Cast/Mold

>>1054906
Make a pineapple mold for the pattern, put some plaster inside the mold, and use a concave object to reproduce the hole.

>>1054906
I forget to say, use silicon for the mold.

File: 20160914_101250.jpg (3MB, 1757x2257px) Image search: [Google]

3MB, 1757x2257px

>>1054909
ya, thats what i figured to. Im going to put it upside down so the open end down, use some clay/hot glue around where the opening touches the bottom.

Any recommendation on what to use as the material for the mold? Can i use rubber to recast? i am also worried about all the contours and undercuts ect in the fruit. i dont know much about using rubber to cast molds either.

Here is my little pride and joy this morning.

>>1054914
Man, have a lot of videos in YouTube showing how to use silicon to make molds. I don't know exactly the materials, but they show every detail in this videos.

File: 20160914_212634.jpg (2MB, 2576x1932px) Image search: [Google]

2MB, 2576x1932px

>>1054916
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pmO5VoB7QVg

just found this, is this a good way to go about this? And is this just basic silicone from a hardware store?

This is looking to be easier than i thought!

Here is what i want to mold, along with the literal fruit of my labor.

>>1054917
Yep, it is. But test the metod with another object fort just to be sure he work's

File: 20160519_150004.jpg (2MB, 3264x1836px) Image search: [Google]

2MB, 3264x1836px

>>1054920
Thanks for your help, here is a baby pina

>>1054917
If you use this method then don't go too thick with the Silicone or it'll never dry.

Use multiple thin layers. Or mix Glycerin and/or Cornstarch into the Silicone. It should cure to any thickness then.

Latex might also work and would get better detail. Just hollow pineapple out to the desired shape. Paint latex on a few times, add latex thickener and paint a few more layers. Then layer some cloth or material over it whilst its wet and paint on some more layers.

Pour some plaster into the hollow cavity once the latex has set to make a core. This should stop the mould deforming under the weight of whatever casting material you're using. You have to make sure the core don't undercut the mould, as you need to be able to retract it.

Whatever you use for the mould, if you're casting with Plaster or Cement/Concrete/whatever you should always spray the inside of the mould with a 50/50 mix of windex and water. This helps break up the surface tension of the mould and frees you of the bubbles that'll result in bug holes on the finished casting.

The Silicone sealant is less risky, it's stronger, quicker, it won't decompose the Pineapple and the Pineapple won't inhabit its curing.

silicone will make a mold that you can make several casts out of.

I've been watching a lot of casting videos

get algenate
or silicone free skin safe algenate

platnum cure silicone is safe for food
so is algenate
algenate is the stuff used to make dnetal molds.

you can get it at some art stores, not michaels or joanns though

there accucast
and then theres silfree

it has a quick working time.
the mold is usually only good for one cast but it picks up amazing detail.

just go on youtube and google mold making lifecasting

>>1055509
>>1055099
op here, thanks for this advice.

I did go ahead with the method from the earlier posted video, silicone sealant into tub of hot soap water and just massaged it onto the pineapple. I stuffed the pineapple with plastic bags and news paper to keep it solid and less flimsy. worked well, pulled a pretty decent mold and now am waiting for the second one to dry. figure i can get at least one more with the amount of silicone i bought.

what would be the best material to cast these with? Goal is to get them as planters so most likely outdoors. plaster or concrete? any other secret materials i dont know about? clay maybe?

>>1055540
Depends on the detail level you want. My experience is a little limited but you could get a bag of concrete and a brown colorant powder for a bout 10$ and probably bang out a dozen or more. Make sure you make drainage holes, last thing you need is water freezing and cracking it.

From experience, concrete doesn't care about fine detail as much, and it will slowly damage the molds. If you've got money to throw at this, you could use dental plaster, it takes paint better and will give finer detail (assuming the mold has it). I use plasterguys on ebay, free shipping is important with 25 pound boxes.

Regardless, smack the mold a bit while casting to get air bubbles out. Also, what he said with the windex (or a couple drops of jet-dry in a cup of water) regarding bubbles.

Why not coat it in epoxy and keep the original skin? Or be like Peter Brown and surround the whole thing in a block of epoxy?

>>1055540
Ceramic clay for traditional pottery if you can fire it, but concrete works fine. I doubt you're mass-producing these so concrete eating your mold isn't going to matter with just 3-4 casts for personal use.

There are recipes for lightweight mixes online that use foam or fiberglass cuttings as aggregate to keep it light. You don't want some bag of quickcrete with gravel in it. It'd look terrible. Slip-cast it first with no aggregate mixed in to give you a "skin" of pretty concrete on the outside since that texture is going to be really difficult to polish.

Plaster is too sensitive to moisture. Not optimal for holding watered soil. It'll crumble eventually, even if you seal it.

Or you could go the two-part resin if you want lightweight, but that'd be one damn expensive pineapple.

>>1054906
2 part silicone. 2 part mold. Youtube is your friend. And if u mix the plaster fairly well it will be a perfect copy.

Can make tons of copies.

Can make concrete but its abrasive and will be hard on your mold. But more durrable.

Good luck op.

Grats on the pinaple. Mine died after 2 years ;(

>>1054914
OP, did you grow it from a tree? I cut the head off a pineapple some years back and, while growing nicely, it isn't giving me any flowers or fruit.

File: 20160601_161355.jpg (2MB, 3264x1836px) Image search: [Google]

2MB, 3264x1836px

>>1055779
this one was in a pot for 3 years before it finally made a flower this year. just takes time i think. im in southern California too. i have about 3 others outside that haven't done anything either. now i have more hope that something will still possibly come from them!

>>1055849

how big of a pot. I have one in a gallon pot, I want to know how big they get

>>1055855
oh, mine is huge. 10-15 gal. the diameter of the whole plant is like 3-4 ft.