Duckbrella

Preface

As this is a continuation of my last project, please refer to http://ideate.xsead.cmu.edu/gallery/projects/umbrella-handle-redesigned to see my ideation and design process. 

Purpose

I used the clay model from my last project to cast three resin copies of my umbrella handle design using a silicon mold. 

Creating Silicone Rubber Mold

I created a two-part silicone mold using my clay model as a master.I refined the surface of my clay model and made its details more distinct in preparation for the silicone mold. 

To create the first half of the silicone mold, I covered half of my clay model with softer white clay. This part required a rather delicate touch in order to prevent the two clays from merging with one another. The clay model is placed inside a box I constructed out of foam boards, and white clay is carefully added to the box until only half of the clay mode is visible. 

After spraying the interior of the box with silicone mold release spray, I poured in my silicone mixture and waited for it to cure.

Once it cured, I removed the mold from the box and separated the white clay from my clay model. This was tedious because some parts of the clays began merging together. 

After placing the part and clay model back in the box and spraying it, I poured silicone mixture inside to create the second part of the mold and waited for it to cure. 

Casting Resins

With the silicone rubber mold ready, I made a pour hole, made a neon-yellow resin mixture, and poured the resin into the mold through a funnel. Rubber bands were used to hold the two-parts of the mold together and ensure that the mixture will not reach anywhere where it is not supposed to. 

The following pictures show my 1st resin iteration of my umbrella handle design. There are air bubbles that can be seen inside the resin, so for my second try, I made sure to use the resin casting pressure pot to eliminate bubbles from my resin mixture.

I repeated the process and created an orange version of my handle design for my 2nd resin iteration. 

Again, I repeated the process and made my 3rd resin iteration green. This one has bubbles as well because it did not go in the resin casting pressure pot.

Refining Resin

I cleaned up, trimmed, and sanded my orange replicated part and tried to make it seem as close to a real manufactured product as possible. I focused on making it more symmetrical and on making the surface as smooth as possible to get rid of the clay-like quality. 

Conclusion

My resins all turned out pretty well, but next time I should remember to use the resin casting pressure pot so they can be bubble free. 

Below is a photo of the finished three cast replicas of my umbrella handle design. :-)