"Can permanent marker ink damage silicone molds?" Topic

I've got a lot of silicone molds here, and am about to make a lot more so we can finally start selling buildings from the Arnica Real Estate line of resin buildings.

Right now, the silicone molds are not labeled, and this is rapidly becoming an issue. I just can't tell what's what!

Since these are silicone molds, stickers really won't stick to them. So I'm wondering if I can use a permanent marker to write an ID number on them? If I do, will the ink damage or degrade the mold over time? This is important, as I really need these things to last.

I was thinking of marking the mold along an edge, so I can see it at a glance while it's on the shelf.

Does anyone have any experience with this issue?

Thanks!

I don't see a problem.

I use sharpies to mark how much resin each of my silicon molds take and I have never seen any degradation of the silicon around the markings – of course the markings wipe off pretty easily, so they need re-marking every so often.

of course the markings wipe off pretty easily, so they need re-marking every so often.

Would a blast of sealer or clear coat work to prevent smudging, or would that damage the mold?

Glue plastic letters on to the inside of your mould boxes spelling what the item is then you will not have to worry at all.

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Cool idea, Craig!

And I don't know if sealer would damage the mold or not – haven't ever read that it would, but I haven't ever tried it, either.

Sealer will just burn off if using metal.
Resin probabluy won't get hot enough to burn it off but depending on how flexible the molds are you may have some peeling.

I always used sharpies.
But the letters look like a good way to do it too.
Just do the SKU's not the whole name.

I have done this often. Never any problem.

I'm pretty sure my Hirst Arts molds all have a product number on them that looks like sharpie. I've had them for about five or six years and there isn't anything wrong with them. They are packed away in a box right now so I can't look at them to be sure.

best way I have found is write your mold id on a peice of posterboard and then use 100 precent silicone caulk to glue it to the side of the mold

All good ideas. Thanks, guys. This will really help me get a handle on all the molds we've got around here.

I didn't when I tried it.

We actually go to the grocery store and buy alphabet noodles and glue them to our mold walls before we pour them. Markers (sharpies and otherweise) do not mark the molds permenantly and do not harm.

-Will

Will: That is very clever, but I must admit it's the oddest thing I've ever heard.

Great Idea Will!

Will is right, using a permanent marker on silicon molds is like writing on a white board with erasable markers. It will not stay as the ink bubbles on the silcone.