Custom Polycarbonate Chocolate Molds

We often get questions about the price of custom polycarbonate chocolate molds.  Polycarbonate molds are the best for achieving a superior finish on the chocolate and they are much easier to work with. Custom polycarbonate molds are best suited for long run production.  They are complex to make, requiring the use of computer aided design, CNC milling, and injection molding.

So then, how much do they cost?  Well, Micelli Chocolate Molds in New York has an Artisan Mold Program.  Here is what they state on their website:

"Custom Polycarbonate Injection Molds for the Artisan or Chocolatier

 • Custom bar/tablet size design with or without your logo 

 • 3d rendering for your approval

 • Prototype mold to test the cavity

 • Mold layout drawing for your approval

 • Custom injection mold tooling to meet your requirements

 • Polycarbonate injection molds in size 275mm x 135mm, 175mm, 205mm or larger if needed

 • Complete custom bar/tablet projects starting at about $4,500

All prototypes and final mold orders ship via UPS directly from our New York, U.S.A. factory.

UPS charges estimated at $75 to $200 to most areas in the US and Canada."

As you can see, you need a to have a high volume need to justify the cost of making a custom polycarbonate mold.  But, if you do have that need and can afford it, your finished product will be dramatically better.

Choc A Bloc - Cake Pan that Looks Like a Chocolate Bar



 





 

Choc A Bloc is a silicone cake mold (mould) that is shaped like a 8" x 5" x 2" chocolate bar.  It is food and microwave safe.  The cost with shipping is about $11.00.  Click on the link or picture for purchasing info.

Of course, while this is designed for cakes, it certainly can be used with many other things, such as chocolate, ice, butter, fondant, maybe sugar (says oven safe to 428 degrees).  I'm sure many other non-food applications would be able to use this as well. 

This mold comes from Just Mustard, a unique novelty product company.  Very interesting products from party to kitchen.  If you have time, check it out.

Making Silicone Molds without Air Bubbles

One of the most common methods for chocolatiers to make their own molds is to use food grade, liquid silicone rubber.  The problem is that liquid silicone rubber is very expensive and can take a long time to set.  If your silicone inadvertently gets air in it while mixing or pouring, you may very well go through the whole process only to find that your mold did not turn out right because of one unsightly placed air bubble.

There are several things that can be done.  The simplest form is not over-mixing and brushing a small layer of the silicone on the model before pouring the whole mold.  This way you get into the detail and have less air bubbles on the surface where it matters most.  The next best thing you can do is use a vacuum degasser.  To use a vacuum degasser, the mixed liquid silicone is put in a chamber before it is poured.  This process will break up most of the air bubbles before casting.  This is very effective, but not all the way as air can be brought back during the pouring.

The best way to ensure a bubble free mold is to use a pressure casting method.  A pressure pot is a metal chamber that uses a compressor to cure the mold under pressure.  The liquid silicone is poured over the model then placed in the chamber.  The pressure, max 60 psi, eliminates the bubbles during the cure process.  You can buy pressure pots at Smoot On, or I have seen them used for the paint industry which can be bought at many places, even Amazon (link will take you right to the pressure pots).

Word of caution:  do not attempt to make your own pressure pot as they can explode.

To read more about mold making see our in depth instructions on The Chocolate Mold Factory's Main Site under "Personalized Molds".  There are tutorials about designing molds and how to make them.  Though the site is geared towards chocolate molds, these instructions are the same as would be for any other type of non food grade mold.

How Much do Custom Chocolate Molds Cost?

The cost of a custom chocolate mold greatly depends on the design and mold material.  For example, the least expensive type of custom chocolate mold is going to be a simple logo put on a bar of chocolate.  The price will start at around $150, though it varies greatly.  Most will charge around $300 for this type of mold.  The type of mold you will receive for this price is a thin plastic vacuum formed hobby mold that is good for short term use. 

Many people want a professional style chocolate mold, hard polycarbonate.  No doubt polycarbonate chocolate molds produce the best results and last the longest.  However, these molds are made by injection molding and the price is in the thousands.  Unless you are having these made for long term, high volume production, you simply cannot justify the cost.

The middle of the road is a silicone chocolate mold, or there are other food grade epoxies that can be cast.  These molds will start around $400 and are a good option for getting a higher quality mold, yet not going full blown into an injection mold. 

Generally the time to make a mold takes 3 weeks or more.  The design process takes the longest in order to make sure the chocolate de-molds properly and that the artwork is satisfying to the customer.

