Silicone Sock mold for new e3dv6 Volcano

thingiverse

I based my design on http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:1845407, giving credit to the original creator who sparked this idea. This is a reworked mold designed specifically for crafting a silicone sock for a new 3D cartridge style volcano hotend. To create the actual socks, I employed two distinct methods. Firstly, I used two-part high-temperature silicone, Mold Max 60, for initial prototypes. This mixture cures relatively quickly - within 24 hours, allowing me to test molds efficiently. However, it's essential to produce multiple molds as air pockets tend to form and approximately one-third to one-half of the molds I created failed due to this issue. My second approach involved using regular one-part RTV high-temperature silicone for more permanent sets. This process takes significantly longer - five days - but yields better results. Surprisingly, half of these molds also failed due to air pockets, while the rest turned out perfectly. To fill the mold, I poured some mixture into the assembled mold and then inserted a insert piece, allowing it to force out any excess material. Next, I used a syringe to backfill from the opposite side. Unfortunately, it proved challenging to completely fill the mold using this method with the silicone I was working with, making it nearly impossible in many cases.