Welcome to My Heap

The Mold Making, Casting and DIY Resource Center

W A R N I N G ! ! ! The contents of this site contain information that could cause personal injury and/or death! This site contains information that could damage your property. The information supplied on these pages are the result of experimentation of the author and does not imply that it is fit for use. The author of these pages has no formal education in the procedures or practices depicted within and assumes no liability for the use of this information on your part. Let me re-iterate. I will not be held responsible for the accuracy or fitness of this information. Metal Casting and similar operations can cause severe burns and death. Vacuum implosions can cause serious injuries and death. Enter at your own risk!

Now with that out of the way, I hope you find the contents entertaining, useful and fun!

What My Heap is all about.

My Heap is targeted at those people who wish to learn how to make molds out of varying material including Plaster, Vinyl, RTV, Rubber, Latex, Silicone Caulk, Moulage and Alginate. In addition to mold making, My Heap will cover different casting techniques including such media as Slip, Pewter, Aluminum, Brass, Bronze, Plaster, Latex, RTV, Paper Mache and others. Additionally, My Heap contains information on how to create or build some of the tools you will need to perform some of these tasks.

What you will find here.

My Heap is divided into two areas. The first is a general section that contains my notes on some of the other things that I do. The second section is an area that I call the My Heap on line book and is separated into sections that deal with a specific area of mold making and casting. These are as follow:

SECTION 1 - The Site In General

• PROJECTS - This sections details different projects that I am currently working on. Some of them are a Wax injector, Gingery Lathe and an electric furnace that I plan on using for a burnout oven. These projects are updated as I work on them and new ones will be added as they are started.
• DOWNLOADS - The downloads section will contain links to files that you can download from the site.· I will more than likely add files to this part over time.· Files will usually be project based.· For example, plans to build a sand molding bench.
• NOTEBOOK - The notebook contains sections of material that outline experiments or small things that I have tried to do but does not require a section elsewhere. You will find things like My attempt at hand wax injection and making a surface plate from plate glass.
• GUEST BOOK - I would like to hear from you.· Perhaps you have something you want to share, or maybe this site was helpful to you in some way.· Drop me a note to let me know you have been here.· It kinda makes all the work to posting to the site worthwhile that way.· ;-)

SECTION 2 - The My Heap Online Book

• Introduction - The introduction just gives an overview of what the intent of the online book is supposed to be.
• Chapter 1 - Materials: You need materials for anything.· This section of the book is to help identify some of the materials that you will need and even how to make some of your own.
• Chapter 2 - Tools: You need tools to do just about anything.· This chapter will give you some ideas on making some of your own tools.
• Chapter 3 - RTV Molds:· RTV (Room Temperature Vulcanizing) rubber is used extensively to make molds that require a lot of detail.· This chapter explains how this material is used to make molds.
• Chapter 4 - Alginate Molds: Algenate, a product made from sea weed is used extensively in the prosthetic and dental industries.· This is a safe material to use on your skin and as such, you can use it to make life molds.
• Chapter 5 - Plaster Molds: Plaster has been used forever as both a casting medium and a mold making material.  This chapter talks about plaster and it uses in mold making.
• Chapter 6 - Latex Molds: Latex is used a lot in the entertainment industry to make masks and other props.  This section of the book is to learn how to use this medium.
• Chapter 7 - Vinyl Molds: This section is for the use of vinyl in making molds.
• Chapter 8 - Silicone Caulk Molds: Silicone caulk can be purchased at nearly any store for the cost of a few dollars.  This chapter talks about how it might be possible to use this material as a mold making agent.
• Chapter 9 - Slip Casting: Slip casting allows you to make replicas of things by using a clay slurry called slip.  This chapter will provide some insight to the process.
• Chapter 10 - Steam Casting: Steam casting is an alternative to vacuum or spin casting.  It is an inexpensive way for you to cast precious metals.  This chapter provides details on how it is done.
• Chapter 11 - Misc. Notes: This section of the book will have off topic or tidbits of information in it.  Perhaps because it is unproven or there isn't an area in the book where it seems to fit.
• Chapter 12 - The Hall of Shame:  Everyone goofs up and makes mistakes.  Sometimes the best lessons are learned from critical examination of a mistake.  This section is to place failed examples and what not to do notes.
• Appendix A - Definitions:  There seems to be a vernacular for everything on the planet.  Medical people have their own words as do computer folks.  Molding and casting is no exception.  This section hopes to give some definitions to the words the caster and mold maker would throw around.
• Appendix B - Suppliers:  This section of the book list suppliers that have asked to be included or suppliers that I think are helpful to the would be mold maker and caster.
• Appendix C - Credits:  This is a community section.  It would not exist without the input and exampled provided by some kind people on the Internet.  This is where there name goes into print.
• Appendix D - Resources:  This section list helpful books, websites, groups and forums.  Hopefully there is a little something here for everyone who wants to make the next step