A while back, I saw a tutorial on how to create purity seal molds with Green Stuff so you could continue making your own purity seals. I thought that was a great idea since I play Black Templars and they like to stick these things everywhere. So I needed a lot of them.
I think the original tutorial I looked at was maybe about Portent. But since I was working on it tonight, I thought I’d take some pictures and go over it for anyone who’s interested, basically redoing the original in my own words and with my own little additions that I discovered. overtime. But I can’t take credit for the idea. And I’m pretty sure this doesn’t break any of the GW rules because there was something like this in a White Dwarf magazine about how to create your own purity seals using a GS mold, but the way they did it sucks, this is better. So anyway, here you go.
Mold Making Tutorial
First, get some Green Stuff, a coin, some oil, and something that has a hard, flat surface. Green Stuff is available at most hobby stores, I use the GW stuff, just because that’s what I’m used to. Coin… well, there should be one in your pocket. I use vegetable oil because that’s what I had available. I would have preferred to use olive oil because it tastes better and if I ever had the desire to eat my ramekins it would be tastier. I used an empty spice jar and poured some oil in there, that way I can keep it on my work desk without my mom blowing a gasket. As for a hard flat surface? I’m not sure, basically what you can find. I used a plastic coin that I won in a painting contest (it was part of the prize, I could turn it in at the hobby store for a free soda can) and then used sandpaper to sand down one side until it was completely flat.
Oh, and of course you also need the original plastic purity seal or whatever you’re using. Without that, you’re just going to have a nasty, greasy green penny.
Step 1
The first thing to do is take an old brush or cotton swab and coat the hard plastic surface with oil. This will be your Squisher. Make a nice little ball of Green Stuff and place it in the middle corner. Don’t oil the GS or the coin, the purpose of the oil is to keep nothing from sticking, but you want the GS to stick to the coin, right? Then take your Squisher and… um… squish the GS flat and even over the coin. You don’t want it to be too thin, because you’re going to need to have enough depth for the purity seal to sit on it, so don’t squish it, just a nice, even squish.
Step 2
Now that you are done with the GS coin mold, re-coat your squisher and the surface of the GS with oil. You don’t want the squisher to stick to the GS when you squish. Put your purity seals (or any other small flat “one sided” bits) into the GS. I usually take a toothpick and lightly press the purity seals into the GS a bit so they don’t move when you go to smash them, but you don’t have to do that. I’m just an anal bastard. Anyway, once you have the Purity Seals on the GS, smash them. Don’t lose control, you’re just pressing the bit into the GS enough that the surface of the GS is roughly flush with the back of the purity seals, but even if you leave the purity seals a little above the surface is fine. , you will only have a shallower PS when you make copies.
Step 3
Go ahead and wash your Squisher and leave the Coin/GS and Purity Seals as they are for about an hour or two. If you try to remove the stamps too early, you will ruin the image pressed on the GS because it is too soft. Let it harden a bit and once that happens you can take out the plastic purity seals. I’ll use the tip of my razor or a toothpick, it doesn’t matter, just something small so you don’t mess up the mold while you’re trying to get the plastics out. I’ve heard some people say to leave them as they are overnight so it’s safe, but I’ve never found it necessary. In fact sometimes the plastic purity seals get stuck in the Green Stuff if you let it get too hard…so for an hour or two try carefully pulling the plastics out and if they seem to come off easily, spiffy but if it’s not and it’s notching the GS, stop and give it more time.
It’s hard to see the plastic purity seals on the GS because the oil reflects the flash, but if you look closely you can see the 4 PS I used.
Step 4
Once you’ve got your original plastic purity seals off, all you have to do is wait until the GS dries completely (I usually wait until the next day), then wash off the oil. You now have a mold and are ready to start making purity seals!
These are some of the molds I have created. If you look at the top of the picture, you can see two casts on little white things. Those were a thin piece of small plastic tubing that I cut in half. So, because there was a curved flat surface, I was able to make casts of the scrolls that hang from the shoulder pads and the crotch area, the loincloth stuff. For a Squisher, I used the plug that went in the original pipe, just a little plastic cylinder that was the perfect size for even squishing. I’m glad I figured out how to do it, I really wanted more of that stuff for my Black Templars.
And that is! Easy, right? It all takes about 3 minutes and you can easily make a large number of purity seals in an afternoon.
Ok, now that you have your mold, what the hell do you do with it? Make purity seals! Tiny!
You will need your mold, your Squisher and a ball of Green Stuff.
Step 1
Coat the surface of the mold and the surface of your Squisher with oil. Place the GS ball in the mold over the purity seal notch.
Step 2
Crush it! Again, don’t go crazy, just make sure it’s even. You can go thinner with this because you don’t need a thick enough layer to be able to put a purity seal on, you just really need enough GS to fill the purity seal hole. So you don’t need much GS. I personally use a bit more GS than I think is enough, in case it is No enough. I don’t want to end up with a crazy Seal of Purity. My Black Templars are pimps, they don’t wear shoddy accessories.
Step 3
Wait thirty minutes, maybe an hour or so, then you can pop the GS out of the mold. If you do it too soon you will deform the shape of the purity seal because the soft GS has been removed, but if it’s strong enough when you remove it then you won’t have a problem. Set it aside and let it sit for a while (I usually leave it until the next day). Then wash the oil off the GS purity seal piece, then go back to your crazy lab and cut the extra GS around the purity seal. You may have to shave off the back of the purity seals because they will be too thick. If you have used more GS then it is harder to smash it. Not a big deal, just a pain in the neck having to shave the back of the little purity seals. I’ve had to do that often, like I said, I use a little more GS than normal, and I have no idea how I haven’t cut my finger yet. I hope my luck continues.
There are some of the things I have done with GS and with a little time and effort you can clearly see that the GS bitz looks just like regular plastic ones.