This blog is dedicated to the sublime instruments called nose flutes and which produce the most divine sound ever. We have chosen to discard all the native models from S. Pacific and Asia, for they need fingering to be played. We'll concentrate on "buccal cavity driven" nose flutes : the well patented and trademarked metal or plastic ones, plus, by a condemnable indulgence, some wooden craft or home-made productions.

Dec 24, 2012

Moulding and Casting - Part 4: Soft silicone

It's a long time I've been wanting to experiment with casting nose flutes. As a model, I chose a Bocarina, because I love those babies, because they are easy to disassemble and because they are produced by ABS injection... in a mould.

My goal is not to forge a Bocarina, and certainly not to make a market with that (anyway, moulding and casting is much more expensive that buying the original nose flute!). Chris Schuermans had authorized me to experiment with a mould. Indeed, my goal is purely recreational.


[Sequel of the posts Part 1: Hard silicone, Part2: Casting urethane and Part 3: Low temp alloys]

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Moulding and Casting - Part 4: Soft silicone

Let's begin by a video:



Well, I wanted to cast a chocolate Bocarina for Christmas. And I did it, but it was very difficult.

I began by a test with my hard silicone mould, and it worked... until I tried to unmould the nose flute. The suction effect was so strong that separating the two parts of the mould was enough to break the Boccy. I didn't pour hot chocolate in the mould, because this stuff is far too much viscous to flow down, but I "painted" chocolate in the 2 parts, and then applied one part to the other.



When I opened the mould, the Boccy was in a correct shape. But trying to get it out broke it in pieces.



So I decided to make another mould, with softer silicone, and to use harder chocolate, 85% cocoa! I would put it in the freezer for a nice hardening.



I proceeded the same way, and despite a lower suction effect, I broke many chocolate Boccies.



Finally, after 7 attempts, I was able to unmould an almost perfect nose flute. I glued the insert with... chocolate.



Then I glued a magic mushroom and a Christmas dwarf silver saw! The very funny thing is that the shadow of the flute took the shape of my kitty Patafix, the famous Noseflute.org CEO!




Have all a Merry Christmas!!



To be continued!


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On the same topic :

- Moulding and Casting - Part 1: hard silicone
- Moulding and Casting - Part 2: casting urethane
- Moulding and Casting - Part 3: low temp alloys
- Moulding and Casting - Part 4: soft silicone
- Moulding and Casting - Part 5: casting Acrylic

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6 comments:

  1. Je comprends bien ton felinomorphisme mais je voudrais dire que l'ombre de ton œuvre d'art a plus de ressemblance avec un écureuil, desparée de dire ca...

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  2. Je voudrais souhaiter vous aussi un Joyeux Noël et une bonne année!

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  3. Excellent!.

    Looks delicious, and now you have two molds.

    Hehe, looks like Patafix with a squirrel costume.

    Maybe you can apply a light coat of vegetable oil on the mold before the chocolate to facilitate unmolding.

    Happy holidays!

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  4. @ Nosy Diva: Patafix is able to fake in any other animal!!

    @ Harm: thank you! To you too, Merry Christmas!

    @ Luis: if I apply oil, the chocolate won't go in the sharp angles (fipple!). Merry Christmas!

    ReplyDelete