Cold cure silicone moulds.

[Lucie]

Wishing you good casting mojo Lucie! Do let us know how it goes and who you get the best experience from.

I've used West One for years and only ever had one duff batch of castings from them. And they don't care a jot that I only make things in silver!

Thanks Lauren - think I need it with my track record lol The guys at West One are great (plus they're one of the only casters in Hatton garden that don't disappear for the whole of August! !), but they have no finishing / laser service at all if I'm desperately busy or if something goes awry.
I'm tempted to send off a bunch to Niagara Falls & Nexgen, then I really would have tested them all out

[Tabby66]

I use Nexgen and can recommend them Lucie!! If ever (which has been rarely) I have had a problem, they recast without question. I do cast from a mold when casting pieces, so recasting isn't an issue. They have a comprehensive finishing service, but I've never used it, so I can't comment!

[Lucie]

Oh dear - better get making more little wax beads then I can try them out too lol.
Out of interest, do you get cold moulds made? Can you remember how much they are? Weston Beamor is £18.40 plus the vat.
Its handy to have a finishing service available for cracks in castings, etc (or for school holidays whwn I'm running out of hair to pull out

[josef1]

I think You will get shrinkage when you inject the wax into the mould, the mould itself will not shrink the shrinkage amount will depend on how the wax is injected temperature etc and the size of the model

[Tabby66]

I believe (and wait to be contradicted!!) that you don't get shrinkage in the wax (or cold mold), but in the latex mold (which is heated to conform), when taken from the master and it cools it relaxes and expands very slightly and thus shrinkage occurs......

I go directly to a mold cutter and then collect and take to casters.....so my time and shoe leather.......reduces costs!!

[Gemsetterchris]

They probably do shrink technically, but a lot less than vulcanised, & turn out near enough identical.

[Lucie]

If they shrink at all I'll not be happy - they have told me that the casts will be exact replicas.
They're handmade beads to go onto a well known (ahem) bracelet, so if they shrink, they'll be good for nothing