casting blanks

[schaf]

Tried to cast a fish skin blank yesterday. No success. The tube filled up with resin. I had turned up wooden plugs but the pressure forced the resin past the plug into the tube and then I could not remove the plug.
What is best to use for plugs in the tubes. If the answer is cork,then where can you buy different size corks to fit the different size tubes.

Terry

[Big Shed]

Terry, I have some tapered silicone stoppers here that fit most of the pen tube sizes. They were given to me by Sam (Simomatra), perhaps you could ask him where he bought them. I think it was from Ebay-overseas, but I can't find them there now.

[NewLondon88]

silicone stoppers here, too. I found them at a craft store, they're used as needle
protectors for knitting needles. (pictured are various sizes. the purple ones are best)

I'm in the process of making a mold for labels and skins that don't need the stoppers.
Sent two out today for people to test, you're welcome to test the next one and let me
know how it works and what to improve.. should be a couple of days

[builderbob]

Hi Terry,

I use cork stoppers which I get from www.sunburstbottle.com/ in the US. I have found them to be very good. Have a look and see what you think.
Cheers Robert.

[schaf]

Thanks NewLondon88,would love to test drive one of your molds.
Fred,I will ask Sam where he purchased from and will check out Roberts Sunburst.com.

Thanks for the replies Guys.

Terry

[BoomerangInfo]

Hey Terry,

Sam got his from the Ebay US guy - they selol them for Tattoo needle protectors. There,s a few places you can get them from over there, but prices vary widely for the postage to Aus.

I have, but have not yet tried (Sorry charlie, I know I'm months behind label casting now) a set of rubber caps that go on the end on metal wire furniture - you know, like thos eindoor pot plant stands etc etc. You can pick them up in most hardware stores in Aus, so a bit easier to find, btu I have no proof yet that they work, although there should be no reason why not. The main problem may be they don't have a huge taper, so may not fit many tube sizes.

My first try was with wooden dowels that I tapered - same result as you, a tube full of resin (and I had nails in the tube to weigh it down to- that way fun getting out). With pressure, you need something that compresses and hold better the more pressure you put on the outside - hence why wood doesn't work - no compression to hold it in. We live and learn.

Russell.

[Sawdust Maker]

I've never cast but couldn't you use that stuff that chopping boards are made out of and turn your own stoppers?
I've heard that some use it to make bushes

[BoomerangInfo]

I've never cast but couldn't you use that stuff that chopping boards are made out of and turn your own stoppers?
I've heard that some use it to make bushes

No, once again for the same reason as wood, no flex - it'd actually be worse I think. The Polyurethane/polypropylene is very slippy, therefore would grip the tube very weakly, meaning the resin could flow past with no resistance at all.

Russell.

[NewLondon88]

True enough about the flex. I'd use some sort of a rubber to get a good seal. Silicone
works well and the resin doesn't stick to it, so it's re-usable.
Some have had luck with cork, but for me, the resin went right through the cork.

[Resination]

I have used clay in a pinch and it worked pretty well.:2tsup:

[dj_pnevans]

Terry all I have used is a bolt nut and a couple of washers and have had no leak at all.
David

[Simomatra]

My computer died the other day so little time n the internet.

Terry

PM me your address and I will send you some to try and yes they came from Ebay a tattoo place

[schaf]

Sam, Thanks for the offer,but I will wait because I may have worked it out.
My experiment.
1 Tube of Selleys silicone and fill nozzle
2 Detach nozzle and put aside to harden and cure
3 Prise out hard silicone plug
Simple
Now to see if they work in the tubes.

Terry

[BoomerangInfo]

Sam, Thanks for the offer,but I will wait because I may have worked it out.
My experiment.
1 Tube of Selleys silicone and fill nozzle
2 Detach nozzle and put aside to harden and cure
3 Prise out hard silicone plug
Simple
Now to see if they work in the tubes.

Terry

Hehe, that may just work, as long as it's wide enough at the end. I vaguely remembe3r someone asking how this silicon differs from mould silicon, and there was a difference, just can't remember. You may not be able to reuse the Selleys, but I doubt that's a big issue.

Russell.

