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Guide: making a glow in the dark silicone hand
Making a glow in the dark silicone hand
Create a glowing copy of your own hand in silicone. By mixing glow filler into transparent addition silicone, the hand charges in light and glows in the dark.
📄 Download this guide as PDFWhat are you going to make?
You make a flexible silicone hand that glows in the dark. The transparent silicone barely disturbs the filler's glow properties, giving you a bright afterglow effect.
💡 Suitable for beginners and advanced users. The cured addition silicone is flexible and heat-resistant up to around 200 °C.
Required materials
🛒 From the webshop
🧰 Supply yourself
- Kitchen mixer (for the alginate)
- Scale
- Cold tap water
- A light source to charge the filler
Product specifications
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Silicone mixing ratio | A:B = 10:1 (100 gram A to 10 gram B) |
| Glow filler | around 11 % of the A component (55 gram to 500 gram) |
| Pot life | around 3 minutes |
| Curing time | around 30 minutes |
| Heat resistance | up to around 200 °C |
| Suitable for | decoration, night lights, eye-catching objects |
| Release agent needed? | No, alginate releases from silicone on its own |
Preparation
Lay everything out before you start so you do not lose time during processing. Make sure the sleeve of the hand to be moulded is pushed up.
We use Silicone Addition Transparent 15 Fast because transparent silicone barely disturbs the filler's glow properties. We choose the fast variant because the silicone must be cured before the alginate 3D gel releases water and loses shape.
⚠️ Work in one continuous flow. After mixing the alginate you have only a few minutes before the mould starts to lose shape.
Step-by-step guide
Prepare the silicone A component
Take the 1100 ml mixing cup and pour the full contents of the 500 gram silicone A component into it.
Add glow filler
Add 55 gram of glow filler to the A component.
Mix the filler through the silicone
Mix the filler to a smooth, even blend so the glow particles are evenly distributed.
💡 An even distribution of filler gives a uniform glow without dark spots.
Prepare the alginate
Fill the 1900 ml mixing cup with 1400 ml of cold water. Sprinkle 350 gram of alginate powder onto the water all at once and mix into an even mass. Do not over-mix or the working time will suffer.
💡 Preferably use a kitchen mixer. Alginate is non-toxic and easy to clean.
Submerge the hand
Submerge the hand in the alginate and move it briefly so air bubbles release. Hold the hand still in the correct position until the gel turns from pink to white. Then carefully remove the hand.
⚠️ Do not wait too long afterwards; move straight to the next step.
Add the B component and mix
Quickly pour the full contents of the 50 gram silicone B component into the prepared blend and mix it quickly, thoroughly and vigorously.
Pour the silicone into the mould
Mind the pot life. Work quickly, because after around 3 minutes the silicone is no longer ideal to pour. Pour in a thin stream so air bubbles can escape.
Cure, demould and charge
Let everything cure for around 30 minutes before demoulding. Remove the alginate and rinse the hand under warm water. Activate the glow filler by placing the hand in (sun)light for a few minutes.
Final result
A glowing silicone hand that glows in the dark after being charged in light.
Special instructions
- Charge the glow filler with bright (sun)light for the strongest afterglow.
- More filler means a stronger glow, but stay within a workable viscosity.
- Wear an apron to protect your clothing.
- Transparent silicone gives the best glow result; coloured silicone dampens the effect.
- Alginate is single-use.
Storage
Uncured components
Store the A and B components and the glow filler closed, dry and at room temperature, out of direct sunlight. This preserves their properties.
Cured mould
The cured hand recharges in light over and over. Keep it at room temperature. Prolonged direct sunlight may yellow the material over time.
Frequently asked questions
How long does the hand keep glowing?
Depending on charging time and light intensity, the hand typically glows visibly for several to tens of minutes, after which it can be recharged again.
Why transparent silicone?
Transparent silicone lets the filler's light pass almost unhindered, giving a bright and even glow.
Can I combine colour and glow?
A little transparent colourant is possible, but too much pigment dampens the glow. Keep pigment minimal.
Why less alginate than for the coloured hand?
The amount is tuned for quick processing within the short pot life; 350 gram is enough for a good impression.