How to Make Faux Metal Using the Art of Cold Casting 

What is Cold Casting? 

Cold casting is like a magical alchemy that allows you to trick the eye and create objects that look like they’re made of heavy metal but are as lightweight as your secret stash of chocolate bars!

Let’s explore this artistic sorcery and turn that mold into a treasure trove of metallic marvels! This technique allows artists and craftsmen to produce stunning, metallic-looking pieces without the expense and weight of real metal. 

How to Cold Cast: A Step-by-Step Process 

What You’ll Need

• Model Pro Black Resin
• Mold of Choice
• Mold Release
• Aluminum Powder
• Mixing Cups and Stir Sticks
• Heavy-cut compound
• Heavy-cut polishing pad
• Steel Wool

Step 1: Prepare your Mold 

First up, let’s get that mold ready for some action. Give it a good spritz with mold release—think of it as the mold’s personal non-stick cooking spray. It’s all about making sure your masterpiece can pop out without a fuss later on.

Step 2: Apply Aluminum Powder 

Now, let’s play in the dust—aluminum powder, that is. Coat the inside of your mold with this shiny magic dust. But remember, this isn’t fairy dust, so slap on a respirator and keep those particles from going on a little trip into your lungs.

Step 3: Pour the Resin 

Showtime! Pour the resin into the prepared mold. This step requires precision, as the quality of your final piece heavily depends on the resin mixture and pouring technique. For this project, I used Model Pro Black resin by Specialty Resins, which I’ve found to polish exceptionally well for cold casting.

Step 4: Polish the Pieces 

Once the resin has set and the piece has been demolded, it’s time to polish it to bring out the metallic sheen. For the best results, use a heavy-cut compound and a heavy-cut polishing pad mounted on a drill press. A little steel wool can also be used to achieve the final, polished look. 

Encore!

Voilà! You’ve now got a metallic masterpiece that looks like it should weigh a ton but is as light as a feather. Whether you’re a cold casting newbie or a seasoned pro, each piece you create adds a little more shine to your collection. Specialty Resins offers several other products that are worth trying, but so far, Model Pro Black stands out for its excellent polishing properties in cold casting. 

May your molds always be merry and your resins always resilient!

Thanks for following along, and happy casting! 

Thanks to our friend Taras Harkavyi for the tutorial. Check out his other creations on Instagram @mynocksden as well as his website here.