I was searching the web looking for a safe food grade home made recipe for making molds, but could not find any, which was a surprise, because one can usually find anything with a properly worded search. So I ended up using a polymer clay mold recipe, and swapping out items as needed to make it food safe. The hardest part was figuring out what to use to replace the solvent, denatured alcohol, which was pure poison! Then I came across an article about taking the triglycerides out of coconut oil to use as a food grade solvent and TA-DAH, problem solved. Not being a scientist, and not knowing how to get these triglycerides out, I decided to just go with the coconut oil as is. And it worked! I just figured this all out yesterday, made my first mold, and am happy to report that it worked like a charm. Because this is cheap to make, you can make as many as you need, as often as you need, and throw them away when you want, you won't be out anything. The only thing I have not tried yet, because I just thought of it, is melting them down for reuse-lol. I am sure that there may be some that can & will find fault with this recipe, but for all the others, have fun, save money, and enjoy! I have been happily making molds for 2 whole days! So let me know what you think of my little project!
2. Mix the water & the gelatin. Start mixing immediately & keep mixing until all the water & the gelatin is thoroughly mixed together. DON'T STOP mixing or it will separate & congeal in layers. When ready, the mess should be consistent in quality.
3. Heat in microwave, for 20 sec. intervals, & stir until the gelatin is melted and free from lumps.
4. Add the warmed glycerin (and glucose if desired) and stir until blended.
5. Add the coconut oil, and stir until thoroughly blended. It is now ready to use, & should be used while warm.
As for the 'glucose', try it both ways to see which one you prefer.
Cooling the new mold can be accelerated by placing in the refrigerator. To remove, place finger near edge, pull toward center to detach from side, & lift out.
I like having my own touch to things. Not the 'same old-same old' that everyone else gets from using the bought molds, that everyone else is buying. Also, if you want a larger piece of lace on your cake, the mold is going to cost you! But picking up several very nice and detailed lace designs at the fabric store is cheap, sometimes they will even give you a sample of each, which is plenty to do a mold. Make a mold of a lace collar, then drape it around the top of a cake. Be different, be you! You can make copies of anything that might be requested for any cake that you can imagine, from kiddie cakes to wedding cakes. And they will all be different. My mom has this really BIG handmade Norwegian silver broach with a simply beautiful scenery design that was her grandmothers. I am going to make a mold of it to use on the side of a cake. One of a kind. Mold a small doll to then dress in fondant to top a princess cake, totally edible. Make your own figurine molds. The list is endless... Hope this was of some help. .
howsweet-the moderator grabbed my response for now. It will be here soon, I hope. To continue, I make molds of leaves, if you are into that, using artificial ones when needed for more definition. I pick up the ones that are on the floor when I walk through Michaels Arts & Crafts. I have to double or join some things to make them deep enough for an effective mold. I was making only impression molds before I came up with this recipe. You get much better detail this way. Any thing that you think would look nice on the side of a cake can be made into a mold, unless the heat of the mixture would melt or distort it.
JWinslow-Thanks for your interest in my new mold recipe! These are all the pics I have so far. Most are of the very first one I did. As you can see, I did not quite make enough to cover the pin used, so I kept lifting the mixture up over it, until it built up enough to suit me. The container was a little too big-lol. Practice will make better, if not perfect?
My hubby suggested a 2-toned one like the pin. I was too excited to get the right colors, I just grabbed what was handy for the center, then used my chocolate MMF gumpaste, it was sitting nearby, for the outer rim.
Using a contrasting center color does help.
On the left, I had extra left on the back of this one, so I was able to stretch it down over that part to make it look even deeper than the original pin. I later used luster dust on them, and they did 'POP'. Very good detail.
Hope these were what you had in mind. Thanks for your support on the 'gumpaste drying time' issue. Nicholas Lodge said to mix & match till you find what you like, not what someone else likes, so I do. lol Please let me know what you think of the mold recipe? TRUTH! Any recommendations??
NOPE! Totally mine! I did say that I worked with a clay recipe to start with. I printed out several versions before I was satisfied. What you saw was an attempt to make just a little bit, but the full recipe does not make all that much after all. And Yes, I did do the research on the internet to find the needed solvent. Right proud of that one too! I just wanted to SHARE it as soon as possible. I was that pleased that it worked! THANX!
The original clay recipe was for such a large amt. of product, that as I converted the ingredients to 'all food grade', I also had to cut them down to size. They were using VATS! Thus the different numbers you see on the page I printed out.
The one I ended up with does enough for at least one decent mold, enough to practice with.
Using gelatin to make molds has been done in theatrical circles for quite some time, we used to use it to make prosthetics when I was in college back in the stone age. Here's one recipe, but if you google gelatin molds I bet you'd find more. I used to get some mold making stuff from a company that used a seaweed extract to gel it up, and you could remelt it after you were done. You don't get as sharp a detail as you would with a rigid silicone, though, so it would depends on what you wanted to use it for.
http://www.instructables.com/id/Using-gelatin-for-moulds-and-prosthetics/
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Hope these were what you had in mind. Thanks for your support on the 'gumpaste drying time' issue. Nicholas Lodge said to mix & match till you find what you like, not what someone else likes, so I do. lol Please let me know what you think of the mold recipe? TRUTH! Any recommendations??
