Kirby Figure Molding & Casting Documentation

🎨 What Ideas Did We Explore?

For this project, our team explored the process of molding and casting by designing and fabricating a Kirby figure display. While we originally planned to create a candle and holder, we didn’t have the right materials. So, we pivoted to something we all liked—Kirby! We thought it would be a fun and manageable figure to mold and cast.

We explored:

  • Creating both 1-part and 2-part molds
  • Using 3D printed designs as mold positives
  • Trying out different casting materials
  • Testing different techniques to reduce air bubbles and improve cast quality

🧪 What Materials Did We Use and Why?

We used a variety of materials, chosen for their properties and availability:

  • PLA filament – Used to 3D print molds and the Kirby figure
  • Smooth-Sil 940 – Used to cast the base of the display. We chose this because it’s easy to use and cures well in a 1-part mold
  • Alja-Safe – Used to make the 2-part mold for Kirby. It captures fine details and is safe to use for quick molds
  • Mold Max 30 – Used to cast Kirby. It’s flexible and strong—and conveniently pink, so no painting needed!

🧩 Two Types of Molds

We created two distinct molds:

1-Part Mold: Kirby’s Base

  • Designed in Fusion 360
  • 3D printed using PLA filament
  • The base was cast with Smooth-Sil 940
  • This mold was simple and open, which made pouring easy

2-Part Mold: Kirby Figurine

  • Created using Alja-Safe around a 3D printed Kirby
  • Included alignment features (like washers) to help line up the mold halves
  • A straw was added to allow pouring
  • Kirby was cast using Mold Max 30, which is flexible and sets with detail

📸 Pictures, Videos, and Accessibility

A picture of a pink Kirby figure created from molding and casting.
Final pink Kirby figurine displayed upright on its custom base.

CAD Renderings

Grey CAD of the base mold
CAD of the base
Pink CAD model of Kirby Mold
CAD of Kirby
CAD models of the molds created using Fusion software

Single-part mold for creating Kirby’s display base

Yellow 3D printed base mold made out of PLA filament
3D-printed base mold
Yellow base mold fully filled in with pink casting material
Filled base mold
Final pink cast of the base out of the mold
Final cast of the base
The process of casting the base of the display

Two-part mold for casting the Kirby figure

A yellow 3D printed pink Kirby figure pressed into Alja-Safe to form the front half of a mold.
3D printed Kirby used to shape the front half of the mold.
A cardboard mold filled with Alja-Safe, with a green straw placed at the back to allow casting material to be poured in.
Straw inserted into the back mold to create a pour hole for casting.
The back half of a grey colored Alja-Safe mold with the negative shape of the pink Kirby figurine clearly visible.
Back half of the mold showing Kirby’s imprint.
The front side of an Alja-Safe mold for the pink Kirby figure, with small washers embedded for easy mold alignment.
Front half of the Kirby mold with alignment washers.
Two group members using a dowel to push thick pink casting material into a funnel placed over the Kirby mold.
Casting material pushed through funnel using a dowel.
A square mold made of Alja-Safe fully filled with pink silicone casting material, ready to cure into a Kirby figure.
Mold completely filled with pink casting material.
Fina pink cast of Kirby figurine
Final Kirby Cast
The process of molding and casting Kirby

😰 What Was Difficult?

The most challenging part was casting Kirby with Mold Max 30. It’s a thick, viscous material, so:

  • It was hard to pour at a steady rate
  • Air bubbles got trapped in the mold, leaving pockmarks on Kirby
  • We had to use a dowel and funnel to push the material into the mold

We also faced scheduling difficulties—group members had different availabilities, so tasks were split up and done at different times.

What we’d improve next time:

  • Use a larger pour hole and add air vents
  • Consider using a less viscous material or a vacuum chamber to remove air
  • Coordinate group sessions earlier

📚 What Did We Learn?

This project taught us:

  • How to design for molding and casting, especially choosing where to split the mold
  • How to mix and cure different materials correctly
  • The importance of team communication and planning
  • That air flow and mold design are key to avoiding bubbles

We also learned how to adapt when original plans don’t work out—and found a fun and creative solution with Kirby!

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Thank you for following along!