Can you Make Chocolate Molds with a 3d Printer?

I have spent a lot of time researching 3d printers for a solution to make chocolate molds.  A 3d printer would be ideal as you do not have to know how to use CAM software or generate toolpaths as you do with CNC machine.  Just design in 3d modeling software and print.

To date, I am yet to find an acceptable 3d printing solution that is affordable.  There are certain machines that are capable of very high quality fine printing, but they cost over $150,000.  The lower priced machines are good for making larger models with larger text.

First, most 3d printers use only certain types of materials that are not food grade.  It may be the type of plastics that are used or the adhesive functions used to build the layers that are not certified for contact with food.  So, while it may be fine for your individual use or display purposes, this would not be acceptable for use in food or molds you are selling.

Second, 3d printers are best suited for larger items and cannot get the best detail for text in a small format.  I once tested this on a Dimension 3d printer which makes parts by basically melting a thin plastic rod (looks like the weed whacker spool) and then depositing it.  I wanted to make a standard size bonbon with small text on it.  While it was fine to make to the base of the chocolate, the text did not come out.  It was just a blob of illegible melted plastic.  I did see the ZCorp 3d printer produce small text.  But the ZCorp machine uses non-food grade materials and has a very rough surface.  That process is of depositing a thin layer of a plaster or starch type substance, then adhering between layers.

Third, the surface finish on a 3d printed part is still quit rough no matter which you are looking at, unless you get into these very expensive printers.  Even with sanding, it's not going to have a good enough surface to produce a smooth chocolate.  Chocolate will pick up very fine detail in a mold.  It will not have the proper luster.

That being said, I know they are making huge advancements in the 3d printing world daily and I continue to seek for a solution. 

Making Custom Chocolates Using Logo Plates that fit into Master Molds

I was just reading an article about how some companies make mass custom chocolates from a company called Gourmet Gift Food People.  Apparently they sell customized chocolate products.  At any rate, they described the process of making custom chocolates and the reasoning behind set-up fees as follows:

" One of the questions we often hear is if the customer can keep the logo or company message chocolate mold when purchasing corporate logo chocolates, since they paid for the set up fee.

Answer: When you order a piece of chocolate from a catalog or website, the actual chocolate molds have already been created by the factory and the master plates are already made. When you add your logo or text message, a tiny plate, the size of the logo or text is created to fit snugly in to the master plate and this is how your logo or message is added to the chocolate. The chocolate mold plate created with your logo or message would not be useful for any other purpose as it was only created to fit in to the master chocolate plate for the item you are ordering this time. If you re-order again later in the year or even next year, the exact same chocolate item, your plate should be made available to use again without paying an additional set up fee.

However, if you choose to go with a different piece of chocolate, - something that would require your logo to be larger or smaller than the piece already created or shaped differently than the original to fit in a master mold, you more than likely will be required to pay a new set up fee."

Read more: http://www.articlesbase.com/food-and-beverage-articles/combined-pricing-for-corporate-logo-chocolate-gifts-2830984.html#ixzz0u5vaDxuM


Under Creative Commons License: Attribution

I have tried to do this before and you must be precise about getting the logo plate to fit very snugly into the master mold.  If anyone has information about this process, I am interested in learning more.

Silicone Molds to Make Large Artisan Chocolate Pieces

Jumble Box 10"

Jumble Box 6"









Confectionary Casting Frames





If you need to cast a large piece of chocolate, the use of a silicone box mold can be of great assistance. They are quite expensive, but can be used to mold many shapes and sizes of chocolate that would otherwise be difficult to find molds for. In the long run, you will save money as opposed to the cost of making multiple molds. For example, you can make a bases for chocolate showpieces, diagonal pieces, cubes, and wedges. If you had to make a new mold for each project, well, that would also be very expensive both in terms of material and labor costs. It is said that the boxes can be used to make over 100 shapes. An added bonus is that the slots on the 10" jumble box are actually molds to make two differnet sizes of cylinder shapes and with the 6" box, you can make triangular posts.

These molds are made by Chicago School of Mold Making. On the "Tips and Tools" section of their website, they have pictures showing many of the different ways to position the movable sections to make a variety of shapes. If you have both of the boxes, the 6" can fit inside the 10" box for expanded possibilities. You can also use flexible silicone confectionery casting frames inside the 10" jumble box to make curved shapes, as well as a wide variety of other linear shapes.

