Smoke in the Wires February 2017

sanded and polished them to gleaming perfection. Similarly, for the second and
third place trophies, I cut our logo into the tops of smaller, two-eared and
earless spinners donated by Franz Bachmann and Bill Weeks.
Weighing catalyst and mixing the mold rubber
Next I purchased a gallon of specialty silicone rubber called Smooth-On 25 to
make the molds. The trophy masters were placed in water-tight containers for
this process. As the Smooth-On is rather expensive, I filled each mold with
water first and measured exactly how much rubber I would need. The molds
need to be at least 3/8 inch thick in all dimensions, so it did take some careful
planning to set up. Smooth-On is very particular about how it is catalyzed—
strictly by weight. Fortunately, I had a postal scale available. The catalyst was
stirred in slowly to avoid introducing bubbles. Once mixed, the silicone was
poured over the masters. The rubber-covered surfaces of the masters were
brushed to release any air bubbles that may be stuck to the surface. Twentyfour
hours later, the molds were ready.
Smoke in the Wires February 2017 Page 13