfect solution, which is like a well-balanced recipe, for reproduction molding .
- Use LESS than 4% отвердитель.
- If you use more, the mold will shrink more.
2. Pick the Right Silicone
Некоторые tin-cure silicones are made to shrink less.
- Topsil Silicone with EU standard catalyst shrinks very little. It is good for making strong molds.
- Mold Max 60 also shrinks very little. It is good for casting things like metal.
- Mold Max XLS 11 shrinks a little bit more, because it is a ‘water white transluscent’ rubber.
| Тип силикона | How Much it Shrinks | Good For |
| Topsil Silicone with EU standard catalyst | Very Little | Molds for many things, architectural restoration |
| Mold Max 60 | Very Little | Molds for metal |
| Platinum-Cure Silicone | Even Less | Molds that need to be very, very exact |
3. Make Thin Layers
If you make a cake, you put it in the oven in layers. Силикон, отверждаемый оловом is the same.
- For Topsil Silicone, make four thin layers5.
- Thin layers help the mold dry evenly, keeping the shape you will use for architectural restoration applications 5.
4. Be Careful with Quick-Dry Helpers
There are addative helpers, such as Accel-T®, that makes the силикон dry fast. But be careful!
- Accel-T® makes the силикон dry fast, but it can also make it shrink more4.
- It also makes the силикон get thick faster. You have less time to work with.
5. Use a Good Master
When you make a copy of something, you need a мастер. Making a мастер is good for any home craft, or hobby!
- For силикон оловянного отверждения, it is good to use a мастер made of epoxy resin.
- Also, a мастер made for platinum-cure casting provides a good stable shape3.
6. Keep Molds in a Good Place!
Even after a mold is made, it can keep shrinking a little bit over time8.
- Because, of the chemical reaction, byproducts are released1 in condensation-curing.
- Store molds in even temperature and humidity3.
7. A Different Way: Platinum-Cure Silicone
If you need a mold that shrinks almost not at all, use силикон платинового отверждения3.
- Силикон платинового отверждения shrinks much less than силикон оловянного отверждения3.
- This makes it a good option for furniture mold making.
- It is good for things like making very small, exact parts.
Mistakes to Avoid
- Don’t use too much curing agent! Keep it below 4%3.
- Don’t rush! If you use a quick-dry helper, work fast but be careful.
- With correct silicone A:B ratios, you create the best conditions to reduce shrinkage2.
Putting it All Together
Here is an easy to read table that includes the main topics, with some extra information.
| Topic | Деталь | Importance |
| Curing Agent | Use less than 4%3 | Too much makes the silicone shrink more. |
| Тип силикона | Topsil Silicone и Mold Max 60 are good choices | Some silicones shrink less than others . |
| Layers | Make thin layers | Helps the silicone dry evenly. |
| Quick-Dry Helpers | Use carefully; they can make the silicone shrink more | Good for speed, but can cause problems. |
| Master Material | Epoxy Resin Molds | Gives a stable shape for accurate casting |
| Storage | Even temperature and humidity! | Keep your molds in a good place, so they don’t shrink later. |
| Platinum-Cure | A different type of silicone that shrinks very little | Great for best furniture mold making |
| Avoiding Mistakes | Don’t use too much curing agent | Avoid shrinkage |
| Pouring Technique | Pour slowly into the lowest part of the mold, letting the material flow naturally | Helps reduce air bubbles and ensures even distribution of silicone |
Summry:
Making силикон оловянного отверждения molds that don’t shrink too much is easy if you follow these steps. Remember:
- Use the right amount of отвердитель.
- Pick a good силикон.
- Make thin layers.
- Be careful with quick-dry helpers, like Accel-T4.
If you do these things, your molds will be great! You can use the molds in your home craft or hobby8.
Внутренние ссылки
- For making fancy furniture molds, see our guide on Силикон для изготовления мебельных форм.
- If you need help with reproduction molding, see our guide on Силикон для архитектурной реставрации.
- Are you interested in silicone in crafts?, see our guide on Силикон для домашнего творчества и хобби.
