Gluesticks

Can I use hot glue to make small plastic parts?

I' am in a process of baking a mold which I will use to make this small little part. The original part is some sort of plastic I' am not sure which type maybe Styrene, well I don't want to go look for those Styrene beeds nor do I have proper equipment to melt those beeds. Any ways I was looking at dried up hot glue and its almost like plastic, could I maybe use that instead? and just sand it down later and paint it to make it look like the original? also if thats the case what release agent would you recommend for releasing hot glue off a clay mold? thank you

Public Comments

1. You don't say what type of material you're using for making the mold, but if it's polymer clay, various "releases" can work, depending on the shape of the casting material and it's composition. You could try a powder like cornstarch or something like glycerine or Vaseline, or perhaps even a painted on polyurethane, etc. You can read more, however, about casting hot glue in polymer clay molds on this page at my site: Ooops, sorry... YahooAnswers won't let me post more than ten links to my site (or to any site) per day and I just used them up in my last answer. So instead of giving you the direct links, I'll have to just list the *name* of each page I'm recommending, and you'll have to click on the name from inside the alphabetical navigation bar on any page at.... glassattic DOT com: So the first page I'm recommending would be: MOLDS (...click on the category "Glues," then scroll down to the last sub-category under that called "Casting Hot Glue in Molds") There is also lots of info on that page about making molds from various kinds of materials, as well as casting polymer clay in molds made from various materials. Is there any reason, by the way, why you aren't just using polymer clay to make the small part? It would seem to be perfect since polymer clay IS plastic, it's much stronger after hardening than dried hot glue, plus it can be free-shaped or cast in molds, painted after curing or have color built into it while raw, sanded/drilled/carved after curing, etc, etc. If you're interested in the various brands of polymer clay, how to paint polymer clays or build the color in, how to give them a gloss finish or to free-sculpt them, check out these pages at my site as well: CHARACTERISTICS & BRANDS PAINTS COLOR FINISHES SCULPTING MINIATURES HTH, Diane B.