Can someone please help me with this...I have not done a 3D mold before and if I just pour into both halfs and then put them together, it will be solid.....how do I do it so that the shoe actually looks like it has the opening you would put your foot in? any help with this one appreciated!!!!

it's the same technique as "slip casting" used in pottery.

chill mold

pour in melted chocolate

slosh around to get even layer all over mold.

allow to set up a bit but only so much as to get solid layer at mold surface and liquid pourable center.

pour out excess chocolate

chill mold to firm up layer

repeat at least one to build up thicker layer.

doing multiple thin layers will give more control over final thickness.

thin layers = less set up time

want to finish w/ at least 1/8 inch total thickness (achievable in two 1/16 in layers) or even thicker for more durability.

after doing final layer chill throughly

then while still cold GENTLY pop out the casting -- warning FRAGILE

thanks Doug....very helpful, I have a couple of days to try and get it right!!!! Can you tell me how to put it together. I am assuming that I pour the two sides seperately and then put together somehow after both are poured?

thanks for your help....

I'll add to Doug's great directions.

If you have the 2 piece shoe mold that you make the 2 halves and then stick together to get a whole shoe, you can make both halves and cut away the "flap" over the hole using a warm knife & a lot of care. You can cut away the 1/2 flap left on each piece before putting it together or you can wait until it's together and then cut it away.

If you want to make the mold so that it's all done at once with the hole in the middle, you can cut away the "flaps" from the mold and then hold the mold together with butterfly clips (from the office supply store) so that all around the shoe it's clipped tightly. You also need to make arrangements to that the filled mold can be kept upright while chilling, too. Once all set up, you unclip the mold to unmold and then use a warm knife to trim any seams.

HTH
Rae

first check to see if mold fits together and has an opening to pour in the chocolate -- if so, you will slip cast it as one piece.

to put together two halves you need smooth mating surfaces.

easy way to achieve (tho' a bit messy -- thank you Jacques Torres who showed how on his chocolate show)

use any warm surface (low temp -- remember it only has to melt chocolate) -- such as cookie sheet warmed in oven or an electric griddle on lowest temp

hold half mold to surface briefly and move across to get smooth slightly melted surface.

if talented (not me!) can do both halves at same time and if fast enough (again not me) can put the two halves together while edges still melted.

OR -- the way I'd do it

melt some chocolate and paint in on the edge of one piece like a glue. stick on other piece. allow to set. trim off any excess w/ sharp knife. burnish the mold joint lines (rub smooth) with finger (do this whether done as one piece casting or as two halves joined)

thanks so much for the great tips!!!!! I think this might be harder than I thought, I think I might have to go stock up on some more chocolate before attempting this one!! That picture is exactly the mold that I have, however, I am leary that it will turn it looking like that!!!!

Doug, I think that I might try the way you said you would do it first and then see what I learn from that one!!!! At least I am home with a broken foot this week, so I have lots of time to practice!!!!!