Click on the links above to see these items at Amazon.com or go to our main website to see these products plus all of the other artisan silicone molds available.

Silicone Plastique / Culinart

I often receive emails from people looking for some odd shaped mold. Most people assume that you have to pay a fortune for a custom vacuum formed plastic chocolate mold. However, there is a much simpiler and cost effective method.

I highly recommend going to the newly designed MakeYourOwnMolds.com website to look at their silicone moldmaking products. MakeYourOwnMolds.com is a part of Culinart. Amongst their product line up is Silicone Plastique, which is a putty food grade silicone; Silicone Spread, which is a thixotropic food grade silicone that is thick and spreadable; and CopyFlex which is a liquid food grade silicone. They also sell supporting supplies such as sealants and release agents. We will just talk about the Silicone Plastique for now since it is the easiest and cleanest to use.

One example of a common inquiry is a letter in a certain font. If you look at the stock plastic chocolate molds for sale, you will see that there aren't many choices. So, I try to tell people to go to a hobby store and find the letter that you want as a model to make a mold from. This can be made out of wood, clay, or even fabric. It just needs to have some degree of thickness to it.

The model must first be prepped before the Silicone Plastique can be used. Usually this will involve adhering the item to a board using kneading clay. Make sure whatever you are using is FDA approved, or at least non-toxic. The item must also be sealed so that the mold making material doesn't penetrate the surface of the model. Depending on the item you may want to also use a release agent so the silicone does not stick to the model. Again, since you will be using this in the preparation of food, you want an FDA compliant material. These products can all be obtained from the folks at Culinart.

Once the model is ready, you will mix the two parts of the putty together to activate the mold making chemicals. You must work fairly quickly before the materials begin to harden. According to a video on their website, you have about 10 minutes to make your mold once you have mixed the two parts together. If your mold is large, you may want to mix the putty in steps so you can take your time. At any rate, now that the putty is mixed you will want to apply it to your model. It is important to lay the silicone on the model in a manner that does not trap air. After you have applied the materials, it will take approximately an hour to cure, or completely harden. You will need to thouroughly wash and dry the mold prior to use.

I highly recommend that you go http://www.makeyourownmolds.com/ and watch the lace mold making video. It is an excellent demonstration with very good tips that you can use when making any mold.

New Vacuum Forming Machines

Now you can buy vacuum forming machines through Amazon.com. There are two sizes available: 12" x 12" and 12" x 18". Below are pictures/links to the machines.

The item description for the machine is: Our Table Top Vacuum Former is perfect for small businesses and hobbyists who want to create parts in plastic up to 1/8" thick. Produce intricate shapes with results that rival expensive commercial machines in their incredible accuracy and detail: prototypes, custom packaging, RC car bodies, model rocket nose cones, molds for plaster or concrete, chocolate and candy, candles, and soap making. Our 12"x12" Vacuum former includes a perforated aluminum vacuum platen (the top surface that delivers the vacuum under the hot plastic) that is computer designed and precision CNC machined to maximize air flow and eliminate unnecessary volume - both critical to rapid air evacuation and professional vacuum forming results. Detailed, step-by-step instructions along with sources for vacuum formable plastics are included. Compatible with all types of thermoform plastic: ABS, Acrylic (Plexiglas), Butyrate, PET-G, Polycarbonate (Lexan), Polyethylene, PVC, Styrene, Vinyl, etc. Requires house hold oven and Shop-Vac style vacuum cleaner with 1 1/4" hose/adapter.

Vacuum Forming Explained in 3 Easy Steps: Step #1: Secure your plastic between the vacuum former's metal frames. Attach your Shop-Vac (not included) to the vacuum former. Place your model on top of the perforated aluminum vacuum platen. Step #2: Place the plastic in your kitchen oven and watch as it becomes soft and begins to sag. Align the metal frames with the vacuum former's guides and lower the plastic over your model. Step #3: The hot plastic forms an air tight seal around the vacuum platen's edges. Vacuum pressure pulls the hot plastic down around the model. After cooling for a few seconds the plastic part is complete.

