[pcharouz]

Is there any way I could make custom sleaves? I dont mean foam, I mean rubber, or plastic. I though I could mold my ear with something, and then put it in play-do, and then fill it with lets say a gluegun, and then just drill a hole in the middle. I just dont know what to use to safely mold my ear?
Is this totaly insane?

 

[Qsilver2001]

I think you can start it off from googling some sites about "special effect makeup molding", "makeup molding", materials that are safe for use on human rather than gluegun.

Those materials that can be mixed into liquid form & pour into a mold.
Where as for mold, you can start from plaster of paris "if I got the name right". etc.

Man, if you do that you can even make custom molds.

 

[Heady]

Taking impression of the ear can be risky if the material gets in deep and breaks during removal. Dental silicone material used for impression is very fluid when mixed but hardens very fast, in less than 5 mins and will be resistant to tearing.

This is the critical part, taking the impression. I can't think of anything else which is soft and hardens quickly to be tough and yet flexible.

If you have the impression, then making a mold with plaster and then filling the mold with silicone is not an issue because these take place outside the body and you can set it aside to wait for it to harden. I am sure no one wants to walk around for hours with a silicone plug in the ear curing.

 

[quicksilver96]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Heady Taking impression of the ear can be risky if the material gets in deep and breaks during removal. Dental silicone material used for impression is very fluid when mixed but hardens very fast, in less than 5 mins and will be resistant to tearing.

I'm with heady, no way would I let anyone less than a professional put anything in my ear to make a mold. I assume that being a member of this site means that you place a fairly high value on your hearing or enjoyment you get from music. Think of the medical costs of having a piece of something removed from your ear canal, or the personal loss if you cause permanent damage to your hearing. I would say my senses are priceless, for NO amount of money would I give up any one of them, much less risk one of them for the couple hundred dollars to have someone that knows what they are doing perform this for me. I'll DIY damn near anything but this seems something best left for professionals.

Once the mold is made though, I may have a little less reservation. However, I would test anything I (or anyone else for that matter) made for defects/signs of weakness before I shoved it in my ear canal, lest a part break off and get stuck or hurt me.