Okay, so I’ve been messing around with this idea of making a “club cast football” thing, and let me tell you, it’s been a journey. I’m no pro, just a regular dude who likes to tinker and thought, “Why not?”
The Initial Spark
It all started when I was watching a match and thought about how cool it would be to have a personalized football. Not just a printed logo, but a whole, cast football with my club’s emblem really on it. So, I started looking into it.
Diving into the Unknown
First things first, I hit up the internet. Found some stuff about casting with different materials, but nothing concrete about footballs, obviously. It was mostly about resin casting for, like, little figurines and stuff. Lots of trial and error was clearly ahead of me.
The Material Hunt
I needed something strong but with some give, right? Like a real football. I played around with a couple of ideas:
- Some kind of resin: Sounded promising, but I wasn’t sure about the bounce and feel.
- Rubber compound: This seemed more likely, but finding the right one was a headache.
- Tried a weird mix: I even tried mixing some stuff together, Don’t ask and, Let’s just say it didn’t go well. It was a sticky mess.
After some failed attempts, I got my hands on some two-part liquid rubber stuff. It seemed pretty durable after it cured, so I moved on to the next step.
Making the Mold
This was the tricky part. I knew I needed a mold, and a two-part mold at that. I thought about 3D printing one, but I don’t have a 3D printer big enough. So, I went old school:
- Clay: I sculpted one half of the football shape in clay. Took forever, and my “artistic” skills are, um, questionable.
- Plaster: I covered the clay half in plaster to create the first mold piece. Waited for it to dry…nervously.
- Repeat: Did the same thing for the other half, praying they’d line up.
Getting the clay out of the dried plaster was a pain. Let’s just say there were some casualties (RIP clay football). But, eventually, I had two plaster mold halves.
Pouring and Praying
With the mold (sort of) ready, it was time to pour the rubber compound. I mixed the two parts according to the instructions, added some pigment for color, and poured it into one half of the mold. Then, I carefully placed the other half on top, clamped it all together, and…waited. Again. The waiting is the hardest part!
The Big Reveal (and Disappointment)
The instructions said to wait 24 hours, but I was too impatient. After about 12, I cracked it open. And…it was a semi-disaster. The shape was there, vaguely, but there were air bubbles, uneven parts, and the seam was a mess. It looked like a football that had been through a war.
Refining the Process..Sort of
I tried a few more times, playing with the pouring technique, trying to get rid of the bubbles.
One trail,I even try to use a straw to blow some bubbles when i poured.
I used Some cooking oil to cover the plaster to avoid stick together.
The results were slightly better, but still far from perfect.
Where I’m At Now
Honestly, I’m still working on it. It’s a lot harder than I thought. My “club cast football” is more like a “club cast blob” at this point. But hey, it’s a learning process, right? I might need to rethink the whole mold situation, maybe try a different material, or maybe, just maybe, get that 3D printer. It’s a fun project, and I’m not giving up yet! Will continue to share my poor experience!
