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You can make some incredibly imaginative pop molds with food grade silicone. The silicone will pick up every detail from your original pattern and the molds can be used over and over to create hundreds of ice pops. These pops were made in molds made from small toys.
What You’ll Need: |
I purchase my silicone from Silpak. The people there are really nice and have always been very helpful answering my questions. The food grade silicone product # I use is R2237S1. They love the idea that we are making pop molds from their material. So if you contact them tell them I sent you and you are making pop molds and they may treat you extra special. 909.625.0056 |
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STEP 1. CREATE THE PATTERN
The original object that will be converted into a final pop is called the master pattern. The pattern could be anything; a collection of small toys, seashells or found objects. For this project the pattern cannot be glass or ceramic or it will stick to the mold. To personalize your pops sculpt characters or shapes out of clay, wax or wood. I prefer to use clay that hardens so that I can easily pull it out and use it again. Most hard plastic ice pop molds contain draft (angled slightly) so you can pull the ice pops out easily. Objects that contain draft are easy to mold. The flexibility of silicone compared to hard plastic usually accommodates small undercuts (grooves in the object). The simplest objects to mold have a flat side and require a one-part mold. If the object does not have a flat side attach the pattern to a flat piece of clay to create a flat side. If there are holes in the pattern or negative spaces fill them with clay to make them solid so the liquid silicone won’t leak inside. |
Above: Glue the flat side of the master pattern object to the bottom of the cup and cover it with liquid silicone. Make a line on the cup to indicate the location of the back side of the object When hardened mark a line on the silicone to indicate where the back of the pattern object is. Remove and tear the cup away. Make a cut in the silicone and remove the pattern object. Wash the mold and it is ready for pop-making. |
STEP 2. MAKE THE MOLD
Paper or plastic cups, yogurt or food packaging containers slightly larger than your object (1/4”- 3/8”) on all sides are the best containers to create the mold. Adding more space around the object to make a thicker wall is not an advantage. It will only waste material and the mold will be less flexible. If you cannot find an existing container that is slightly bigger than your object construct a box out of cardboard. Seal all of the seams with glue from a glue gun so the container doesn’t leak. Glue the flat side of the pattern to the bottom of the cup. This is necessary to stop the object from floating. Align a mark on the cup with the back of the object. This is where you will cut a seam later if you need to cut the mold to get the object out. To premeasure the silicone displace rice into the container until it is 3/8” material on top of the object. Measure the rice in a measuring cup- this is the amount of silicone you will need. Thoroughly mix the A and B parts of the silicone together. Pour the liquid silicone around the pattern until it covers 3/8” above the object. Tap the mold to cause vibrations to remove the air bubbles. Other methods to remove air bubbles include placing the mold on top of a clothes dryer. Add several tennis balls inside the dryer and turn it on for ½ hour. The mold can also be placed on top of a stereo speaker with the base cranked up for ½ hour. Let the silicone cure as instructed on package (usually between 12 and 24 hours). When hardened place a line on the hardened silicone that aligns with the line on the cup. Rip or cut the cup or outer container to remove the mold. The pattern might pop right out of the mold. If you have trouble removing the object cut a small slit with a utility knife on the mark to create an opening to remove the object. Wash the mold with soap and water. |
Above: Seal the cut in the mold by wrapping the mold with rubber bands or covering the cut with duct tape. Pour the pop mixture into the mold and partially freeze it, then inset the stick and freeze until hard. Illustrations: Stislow Design and Illustration |
STEP 3. CAST THE POPS
To cast the ice pops close the slit with rubber bands or duct tape. Pour your favorite ice pop recipe into the mold. Freeze for about 20-30 minutes until the ice pop has hardened slightly and will hold a stick straight. Insert the mold and freeze for 8 hours. Remove the rubber bands or duct tape and remove the pop from the mold. Fabulous. |
