Refrigerator Magnets Shaped Like Retro NES Game Cartridges.

Her i am going to show you how to make one of my game cartridges magnets the NES one.

That is the easyast model i made because i used a old DVD case to make the first one before i made the latex mold for casting.

Step 1: This You Will Need!

Down below are links to the material I use as a pointer. But I don´t know if this is the cheapest material so look around for the best deal.

1 mm plastic sheet. (I used a old DVD-case.)

Spray paint Gray, Black and Gold.

Magnets.

You will also need a computer, printer and some editing program to make the label.

I use Photoshop, You can find a free 7 days trial of Photoshop HERE

Step 2: How to Make the Mini Cartridges.

I started with printing out the template for the NES cartridges, I made 4 copies. (You can find the templates down below.)

Then i toke an old DVD-case and placed it over the template of the NES cartridges.

I recommend you to use a softer plastic it was a very hard plastic in the dvd- case but it was cheap so i went with it :)

After i traced all the lines on to the plastic with a Xacto Knife.

!!!!Take you time and be careful its easy to slip an hurt yourself on the blade!!!

I started to cut with a scissor and it takes time!

I learned to only take small cut with the scissor otherwise the plastic risk to break and crack.

When i hade cut all the plastic pieces i started to glue them to together in the right place.

I use one of the 4 copies to put the pieces on, so that they end up properly.

After checking so that everything was correct i glued them in place with super glue.

After i painted it to to be sure that the latex milk not should flow into cracks and make it hard to remove the mold later.

Step 3: Making the Mold.

Take the object you want to make a mold after! in this case the cartridges and place it secure on a flat surface !

I glued my cartridges down with superglue.

Put on "a lot" of glue. And make sure that no air is between the cartridges and the flat surfaces. If therE are the latex seep through and destroy the mold!

It´s not a big deal if a little air gets stuck in between, you can always put on more glue if you see a crack after the glue has dried.

You can also paint, The cartridges and the flat surface together to prevent the latex to leak in between.

DON`T MAKE MY FIRST MISTAKE TO USE PLASTIC ACRYLIC PAINT!!!

IT WILL ONLY PEEL OF AND DESTROY YOU MOLD :(

After making sure that there are no crack you can start to apply latex over the Cartridges.

MAKE SURE TO CLEAN OF ANY !

ONLY put on a thin layer the first time. AND MAKE SURE THERE ARE NO Air BUBBLES IN THE LATEX AFTER YOU APPLY IT !!!

If there are make sure to BREAK the air bubbles BEFORE THE DRY!!!

Otherwise there will be imperfections in the mold and the casting won't be and god :(

After applying the first layer of latex .

You can help it dry with a hairdryer.

You need at least 10 layers of latex and make sure the previous layer not stick to your fingers wen you touch it before you apply next layer

As I mentioned earlier I used a hair dryer to speed up the drying time between the layers.

After applying at least 10 layers let it dry for 24 H before you remove the mold!

GOD LUCK AND LET ME KNOW IF YOU NEED ANY HELP !!!

Step 4: Casting the Magnets in Plaster.

You Need

plaster, water, plastic bucket, spoon or something to stir the plaster and water mix with .

and your mold you made earlier!

Place the mold on a surface that can be cleaned easily or go outside.

When your mold is is well placed, take your plastic bucket or whatever you have chosen to your mixing bowl.

There are a couple ways to make a mixture of plaster, if you want to be super precise about your ratios get a scale and you can measure one and a half pounds of plaster for every pound of water.

I MIX MY PLASTER

2 parts plaster powder to 1 part water.

I start with the water in a bucket and adding the plaster powder a bit at a time, while i'm stirring around the water.

If you like a more solid plaster mix add more powder BUT NOT A LOT, And if you like you plaster more fluent add more water but again NOT A LOTlittle is enough.

Mix the water and powder well to a l smooth smear.

Then pore the plaster in to you mold.

MAKE SURE TO TAP THE MOLD AFTER PORING IN THE PLASTER.

SO ALL THE AIR BUBBLES IN THE PLASTER RISE TO THE SURFACE.

Any air bubbles that are left in the plaster WILL PROBABLY make traces in that the end result. And you will not be happy trust me i learned my self that the hard way :) .