What Are Some Of The Pros And Cons Of Heat Vulcanized Rubber, RTV Rubber And Latex Rubber Molds?
Heat vulcanized rubber is stronger, harder, more elastic, more flexible and more durable than RTV rubber. It will give more quality castings per mold over RTV rubber. Heat vulcanized molds do require specialized equipment, which uses both high temperatures and pressure and can be dangerous if strict attention is not paid during its use. The rubber can be burned if heated too high or for too long, but if not heated high enough or long enough can be returned to the vulcanizer for proper heat treatment. RTV rubber requires that the proper amount of catalyst be mixed into the uncured rubber. It must also be placed on a vacuum table or vibration table to remove any air trapped within it before being poured into the mold form. These are expensive pieces of equipment, and are really a must for making RTV molds. Without proper de-airing of the RTV, air bubbles can form around the model, causing imperfections in the casting, or weaken the mold, ruining it.
