What is Blue Stuff?

It is a new generation of thermoplastic molding material that can be reduced to moldable conditions by immersing it in hot water for 3 minutes. This moldeable plastic will allow you to create an instant mold of any piece you want by pressing the plastic material against the piece you want to have the mold made from. After that, make copies using any kind of putty, polyester resins, or even epoxy putties.

This is a very popular material in hobby and craft applications because they are easy to use, versatile, and offers a quick and efficient way to create custom molds for a variety of projects. It can be used to make reusable molds over and over again to duplicate pieces for miniatures and figures with great detail and fidelity.

What is the best material to use with Blue Stuff?

The ideal material will be the epoxy putties, being my favorite Maxx Putty, Milliput, or Magic Sculp as they are clay-type putties so errors in the copies can be rectified easily with a little water and more putty. Of all these, the most interesting for its low cost and ease of use would be Maxx Putty. Maxx putty also has a higher hardness than the other clay putties indicated, so the pieces obtained will be more resistant.

You can also use green epoxy putty and brown epoxy putty, but in this case, it will be better to let them dry inside to avoid deformations. They should be left to dry for a minimum of 2 hours inside since their elastic properties when they are freshly mixed can generate deformations when the pieces are removed.

It is also possible to use epoxy resins that generate exothermic reactions during curing. Yes, it can also be used, but it is only recommended for thinner parts. The more resin accumulation inside the mold, the more internal heat will be generated, and very possibly even if the piece is copied, it may not have the expected quality or damage the material, so it will be necessary to repeat the mold in each application.

You can see a quick tutorial in the following link of our creative website.

How to work with the Blue Stuff moldeable plastic?

Put the moldable plastic in a glass with water in the microwave and connect it for 2-3 minutes. When the water begins to bubble, remove the glass from the microwave. Take it out of the water with a tool or spoon so as not to burn your fingers, and carefully touch the material with your fingers until you see that the temperature is adequate to work without burning yourself.

It softens at about 50/55ºC, and from that temperature, the material becomes soft, as if it were a modeling paste, which will allow you to adapt it to any surface to remove a mold in a few minutes. Once cool, simply flex the material out of position. This is very easy because it is very flexible. It is not necessary to apply release agents, which allow them to be applied to even painted and finished figures since they will not damage the paint job.

Once you have it ready, you can make copies of the pieces you want with putties and resins. If the mold gets damaged or you just want to make another type of mold from another piece, you can reheat it and recreate it. If you leave material remnants inside after making copies, and you melt it down, they may get stuck and mixed lowering the quality of future copies.

Blue Stuff vs Silicone molds

Both are used for making molds in hobby and craft projects. However, there are some differences:

• Material: Blue Stuff is made of thermoplastic PE so it can be reused many times, while silicone ones are made of silicone rubber and they are only one use. In summary, you can make many molds with the same blue stuff, but only 1 with the silicone one.
• Flexibility: Silicone molds are typically more flexible, making them better suited for molds with intricate details or undercuts.
• Durability: Silicone ones are known for their durability and can last for many years with proper care, while the other ones may not be as long-lasting. Blue stuff can repeat the mold if damaged many times.
• Heat resistance: Silicone molds can withstand higher temperatures, making them suitable for casting materials that generate heat, such as resin or wax.
• Chemical Resistance: Some casting materials can be corrosive, so a silicone material that is resistant to these substances is important. The other one may not be able to resist very aggressive chemical products.

Ultimately, It's recommended to do research and compare both performances, especially the Silicone Putty which has higher heat, durability, and chemical resistance, although not reusable, to determine which one is the best fit for your needs.

Is Blue Stuff food grade?

This polymer is a thermoplastic that can be melted and re-melted multiple times, making it suitable for use in reusable molding materials.

Food-grade thermoplastics are materials that are safe for use in contact with food and beverages and have been certified by regulatory agencies such as the FDA or EU. Some examples of food-grade thermoplastics include Polyethylene (PE), Polypropylene (PP), Polyvinyl chloride (PVC), and Polyethylene terephthalate (PET). 

Although this is a thermoplastic with a Polyethylene (PE) base, not all thermoplastics are food-grade. It has simply not been tested for it due to its high costs for all countries of the world. Possibly it is due to its similarity with other similar plastics, however, it is better not to use it in contact with food, especially hot food.