• 
  
  Make your own prototypes, custom packaging, RC car bodies, or model rocket nose cones
• 
  
  Create custom molds for plaster or concrete, chocolate and candy, candles, and soap making
• 
  
  Forms Plastic Sheets 12" x 12" Up to 1/8" Thick (9 3/4" x 9 3/4" Usable Area)
• 
  
  Includeds detailed, step-by-step instructions along with sources for vacuum formable plastics
• 
  
  Requires house hold oven and Shop-Vac style vacuum cleaner with 1 1/4" hose/adapter

I think this looks like a higher quality hobby vacuum forming machine than some of the others sold on the market. The box looks to be well made and I particulary like that the platen area is metal. This results in better forming as it will transduce heat better. As for the price, it is very competitive. Other companies that sell inferior products also make you buy plastic with the machine at a very high price. You can buy plastic through many sources on the Internet, such as U.S. Plastics, much cheaper. I recommend using PETG (Vivak) for making chocolate molds.

See The Chocolate Mold Factory.com main pages for more instructions on how to use a vacuum forming machine like this.

Searching for Chocolate Molds in our Catalog

I receive many questions from people who are looking for a specific type of mold, but don't know how to find it.  So, I thought I would give a quick tutorial on how to search for chocolate molds in our online catalog. 

First, you will need to pull up the catalog.  Here is a screen shot of the left hand side. Sorry, I can't fit the whole page here, but if you want to use the catalog for real, click here.



Now, look at the top left hand side. You will see the word "Search" and two boxes. The top box is a drop down box. If you click on it you can choose the particular type of chocolate mold you are looking for (ie. professional polycarbonate, magnetic, 3d, box, or hobby plastic). The next box is an empty search field where you will type the description of the mold you are looking for (ie dog). Next, hit "Go" and any chocolate molds matching your critieria will be listed.

Under the search option, there is also a "Browse by Category" option. To use this method of searching for chocolate molds, just click on the type of mold you are looking for and all molds under that category will come up. Since there are so many hobby plastic molds, that category has been broken down into additional theme based categories.

I hope this makes finding chocolate molds easier. Please let us know if you need help.

Making Chocolate Molds with Silicone Putty

Townsend Atelier Knead-A-Mold

If you want to mold an object to replicate it in chocolate, one method is to use a silicone putty. Silicone putties carry the same characteristics of liquid silicone, but can be used without the mess and the long wait time. Generally the putty will come in two parts: the actual silicone and a curing agent. Curing agents are used to harden or set the material and can be tin-based or platinum-based. For the most part, platinum-cured silicones are preferred; however, it is usually more expensive than their tin-based counterparts.

If you are going to be using the silicone to make a chocolate or other food mold, you must ensure that you are buying a food grade silicone. There are many companies that sell regular grade silicones, but this is not food grade. So, just be careful. Some sources that I know of for food grade silicone in a putty form are Townsend Atelier Knead-A-Mold, Sugarcraft, Culinart Silicone Plastique, and Dick Blick. Prices for the lowest quantity available at each are:

Knead-A-Mold: 6 oz. for $15.00
Sugarcraft: 1 lb. for $25.95
Silicone Plastique: 6 oz. for $12.00
Dick Blick: 8 oz. for $15.99

All of the above dealers sell larger quantities, but I thought I would list the minimum because my experience is that most people prefer to spend the least amount to a try a product out. Obviously, the larger quantity you buy, the cost per ounce decreases.  You should do a similiar price per ounce comparison that considers shipping costs before deciding to buy from a particular place.

To use the silicone putty, you simply knead the two parts together and press the object into the putty. After it has cured for the proper time, remove the object and you will have a flexible silicone mold. For a great pictorial of this process, I highly recommend the Culinart Silicone Plastique page or the Townsend Atelier Knead-A-Mold page.

The Knead-A-Mold product was recently featured on Martha Stewart Living: Good Things ‘The Art of Cakes II’  which orginally airred on December 16, 2008 on The Style Network. Check for repeats at http://www.mystyle.com/.

Chocolate Religious Figure Creates Controversy, Again

It looks like the chocolate Jesus debate will continue as a new product is becoming available on the market.  A German man is beginning to take orders for "The Original Chocolate GoldJesus®".

According to the manufacturers website,

"The Original Chocolate GoldJesus ® was developed as a 100g (3.53 oz) milk chocolate figure. A golden foil which achieves a very high-quality optical effect is used for wrapping the Original Chocolate GoldJesus®. Currently, the Original Chocolate GoldJesus® is casted individually by hand as an advance version, utilizing our prototype mould. In the near future we intend to mass manufacture the Original Chocolate GoldJesus ® in licence, making him affordable for everyone. We will use certificated, high quality, fairly traded, organic chocolate that is produced without exploitation of our fellow humans or the natural resources awarded to us by God, as this would be unchristian. A part of the license income will be used for charitable purposes to be announced soon. The Original Chocolate GoldJesus® will be available year around. It makes a great present for Christmas, Eastern, Communion, Confirmation, Baptism and other festivities, where they can help to refocus on the real meaning of these events."

