Hey, Adam.

Your setup looks nice and clean, i hope that with proper nuts and bolts it will be fine.

As your description suggests it (different thicknesses), your tiny bubbles and voids would be caused by a lack of pressure on the sides, so hopefully its "only" a mechanical problem... Guess the shims would help here.

Keep on refining and show what DIY'ers can do

Cheers from Belgium.

 



 


    A $1000 electronic device will always protect a 10 cents fuse

Yes that's correct.

The problem I'm having is that the back of the cover isn't a consistant thickness. In the very centre I'm getting 0.46mm and as it gets closer to the corners it gets up to 0.7mm. Also I'm getting little bubbles and voids in the corners.

I'm going to cut the sides off the two failed covers and use the backs as shims to hopefully equal out the pressure when I clamp it. My theory is that the silicone is expanding more in the middle than on the sides.

I'm just finishing my press now with proper nuts and bolts. I was using a billion g-clamps and vice grips previously. I hope to make another cover soon.



There's the press-o-matic 3000. I'm going to put the shims in between the beige plug and the top plate.

So, if I understood it well, you made 2 attempts with male and female silicone mold, with the female mold being boxed, and the second run was not as good as the first one? Any idea of what was wrong ?

Anyway, cant wait to see it with the twill. Good luck and keep us updated

 



 


    A $1000 electronic device will always protect a 10 cents fuse

Sure Joe, here are some pics. These pics are of the 1st cover I made in the oven. I tweaked what I was doing but the second oven cover was actually worse. Trial and error I guess.





Imgine that once it's trimmed down and painted with clear gloss. I really don't like the plain weave but it was free. I'm hoping I'll be able to get the twill as perfect as the plain, when I get some more.

Hey Adam,

Glad you're making progresses. Could we all ask for a few pics ?

 



 


    A $1000 electronic device will always protect a 10 cents fuse

Hi Paul

I gave the oven method a go and it worked out surprisingly well for my first attempt. I put the silicone male and female in the oven together instead of tooling a new rigid female. To counteract the female expanding I boxed it in and so it could only expand inwards and help stop the male expanding. I did still get a few minor voids but it's progress. I'm going to tweak it and try again tomorrow.

Also, I took your advise and put big cuts in the weave near the corners and I think you have fixed my wondering weave problem too, thank you so much for that.

Fingers crossed it will fit the phone as well as the room temp covers do.

To answer my own initial question...

I found a guy who makes all sorts of car parts with all sorts of resins in his kitchen oven. He said he's been doing it for years and he's still alive and well.

Ok guys I've done the new thread. It's called RTV2 silicone for moulds.

Yup, would be great.

 



 


    A $1000 electronic device will always protect a 10 cents fuse

Do that Adam..