You can use a variety of materials with the FormBox! Anything that can transition from liquid to solid works well, such as water (for ice), jello, chocolate, jesmonite, plaster, concrete, soap, wax, RTV silicone, and resins.
Top tips
- Temperature limit. Hot casting materials should be kept below 50°C to avoid damaging your molds.
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Tempering chocolate. Tempering chocolate reduces its temperature and ensures a smooth finish.
Chocolate shrinks slightly when it's tempered and cooled. This shrinkage makes it easier to remove the chocolate from the mold without breaking it. It also means that if you are making packaging using the same tool/shape, the packaging will be marginally larger and fit nicely around the chocolate shapes.
- Candle wax. If the candle wax is melting the sheet, allow it to cool after melting until a skin forms on top, then it's ready to pour. If your wax is close to 50 degrees, submerge the molds in cool water to prevent the sheets from softening and deforming. You can use a cup or bowl to hold them.
- Resin Sheets. We recommend using Resin Sheets for casting resin.
- Alternative molds. If the hot casting material melts your mold, create a silicone or plaster version and re-cast your hot material.
Caution: Don’t put your Clear Sheets in the oven or microwave.
Different types of plasters for casting
Mayku Pour
Mayku Pour is a very dense dental plaster designed for use with the Mayku FormBox and Clear Sheets. It is an easy-to-use, non-toxic casting material.
How to use Mayku Pour:
- Mixing. Combine the powder with water using the included measuring scoops.
- Pouring. Once mixed, the liquid is easy to pour and sets quickly into a tough, smooth, sheer white cast that replicates fine details.
- Drying. The plaster sets in just under 30 minutes. To ensure it is bone dry and all moisture has left, leave it for at least 48 hours in a well-ventilated, warm place on a rack to allow air circulation.
Additional information:
- Painting and decorating. The cast is ready to paint and decorate once fully dry.
- Included with purchase. Each customer receives 1kg of Mayku Pour with their FormBox purchase.
- Availability. Mayku Pour is not currently sold as a stand-alone product.
Crystacast
Crystacast is an equivalent to Mayku Pour. More information can be found at Saint-Gobain Formula.
Plaster of Paris
Plaster of Paris is another type of plaster, though it is more porous than Mayku Pour.
Jesmonite
Jesmonite is a blend of plaster, concrete, and resin, allowing for experimentation with blending your own mix. It picks up color well, has a smoother grain/finish, and is lightweight yet strong—slightly lighter than concrete. You can buy Jesmonite directly from Jesmonite.com or from Madmayker.com in Canada.
Silicone
You can cast silicone using clear sheets, but ensure the silicone is food-safe and oven-safe by checking with the manufacturer. Smooth-On is one of the leading brands of silicone. To choose the right silicone for a specific application, you need to determine the shore hardness.
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