I understand what you are saying about what NL said as I generally use a bit more egg white but I am curious about the original recipe for the mold so if I do use this I can make adjustments here and there like I did with the NL paste. Hope that makes sense. :)
AThat looks great for stuff you may never use again. I know the mold making stuff is so expensive! I have spend $12 with the 40% off coupon and had to go back and get more for full price, and used all that too. So, about $35 plus time and gas for molds I will never use again. Does this mold? Or decompose over time?
Ai mean mold as in fuzzy green or black stuff, in this instance ;-)
Costumeczar;
Well, this just proves that age doesn't teach one everything there is to know. lol Thanks so much for these sites, they are exactly what I was looking for, and could not find, before. I am going to post them on cakes we bake, where I have also posted this recipe. That will give everyone way more choices. And I am still glad I was able to come up with one on my own. Thanx again!
Annabakescakes, said "I mean mold as in fuzzy green or black stuff, in this instance"
Hi, I don't know how it will hold up. Just started making them. I am no longer putting in the syrup, doesn't seem to need it, so that might affect how it acts also. But the glycerin in it is a form of syrup. Sorry, but I really can't answer this one. I would speculate that they would break down over time, but don't know how long. So it is a good thing that they are so cheap to make. lol
You bring up something that had never occurred to me! I have no idea. Was the wording 'Food Grade' not acceptable? I was looking to make a mold that 'I' could use. And I did not want silicone, denatured alcohol, or other known poisons to be in it. I am classifying this, for my purposes only, as food grade because it is made out of ingredients that are edible. Even if I had said 'food safe', it would have been splitting hairs. So far I know that heat will melt it. I assume that water will dissolve it. Do not know the implications of refrigerating, or freezing, it. So I should add, 'USE AT YOUR OWN RISK'. Kind of like 'Sold As Is'. lol I guess it was premature to give it out to the public, not enough testing, but at least I am not charging for it. Hopefully, anyone using it, will be able to determine if, and when, the product is no longer viable.
If you think of anything that I should know, or do, regarding this issue, please get back with me, thanx, Bonnie.
UPDATE -- FYI
Regarding my "Food Grade Mold' Recipe, that I have posted here, please be advised that you use it at your own risk. It has not been tested for 'Food Grade' by the government or any other agency.
I was looking to make a mold that 'I' could use. And I did not want silicone, denatured alcohol, or other known poisons to be in it.
I am classifying this, for my purposes only, as food grade because it is made out of ingredients that are edible. Even if I had said 'food safe', it would have been splitting hairs.
So far I know that heat will melt it. I assume that water will dissolve it. Do not know the implications of refrigerating, or freezing, it.
So I am adding, 'USE AT YOUR OWN RISK'.
Kind of like 'Sold As Is'. lol I guess it was premature to give it out to the public, not enough testing, but at least I am not charging for it. Hopefully, anyone using it, will be able to determine if, and when, the product is no longer viable.
I am just trying to cover my butt here, no offense intended.
Smile and have a nice day!
i think you are a genius and a generous one at that--thanks for sharing--for the initial use i'd consider it to be food safe for my purposes--so long as your container is not leaching lead or something--
very cool!
Amazing! I am so very excited to see this recipe as well as those that Costumeczar listed!
They MUST be food grade, as all ingredients listed are food grade (I buy food-grade glycerine)
The only question might be about possible contaminants from the object being molded, so that's the only place my caution would lie.
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UPDATE -- FYI
Regarding my "Food Grade Mold' Recipe, that I have posted here, please be advised that you use it at your own risk. It has not been tested for 'Food Grade' by the government or any other agency.
I was looking to make a mold that 'I' could use. And I did not want silicone, denatured alcohol, or other known poisons to be in it.
I am classifying this, for my purposes only, as food grade because it is made out of ingredients that are edible. Even if I had said 'food safe', it would have been splitting hairs.
So far I know that heat will melt it. I assume that water will dissolve it. Do not know the implications of refrigerating, or freezing, it.
So I am adding, 'USE AT YOUR OWN RISK'.
Kind of like 'Sold As Is'. lol I guess it was premature to give it out to the public, not enough testing, but at least I am not charging for it. Hopefully, anyone using it, will be able to determine if, and when, the product is no longer viable.
I am just trying to cover my butt here, no offense intended.
Smile and have a nice day!
Some of the things brought out by others never occurred to me either like "mold" - the thread has been very informative, IMO
AI am sure that if you just have something to mold, say a button, make the mold, use if for a cake, then throw it away, you're fine. So many molds are 1 time use, then sit in a drawer, anyway. You can just keep a drawer full of stuff you like to mold, and make a quick mold as needed.
K8memphis THANK YOU, & THANK YOU!! I, at least, am having a very good time making molds from some of my Mom's broaches & pins. She has/had this really big one that I want to copy, as soon as I can pry it loose from whoever ended up with it. There were 6 of us kids. And I did recommend certain types of containers, under 'Notes', in the recipe. Thanks again for your kind words.
JWinslow,
Hi again, so nice to keep bumping into you! It does seem to be having that effect. Kind of like stirring the imagination. I am going to have to ask my grandson what 'IMO' means. For the longest time, I thought 'lol' meant 'lots of love'. lol
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JWinslow,
Hi again, so nice to keep bumping into you! It does seem to be having that effect. Kind of like stirring the imagination. I am going to have to ask my grandson what 'IMO' means. For the longest time, I thought 'lol' meant 'lots of love'. lol
IMO - In my opinion
IMHO - in my humble opinion
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