Demolding and curing

When taking a part out of a mould, you have to be very firm but extremely patient. You don't want to pull so hard on a part that you break it (or tear the mould), and you don't want to work so soft that nothing gets done. Once the master part is removed, you have a little factory for creating more parts. Just mix some plastic, spray some mould release, and put it in your chambers the same way as before.

The final step before you store the mould is making sure it lasts. Silicone cures under UV light (most silicones at least). You can always buy some UV lights and make your own curing chamber. Mine is a simple ice chest with a white liner, and a string of LED UV lights. Letting it sit in the box overnight should be good enough (as shown in the following image):

So, why did we spend so much time on mould making? Because being able to make your own parts is crucial in drone design. These are electronic and mechanical beasts. You must be able to mount your sensors securely, and you may even need to make custom parts for other purposes (as we'll see in Chapter 3, A Drone for Hunters - Autonomous Duck Decoy). Why not get it out of the way as soon as possible?