Anyone tried making their own ear moulds?

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Emp_FabEmp_Fab Frets: 24209
I've got a pair of Shure 215s and I'm contemplating making my own custom moulds for them as the default rubber hemispheres aren't all that comfy and the cost of having moulds done professionally is just extortion imo.

There seem to be quite a few kits around for you to do your own plugs and I figured it wouldn't be hard to make a pair of custom plugs then drill a small hole in and otherwise Dremel and tweak them so the centre tube of the old rubber hemispheres was now in the middle of the custom plugs.  Click the 215s on and, in theory anyway, one set of custom moulded IEMs for a fraction of the price.

The other advantage is that if they don't fit too well I can file bits down etc or just make myself another set.  I've had moulds done professionally for some  ER20s but didn't like them - they hurt so I got a refund.

Anyone tried making their own?

I could use all sorts if I could be sure it was safe... Silicone, epoxy resin etc.  Make myself a little safety bung on a string to ensure the stuff didn't impact my eardrums etc!
Lack of planning on your part does not constitute an emergency on mine.
Also chips are "Plant-based" no matter how you cook them.
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  • SporkySporky Frets: 27579
    Subscribed. What could possibly go wrong?
    "[Sporky] brings a certain vibe and dignity to the forum."
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  • Emp_FabEmp_Fab Frets: 24209
    Well, I have considered the possibility of sitting in A&E with ears full of Araldite.  Or possibly having to live the rest of my life with the Shures permanently stuck in - having to walk around with a small microphone like some mutant reporter.
    Lack of planning on your part does not constitute an emergency on mine.
    Also chips are "Plant-based" no matter how you cook them.
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  • Sporky said:
    Subscribed. What could possibly go wrong?
    An @Emp_Fab thread about DIY and sensitive bodily functions?

    Likewise.
    <space for hire>
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  • Emp_Fab said:
    Well, I have considered the possibility of sitting in A&E with ears full of Araldite.  Or possibly having to live the rest of my life with the Shures permanently stuck in - having to walk around with a small microphone like some mutant reporter.
    The beauty, and the immense potential in this thread, is that you've considered that possibility but still regard it as worth it 'cos it'll save you money.

    This is gonna be gold :D

    (of course, it's probably going to take a while to get there, but we'll help you along as best we can)
    <space for hire>
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  • mike_lmike_l Frets: 5700
    Sporky said:
    Subscribed. What could possibly go wrong?

    Nothing can possibly go wrong. With the Emp's track record nothing will get done until 2029, at the earliest.

    Ringleader of the Cambridge cartel, pedal champ and king of the dirt boxes (down to 21) 

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  • have you tried all of the different tips and none of them make a good seal? I got like 10 different ones with mine
    ဈǝᴉʇsɐoʇǝsǝǝɥɔဪቌ
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  • Emp_FabEmp_Fab Frets: 24209
    have you tried all of the different tips and none of them make a good seal? I got like 10 different ones with mine
    I had the same set of tips but I've only tried one size so far. It's not that they don't make a good seal but that they hurt after an hour.  I also don't like the pulling of the weight of the wire on the back of my head - it keeps pulling them out slightly.

    I wonder if silicone sealant would work and whether it would harm my ear while curing ?
    Lack of planning on your part does not constitute an emergency on mine.
    Also chips are "Plant-based" no matter how you cook them.
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  • Emp_FabEmp_Fab Frets: 24209
    edited September 2017
    Or... I could just buy a proper kit...  http://www.earplugstore.com/custom-ear-plugs-oceps-trial-kit.html

    $30 is a shitload cheaper than whatever ACS are charging these days.
    Lack of planning on your part does not constitute an emergency on mine.
    Also chips are "Plant-based" no matter how you cook them.
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  • RolandRoland Frets: 8590
    Emp_Fab said:

    I also don't like the pulling of the weight of the wire on the back of my head - it keeps pulling them out slightly.

    Have you tried supporting the weight by taping the wire to the back of your neck with surgical tape?
    Tree recycler, and guitarist with  https://www.undercoversband.com/.
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  • octatonicoctatonic Frets: 33725
    Emp_Fab said:
    Or... I could just buy a proper kit...  http://www.earplugstore.com/custom-ear-plugs-oceps-trial-kit.html

    $30 is a shitload cheaper than whatever ACS are charging these days.
    They are not comparable though.
    I've done my own moulds, they didn't work properly.
    I now have Read Audio In Ears and ACS & Read earplugs.
    Do it right.
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  • Propa bonkers
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  • Emp_FabEmp_Fab Frets: 24209
    Why is it bonkers?  It's only squirting gunk into your ear, waiting, then pulling it out.  Why should I pay someone over a hundred quid to do that if I can do it myself?
    Lack of planning on your part does not constitute an emergency on mine.
    Also chips are "Plant-based" no matter how you cook them.
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  • Danny1969Danny1969 Frets: 10357
    I tried it years ago, got a 2 pack kit of Ebay, mixed it up and put it in my ears until it set then pulled it out. One came out not too bad, the other was crap. Not something I would do again ..... try a bit of tape or some seal on the 215's
    www.2020studios.co.uk 
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  • Emp_FabEmp_Fab Frets: 24209
    How do you mean?  Tape where?  I'm imagining a two inch wide band of duct tape around my head like Rab C Nesbitt.
    Lack of planning on your part does not constitute an emergency on mine.
    Also chips are "Plant-based" no matter how you cook them.
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  • BigMonkaBigMonka Frets: 1763
    Can you loop the wire over the top of your ear first? That can help stop the strain
    Always be yourself! Unless you can be Batman, in which case always be Batman.
    My boss told me "dress for the job you want, not the job you have"... now I'm sat in a disciplinary meeting dressed as Batman.
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  • John_PJohn_P Frets: 2744
    215's are one of the few in ears that I find a comfy fit and a good seal so I didn't replace my lost custom moulds. If they don't work for you then for the cost of the time and limited chance of success from all the reports I've read then it is a reasonable investment doing it properly imo
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  • Emp_FabEmp_Fab Frets: 24209
    Fair enough.  You've all convinced me of the folly of proceeding.  Sorry to disappoint everyone looking for a thread of pure gold!  =)
    Lack of planning on your part does not constitute an emergency on mine.
    Also chips are "Plant-based" no matter how you cook them.
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  • Have you tried the foam insert instead of the rubbery ones? I found they work way better. Don't be afraid to go up a size too.
    The Assumptions - UAE party band for all your rock & soul desires
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  • Emp_FabEmp_Fab Frets: 24209
    I didn't know you could get those for mine.  Thanks mate, I'll check that out.
    Lack of planning on your part does not constitute an emergency on mine.
    Also chips are "Plant-based" no matter how you cook them.
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  • Emp_FabEmp_Fab Frets: 24209
    @stickyfiddle Are you talking about the squeezy yellow foam ones?
    Lack of planning on your part does not constitute an emergency on mine.
    Also chips are "Plant-based" no matter how you cook them.
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