Chicago School of Mold Making

Custom Mold Making
FAQs - Is this service for you?

	"With each custom project, we take the time to understand your unique needs. We invest ourselves in the success of your project in order to build a strong relationship. Our quality work and clear communication continues to underlie our long standing relationships with clients in several different industries.” Michael Joy Founder, Chicago School of Mold Making 708-660-9707 Joy@ChicagoMoldSchool.com
Is Custom Mold Making for You? Custom Mold Index: I have an object I want molded. Can you sculpt my design? I need to make thousands of things… and fast. I need to mold my logo so I can make it in chocolate (or other medium). I am entering a competition. How can you help me? Is custom mold making worth the investment? Can you make me a plastic mold? Creative Design Service Index: I am looking for something special, but I don’t know exactly what. I need a unique item that promotes my business. I need to make special gifts for my VIP clients. I have a product that needs to be updated. I am involved in a special event where we need to promote our brand. I have an object I want molded. First question; is it copyrighted? If you own the rights to the object or it is in the public domain, we can make a silicone mold, from miniature to larger than life size.

Please Note: If you have not worked with silicone molds before, it is critical to understand just because something can be molded does not mean it can be cast. (The silicone mold is the negative cavity and the cast is the chocolate/sugar object made by filling the mold.) For example: a complicated piece of coral has many undulating twists and turns. Even a properly designed mold does not assure the chocolate will flow to every point in the mold or that air will not get trapped in some areas. Can you sculpt my design? Yes. Our sculptors have over 40 years of experience. If you have an idea but do not know how to translate it into 3 dimensional form, we can make a model for you referencing a drawing or photograph.
I need to make thousands of things and fast Let me guess. You work in Las Vegas. To date, we are the only company in the United States who has the experience (15 years) and wherewithal to manufacture professional quality (platinum cured), food contact safe silicone molds. When you need to create artwork at a level that has not been seen before, please consider our services. Custom mold work at this scale is a capital investment. It should be used when you need to promote your brand, impress your clients or push you past the competition. A good mold is a profitable mold. I need to cast my logo in chocolate (or other medium). Logos can be reproduced using different techniques. An economical approach is to engrave the logo (like a rubber stamp). This works well for chefs who need to get fast results for a client needing something simple. However, to really impress your clients and boost your marketing cache, nothing compares to the hand crafted quality of a classically trained artist.

I am entering a competition. How can you help me? Remember, mold use depends on the rules of the competition. Some competitions do not restrict the use of molds, while others limit them to specific categories such as geometric forms. A savvy competitor recognizes a judge does not want to see a chef using a mold as a crutch. If you want to earn the highest points, focus on developing an innovative utilization of the mold. For example, making a mold of a leaf is one thing, but making a mold of a leaf and then altering it into the wing of a butterfly in another thing. We can help you push the envelope without pushing the judges. Strict confidentiality is always observed. Is custom mold making worth the investment? Yes. However, we recommend you mold something impressive. Wealthy clients are not impressed by decals and crafty knick knacks. Be realistic. You need to invest in order to profit. We have formulas in place to help determine the feasibility of a project before it is put into motion. Can you make me a plastic mold? No. Although we own vacuum forming equipment and use if for the occasional prototype or competition one-off, we do not offer this as a service. For the most part, we find the process too restrictive to meet the high quality our clients expect. I am looking for something special but I don’t know exactly what. Often our clients come to us and describe the type of person they need to impress. We can help you come up with unique and out of the box ideas. I need a unique item that promotes my business. Executive chefs understand it best. The customer’s last impression of the meal is a strong one. Perhaps you already close the meal with a mini delectable. Upgrading your production and using molds to make these mini’s en mass is a cost efficient way to promote your restaurant. Are you a French restaurant? Why not make a few elegant chocolate escargots to bring the evening to a close. (It is likely the guests will want to buy a box of them to take home.) A second sale after the meal is not a bad thing. We have lots of ideas for you. I need to make special gifts for our VIP clients. Today, executive pastry chefs are the resident corporate artist in their hotels and resorts. The talent is there, but not always the time. Therefore, we recommend investing in a small library of molds to have at the ready for those unexpected moments. Take a hint from the Chicago Four Season’s Hotel who hosts numerous authors while they are taping the Oprah Winfrey Show. Shortly after the author arrives in their room, a flawlessly cast, full size, ornamentally embossed chocolate book is presented to them. What do you think the famous author takes home with them after their visit? It’s not the imported marble floors nor the fine wood work nor the $50,000 chandelier. It’s the chocolate book! Fifteen dollars worth of chocolate used wisely provides a huge return. You can bet when someone asks who made the book, they will expound on the pleasant stay at your hotel. Influential people know influential people and VIP amenities are high end business cards. Don’t miss the opportunity to impress them with a few simple techniques. We can help you design impressive amenities for your loyal customers. I have a product that needs to be updated. We call this a product tweak. It is an important aspect of a business’s evolution and adaptation to new and changing markets. A keen understanding of brand position and marketing is critical to make this type of project succeed. I am involved in a special event where we need to promote our brand. Your company sends you around the world to give demonstrations, or maybe you get favorable reads in print, or maybe TV is your thing. Recognize the value of these investments and put a little bit more in to the mix to achieve the Wow effect. Want something to stand out in that Oscar basket? Call us. Beautiful things take time to make. Please plan ahead. We welcome your feedback! 708-660-9707 Joy@ChicagoMoldSchool.com