Is there any good RTV that dosnt cost alot? I need some but dont have $30-80 or more to spend on RTV.
Maybe one of you guys can buy some for me and send it to me out of the goodness of your heart!! :-)
But seriously, I need to know if there is any cheap RTV.
Thanks

Matrix... much like the highly desired "low maintanince beautiful woman" and the "car that washes itself".... a "cheap RTV" is just an idler's dream.

I have even posted this question myself a few times, to see what came back, but in all my years and searching, the only way to lower the cost of RTV is to do what I now do... I buy in BULK (16 lbs at a time!).... the typical one-lb kit from Alumilite runs around $30, but buying the Sil70/20 from Bare Metail Foils in large Gallon jugs drops the price to around $18 per pound.

One thing I can suggest if you just need a SINGLE copy is to use modeling clay. I work it around in my hands until it is VERY soft, then press my piece into the clay. Once I'm sure I have all the gaps filled, I PLACE THE CLAY IN THE FREEZER for 48 hours. Once you take it out, it will be VERY hard. You can then remove your master piece with little difficulty and cast a one-off in resin or plaster. I have used this method to great effect. No release agent is needed...

Good luck - Keith

KFMagee, Thanks for the responce. I was afraid it would not be cheap:_| . I will try the modeling clay and if it dosnt work for what I am doing, then it will be time to save money and buy RTV in bulk.
Is the Sil70/20 from Bare Metail Foils hard to mix?? do I need a digital scale and conversion charts?? how far does the gallon size go, how many castings??

Like Keith says, RTV is never "cheap!"

One less expensive alternative is latex rubber. You can't do big stuff, but it is great for small, one-piece molds. I have used this stuff for years and still have a few molds I made at least 15 years ago.

Woodland Scenics sells a 16 oz. bottle for about $9.50. Tip: once you open the bottle, store it upside down to extend its shelf life. A single bottle will last for years if it doesn't dry out.

I take my master -- an ammo box, a rucksack, whatever -- and glue it to a scrap of sheet plastic with a drop of CA or white glue. When the glue is dry, I brush on a coat of latex (warning: this stuff reeks of ammonia -- use with ventilation!) working it in good and extending the latex out onto the base sheet about 1/2-inch all around. Let this dry, then repeat. Woodland Scenics suggests three coats, but I normally give it five or six to keep the mold a bit on the thick side so it is not as fragile. Multiple thin coats work much better than trying to slather on a thick coat. Your brush cleans up with a bit of soap and water.

When the final coat is dry, peel off the mold. It will stretch a bit, and may even turn inside out (like removing a rubber glove), but that's no biggie. Just pop it back to normal. Mix your casting resin, pour some in, squish the mold a bit to work out the bubbles and coat the inside of the mold, then top it off. Suspend the mold in a hole cut in a box or an empty film canister, to the resin stays level while it dries.

When the resin is dry, pop it out. Store the molds in zip-lock baggies to keep them from drying out. They eventually wear out, but as long as you keep a master, you can easily make a new mold.