Casting has started at long last

**plantagenon** · 7th January 2013, 07:14 PM

I've had 2 fairly productive days playing around with mould making and casting. Yesterday I finally made up a timber dye to accommodate 2 good length blanks. TIP Watch the videos on mould making first (its on the forum) as I built this convoluted contraption as a dye only to realise after watching the video that there is a very simple way of doing it. So I pulled it apart and went back to the simple method. Success.

Then mixed up the silicone as suggested by John (Gawdelpus) and voila! - a beautiful mould, albeit a bit of a rough bottom as I added a bit too much catalyst and it went off too quickly. Nevertheless, it will work well as the walls are thick and solid.

Today some casting for the first time. I first watched the video by Neil (dai sensei) again and realised I had forgotten a lot he spoke about the day we did the video.

Armed with current knowledge it was off to the shed. I had made up a wooden mould for WW and lined it with silicone based baking paper to stop the resin sticking to the timber. Piled in the WW mixed some resin with 1.5% catalyst after mixing in Antique Copper colouring from Barnes, poured in the resin, put more baking paper over the top and then a piece of wood to weigh down the WW. Clamped it to a scroll saw and let it run for 20 minutes to get the air bubbles out as suggested on the video. The remaining resin was poured into vertical electrical conduit tubes as displayed by Tony (AusMaDDog) in the video. Filled 2 tubes nicely which means I probably made up too much to begin with.

I also did up a couple of Streamline and Sierra moulds with clear resin over painted tubes in 2 and the other 2 with a secret ingredient glued to the tube

. They set well using Neil's technique of painting the resin onto the tube before putting putting them into the mould and pouring the rest of the resin in.

They are now all peacefully setting in the shed. Photos will come soon as my son-in-law has not returned my camera yet

. The baking paper worked well and peeled straight off the top of the half set resin.

I set up a table outside the shed to mix the resin as I couldn't stay in the shed after I opened the bottle of resin. I don't have good air flow in the shed and I am still waiting for an air extractor I ordered to arrive at H&F. Those fumes are #@%^&* great headache material.

Nevertheless, I followed all the safety advice on the video with nitrite gloves and dewalt high protection goggles over my glasses. I used a 5ml syringe (one of a few I conned off my doctor) to measure out the catalyst for the resin.

Photos will show my success or lack thereof.

Greg

**dabbler** · 7th January 2013, 08:37 PM

Can't wait to see this secret stuff ! The painted tubes in clear resin are on my todo list also.

Looking forward to the results Greg.

I now use the disposable pipettes that Barnes sell. I find the 5ml dangerously fiddley with gloves.

**plantagenon** · 7th January 2013, 08:44 PM

What are the disposable pipettes Doug?

**dabbler** · 7th January 2013, 08:56 PM

Pipette Dispenser 3ml (x20) at Barnes Products Pty Ltd

Soft plastic of some kind. Not quite as pictured. Mine have graduations but not coloured. Come in several pack quantities. I wrap them in paper towel and put them in a used aluminium frozen pie/slice tray thingie during a session and wrap the whole lot in newspaper when done. Tried a few swirlies mixing leftovers in conduit before tossing it last time too.

Seem acetone resistant too.

**Perfect Pens** · 7th January 2013, 09:10 PM

Nice work Greg,

And I too am looking forward to seeing the secret stuff

apart from the fumes I find casting very relaxing and love the creativity.
Like Doug I use the pipettes from Barnes they work a treat and give good control over how many drops you want to add to your resin.

Looking forward to seeing your photos

Cheers
Tony.

**dai sensei** · 7th January 2013, 10:41 PM

So you made a silicon mold, but then poured resin over WW in a timber mold

. I assume photos will help clarify.

The only thing that worries me is your comment "the baking paper worked well and peeled straight off the top of the half set resin" - you should always ensure the resin is fully set before touching it, otherwise the resin can easily debond

**wood hacker** · 8th January 2013, 12:10 AM

Originally Posted by dabbler

Pipette Dispenser 3ml (x20) at Barnes Products Pty Ltd

Soft plastic of some kind. Not quite as pictured. Mine have graduations but not coloured. Come in several pack quantities. I wrap them in paper towel and put them in a used aluminium frozen pie/slice tray thingie during a session and wrap the whole lot in newspaper when done. Tried a few swirlies mixing leftovers in conduit before tossing it last time too.

