Duplicating Parts Using Silicone Molds

Hackaday reports on a maker's approach to duplicating small parts using silicone molds and resin casting. When industrial tooling isn't an option, this technique offers a practical alternative: craft supplies like glossy paper and hot glue create a mold vessel, silicone is carefully poured around the original part, and once hardened, resin can be cast repeatedly in the mold to produce as many copies as needed. The process works cleanly for parts with straightforward geometry—achieving good dimensional accuracy and surface finish. More complex designs demand additional care in mold preparation and advanced techniques like degassing, but for simple plastic parts, it's an efficient way to scale production without a machine shop.

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