THESE TIPS ARE PRESENTED TO HELP OTHERS UNDERSTAND SOME 
OF THE PRODUCTS THAT CAN BE USED TO MAKE YOUR OWN MOLDS.

Using 1/2" Fiber Board

Using 1/2" Fiber Blanket

USING 1/2" FIBER BOARD

You can cut, gouge, sand and scrape away sections of fiber board to make your shape.

Step 1: Select the shape you want to cut and draw it on construction board or paper.
Step 2: Trace the shape onto the size of fiber board you want to use.
Step 3: Cut the shape from the fiber board using whatever tools you find helpful.
Step 4: Soak the fiber board in hardener and let it dry well.  (You can heat it in a kiln, but you must keep it below 175 degrees F. or you risk a chance of flame-up.
Step 5: Make final touch up on your shape, sanding parts smooth if you'd like.
Step 6: If you have sanded through the hardness layer, add some more hardener and allow it to dry.
Step 7: When your board is dry, fire it to1300 degrees F. to create a hard shell.
Step 8: Cover the board with kiln wash and fire in the kiln as with any other mold.

NOTE: Hardener produces a very smoky environment.  Keep your kiln open slightly and have a fan blow the smoke towards an open window.

Below is an example of a duck that was cut into fiber board using only an xacto knife.

Step 4 has been completed but the board is not yet dry.
The next step will be to dry it and do any final touch ups.
Then the board will be coated in kiln wash and a glass slumped in a kiln.
 

THE FINISHED DUCK (note the reverse image when slumped)


BUILDING LARGER MOLDS
Fiber board can also be layered together to make thicker molds.  It is a good idea to glue the pieces together using Elmers glue (white glue) before you start cutting.  Also put pins through the layers to hold them in place.  Remember, the glue will burn away in the kiln, so the pins are a must to keep the mold shape.  Unique dishes, plates, boat hulls and other unique shapes can be made using this technique.  Below is a boat hull made using multiple pieces.  Note the pins holding the boards together.

        Fiber Board Boat Hull After Hardener Has Been Applied.
The Boat Slumped.
Add Some Seats and a Sail and Place it on Some Water Looking Glass


Here is an example of a completed and sanded mold and the end product.



THE MOLD
THE END PRODUCT (facing other direction)

Remember, you can slump over, into or through a fiber board mold.







USING 1/2" FIBER BLANKET

One-half inch fiber blanket has a number of uses.  It is often used to hold beads on mandrels just after they've been formed.  Fiber blanket is a great insulator and this keeps the beads from cracking due to being cooled too rapidly.
We're more intersted in its using it to make mold copies from other pieces..  Here are the steps to follow.

Step 1 - Cut the fiber blanket with a sissors to insure you will have enough to cover the item you wish to copy.
Step 2 - Spray a release agent to the item you want to make a copy of so the fiber blanket will separate easily after it had been  prepared..  Pam is an expensive product available in most home - or at least readily obtained.
Step 3 - Soak the cut piece of fiber blanket with hardener.  You can do this in a pan of some type.  After it is soaked well, wring it out back into the pan.  This liquid can be used again for another project.
Step 4 - Open the blanket and place it over the object you are trying to copy.  Carefully press the blanket down into all the nooks and crannies you can find.  The better the contact the blanket makes with the object, the finer your detail will be.
Step 5 - Let the blanket dry.  This will take from 24 - 48 hours - or you can heat it in a kiln.  Just be sure to keep the temperature below 175 degrees F. to prevent a fire.
Step 6 - When the blanket is dry put it in a kiln and fire it to 1300 degrees F.  This creates a lot of smoke so have a fan and an open window with good ventilation.
Step 7 - When it cools you can sand it or do any final touch ups as needed.  Handle it carefully, it can break fairly easily.
Step 8 - Cut your glass to fit your mold and slump it as you would with any other mold.
 

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