Some churches have already expressed opposition to the Chocolate Jesus. In 2007, a life size replica of Jesus on the cross was created in chocolate and it stirred up quit a roar from the religious community. In particular, the Roman Catholic church was quite angry about it and thought it was disrespectful. The same type of emotion is being rekindled with the announcement of the The Original Chocolate Gold Jesus.

I will refrain from giving any opinion on the subject.

Prefamac Recycled Chocolate Moulds

Prefamac, a Belgium manufacturer of chocolate machines and moulds, is helping the environment by making recycled chocolate moulds. Not only is the product green, but it also is less expensive than their original counterparts. Of course, Prefamac still sells the original version and all of their moulds are available as new or recycled.

According to Jill Schreurs, Sales and Marketing, Prefamac does not know of any other company manufacturing recycled moulds. The moulds were tested at a university. They performed a comparison study between the transparant and recycled moulds. Conclusion: neglectable difference in quality.

The only drawback is that the recycled moulds may be a bit more difficult to work with. Since they are not clear, it is hard to see if all the air bubbles are out and to determine when the chocolate is ready to come out of the mould. Important considerations that can be overcome with experience.

Prefamac has a wide variety of mould designs available that can be exported all over the world. In addition to their standard designs, customers can have custom chocolate moulds made. The process of having custom moulds made is quite involved and expensive, so it works best when large quanities of moulds are being ordered for commercial purposes.

In addition to moulds, the company makes industrial and non-industrial chocolate making equipment and machinery. Some of the products include: tempering machines, melting kettles, moulding machines, flaking machines, enrobing belts, spinning machines, vibration tables, cooling tunnels, cutting devices, and more. If you are interested in buying their equipment, you should also consider buying moulds at the same time. Often, the moulds can be shipped with the machinery with no or little extra cost.

For more information, visit the Prefamac website. We at TCMF would like to express many thanks to Prefamac for sharing information about their products. Also, we sincerely appreciate the efforts the company is making to come up with new solutions that are sensitive to the environment.

Estimating the Weight of a Molded Chocolate

Often times people are looking for a mold based on the desired weight of the finished chocolate. This information can be used for establishing prices, budgeting expenses, and estimating supply needs. Unfortunately, most mold manufacturers do not list the weight of each piece in their sales descriptions. Thus, you have to do a little math to estimate the weight.

Say for example, a chocolate mold has 6 cavities that are 2" length x 2.5" width x .5" deep. How much will each finished chocolate piece weigh? In order to figure out the answer you will need to know the following calculations:

Cubic Inch = Length x Width x Depth

1 Cubic Inch = 0.554112554 US fluid ounces

1 US fluid ounce = 28.3495231 grams


So, in our example:

Cubic Inch = 2 x 2.5 x .5 = 2.5 cubic inches

2.5 cubic inches x .5541 = 1.385 US fluid ounces

1.385 US fluid ounces x 28.3495 = 39.27 grams

Therefore, one mold would make 6 chocolates that weigh approximately 39 grams.

What are Polycarbonate Chocolate Molds?

Polycarbonate chocolate molds are considered to be the best molds for making chocolates and other confections. They are known for their superior durability and ability to withstand heat. The finished products demold easily and have a high quality finish. In addition, most polycarbonate molds work well with other confectionery equipment.

Polycarbonate is a type of plastic. Confectionery molds are made from a special type of polycarbonate that is FDA approved for contact with food. It can be made into a mold by thermoforming or plastic injection. Thermoforming involves heating a plastic sheet and forming it around an object using vacuum suction. Plastic injection is a process whereby a plastic resin is formed around a metal master under high pressure. Plastic injection is by far the best method, but is also much more expensive and time consuming. Most polycarbonate chocolate molds are manufactured in Europe; however, some are made in the United States. Companies such as Micelli Chocolate Mold Co. and Tomric Plastics are two companies in the United States that specialize in making polycarbonate chocolate molds.

If you plan on using chocolate molds for a commercial purpose or for a long production run, you should seriously consider buying polycarbonate chocolate molds. They are more expensive than hobby grade molds, but they will last much longer and yield a higher quality finished product.