[NewLondon88]

Sam, Thanks for the offer,but I will wait because I may have worked it out.
My experiment.
1 Tube of Selleys silicone and fill nozzle
2 Detach nozzle and put aside to harden and cure
3 Prise out hard silicone plug
Simple
Now to see if they work in the tubes.

Terry

That should work just fine. The taper means you can use it on different sized tubes, too.
Be sure it is 100% silicone, and not 'siliconized'. The caulking should be an acetic acid
cure, and it will smell like vinegar. That's the right stuff..

[NewLondon88]

Thanks NewLondon88,would love to test drive one of your molds.

Good deal. I sent out two today, one of a double sierra and one Jr Gent/Jr Statesman kit.
Each mold holds two tubes, self centering, self stopping and sized to the kit's tubes.
No need for stoppers, no need for BB's or shot for weights. Once placed, the tubes won't
float or sink. Rounded corners to save resin.

Now.. if the things just work like I think they should..

[schaf]

Thanks NewLondon88, will keep a eye on the mail and will post the results.

Terry

[Resination]

Those look interesting. Why the notch between the cavaties? What if two different colors are wanted? Also, it will use more resin that will be cut off as waste. Like the idea though. :2tsup:

[BoomerangInfo]

Good deal. I sent out two today, one of a double sierra and one Jr Gent/Jr Statesman kit.
Each mold holds two tubes, self centering, self stopping and sized to the kit's tubes.
No need for stoppers, no need for BB's or shot for weights. Once placed, the tubes won't
float or sink. Rounded corners to save resin.

Now.. if the things just work like I think they should..

OK now this is scary. remembr what I said on your IAP post??

*plays twilight zone theme*
:sofa:

Russell.

[NewLondon88]

OK now this is scary. remembr what I said on your IAP post??

*plays twilight zone theme*
:sofa:

Russell.

.. that great minds think alike? And ours do, also? :p

Resination: the reason for the cavity is to keep the two parts together.
It isn't much waste. And this mold type isn't for casting colored resins.
This product is specifically for casting labels, skins etc. in clear resin.
If you cast lots of parts at once, you know how easy it is to mix up the
kits ,especially if they are similar castings. So.. keeping them together
until you're ready is easy. On the final version, I'll make the bridge smaller,
but it will still be there. The bridge wastes far less resin than the waste
that normally happens on a flat pour in a rectangular mold.

Terry: I sent out one of each kit (sierra and Jr Gent/Jr Statesman)
Post office says 6-10 days

[schaf]

To continue with my selleys Silcone plugs.

1 st photo Cut tip from plug and insert in tube.
2nd photo cut small squares with hole in centre to hold plug,this will stop the tube from floating. Squares 22 mm x 22 mm
3rd photo CA squares to mold,and fill to top of squares.
4th photo End result
5th photo plugs just popped out to be used again.

[BoomerangInfo]

To continue with my selleys Silcone plugs.

1 st photo Cut tip from plug and insert in tube.
2nd photo cut small squares with hole in centre to hold plug,this will stop the tube from floating. Squares 22 mm x 22 mm
3rd photo CA squares to mold,and fill to top of squares.
4th photo End result
5th photo plugs just popped out to be used again.

Well done, great looking result. I actually had to silicone up our water tank today, which had cracked when the storms blew it over. I got out a tube of Silicone Sealant I've been using for a while, and it wouldn't go. Pull the nozzle off, and out pops a bit wad of set silicone. Certainly seems to do the job.

Russell.

[NewLondon88]

I got out a tube of Silicone Sealant I've been using for a while, and it wouldn't go. Pull the nozzle off, and out pops a bit wad of set silicone.
Russell.

Instant Stoppers! :D
Now, just have your water tank blow over three more times and you'll have a full set. :p

[NewLondon88]

4th photo End result
5th photo plugs just popped out to be used again.

Your end result looks just like mine except yours is missing the air bubbles..

Looks good! And drilling the hole in the squares eliminates the need for weights in
the tubes, since you CA the squares to the mold to hold everything down.
I didn't do that, and can't tell you how many times I forgot all about the weights until
the tubes started floating..:(

[schaf]

Thanks Charlie, the molds arrived today in good order. Will post photos with report when the time comes.

Regards
Terry