Seem acetone resistant too.

Yep they are pretty resistant to most of the common solvents. I buy about 4 boxes of 500 at a time for work and some of them just happen to fall into my bag

, purely by accident I assure you.

**dabbler** · 8th January 2013, 12:24 AM

Originally Posted by wood hacker

Yep they are pretty resistant to most of the common solvents. I buy about 4 boxes of 500 at a time for work and some of them just happen to fall into my bag

, purely by accident I assure you.

I figured on talking to lab supply companies at some stage but maybe you know. What does a bulk box set you back wood hacker?

**wood hacker** · 8th January 2013, 11:30 AM

Originally Posted by dabbler

I figured on talking to lab supply companies at some stage but maybe you know. What does a bulk box set you back wood hacker?

From memory around the $20 mark for a box of 500.

cheers
WH

**Dorno** · 8th January 2013, 12:56 PM

Well Greg it is good to see that you have finally had a go at casting your own blanks. I love it but find I don't do a lot of it only when I want something special

I have been doing some label casting instead and they can be a bit of a challenge all not all seem to work. I look forward to seeing your photos in particular the mold you made for the WW as I have plenty here that I want to do but as yet have no mold to do it in.

Cheers Ian

**plantagenon** · 8th January 2013, 07:41 PM

Photos as promised. Still haven't got my camera back so these are mobile phone pics.

The first is the first mould I made. I haven't used it yet but I have begun to stack it with the new ingredients - fruits that I have dehydrated in the last couple of days. Resin will be poured on the weekend with a touch of green in it.

Second photo - Moulds from the USA with coated tubes and clear resin.

Third photo - The casting box I made for WW. Built out of pine and lined with baking paper.

Fourth photo - The electrical conduit made in the style of Tony's - not as good though.

Fifth photo - The blanks from the conduit - just slid out - Antique copper from left over resin.

Sixth photo - The clear resin blanks with painted tubes at the top and banana and kiwi fruit blanks at the bottom.

Seventh photo - the WW resin block after removal from the mould.

Eighth photo - the blanks cut from the WW.

Overall I was fairly impressed with my first effort at casting. None were put into a pressure pot. The first pic will be going into the pressure pot for the next blanks.

All comments appreciated.

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**gawdelpus** · 8th January 2013, 10:50 PM

Each casting brings new ideas and methods to the pool ,it certainly opens up a whole new outlook on the pens and other things that can be produced

it certainly expands the creativity and variety of work that can be achieved

A great first effort there with that lot

and as well as adding to your individualaty (phonetic ) hehe ,it is good fun and not as difficult as one who has never ventured to the casting side might imagine

well done Greg

Cheers ~ John

**Perfect Pens** · 8th January 2013, 11:04 PM

Greg,

Be mindful, that the conduit casting tubes will get more and more difficult to release the castings after you have done a few. You could give them a quick spray with a mold release or just replace them when the time comes.

Looking forward to seeing the end results of your casting works.

Cheers
Tony

**Dorno** · 9th January 2013, 12:07 PM

I used some never used orange 25mm OD conduit that had been sitting around for years and was extremely concerned that it would not release properly so I sprayed the inside of the tubes with some of the home brand spray cooking oil and it seemed to work great. the couple that I didn't use it on

well that was another story

so didn't even bother to cut them out just binned them.

so have been using spray oil since

Cheers Ian

**plantagenon** · 9th January 2013, 05:22 PM

Thanks for your comments and tips. I will pinch some cooking spray from the kitchen

The first lot just slid out of the conduit but I can't remember whether I put a release agent in them as I prepared them months ago - not long after the video was done.

Doug, I've got some of those pipettes from Barnes but gave up using them when I pumped liquid into them it started to run out before I put any pressure on the bulb. The syringe measures the catalyst perfectly and holds the catalyst in place until I release it. I put the end of the syringe into resin and pump it out. That way I don't get any splash back. Just need to keep in good with my doctor and give him a pen every so often.

I think I overdid the Antique copper and will cut down on it next time - but I will try turning one of the blanks first to see what it looks like polished up. Trouble is I am back at work for a few months and don't get a lot of time to get to the shed at the moment. I am interested to do the next casting with the home made mould to see how the bowl of fruit comes out.

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