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Resin casting

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  • Member since
    December 2002
  • From: USA
Resin casting
Posted by weebles on Sunday, January 26, 2003 2:02 PM
I have to tell you I was intimidated by the thought of carefully making a master and turning it into a mold. All that's changed. I've read a lot about this in FSM and decided to give it a go on my current nightmare project. I'm building a 1/48 Elco PT boat and the kit I'm using didn't have everything I needed to build my subject piece. I need to make torpedo tube covers, radar domes, etc. This stuff just isn't available after market. So I decided to give resin casting a go. I can't tell you how many times I wish I had more of a particular piece from kit or after market casting.

I purchased the starter kit from Bare Metal Foil. It was expensive, but already I've made 4 different molds and haven't used half of the material yet. The product is incredibly easy to use and the results are amazing. I can't believe how flexible and forgiving the mold material is.

I'd be interested to hear from anyone out there who has tried this themselves. What techniques are working for you? Which products do you like best.
  • Member since
    January 2003
  • From: Foothills of Colorado
Posted by Hoser on Wednesday, January 29, 2003 10:37 PM
One thing that has worked for me for casting small, not *too* intricate parts - Stick your master to a piece of glass with rubber cement. Spray it with a cheap, wax-based furniture polish, buff off any excess. Get some clear silicone caulking (around $1.00 a tube at Wal-Mart) and cover your master with it. I use a toothpick for the initial (thin) coat to work the silicone into the crevices and to make sure there are no air bubbles (clear helps you see what you are doing) then just blop on enough for strength and to easily handle. When it dries, remove it from the glass, pop out your master and fill the mold with 5-minute epoxy. This works best with masters that have one flat side and I have re-used molds like this several times with no problems. And you cant beat the price.
"Trust no one; even those people you know and trust." - Jack S. Margolis
  • Member since
    December 2002
  • From: USA
Posted by weebles on Thursday, January 30, 2003 6:28 AM
That's a great alternative to the expensive molds and resins! Thanks for passing that on.
Dave
  • Member since
    November 2005
Posted by Anonymous on Thursday, January 30, 2003 1:41 PM
There is also a company called "Expert's Choice" (I think) and they sell the latex and resin separately - at a reasonable price. It works well.
  • Member since
    December 2002
  • From: USA
Posted by weebles on Thursday, January 30, 2003 10:34 PM
Hi Joseph, Experts Choice is sold by Bare Metal Foil. Great stuff, but it is expensive. If you're going for detail this stuff works great. But then again it's the only thing I've used so far.
  • Member since
    February 2003
Posted by xavier on Saturday, February 1, 2003 10:16 AM
Hi all:
Other sources include Ace Resin, Castoligt, Alumilite. I haven't had as much success as my RTV keep leaking out of the box I made. So I'm wondering if anyone has any suggestion as to what I can use and how to prevent the stuff from leaking :)

Thanks!
xavier
  • Member since
    January 2003
  • From: Foothills of Colorado
Posted by Hoser on Saturday, February 1, 2003 10:31 AM
Xavier,

In the latest issue of (you guessed it) FSM, a reader sent in a tip for using Legos to build the walls for the mold. (Reader Tips, pg. 64) He didnt state what he used for the base, but reports minimal leaking and the RTV doesnt stick to the Legos.
"Trust no one; even those people you know and trust." - Jack S. Margolis
  • Member since
    January 2003
  • From: Foothills of Colorado
Posted by Hoser on Saturday, February 1, 2003 10:35 AM
Oops - my bad. I re-read the article (after I posted) and he says some Legos are large, flat plates - thats what he uses for the base.
"Trust no one; even those people you know and trust." - Jack S. Margolis
  • Member since
    December 2002
  • From: USA
Posted by weebles on Saturday, February 1, 2003 11:29 AM
What I've been doing that so far has worked pretty well is to affix the master to a good size piece of plastic. This acts as the base or sprue for holding the master. Then I construct a box made out of .030 thick plastic sheeting. The master is glued to the bottom of the box. This later serves as the location I pour the resin into the mold. Then I build up the walls around it and it's all glued together using liquid plastic cement. It dries quickly, is strong enough to hold the material, and doesn't leak. I believe I stole that from a FSM article. I've had some slight tearing of the mold when I remove the master, but so far when I pour the resin it doesn't get into the tear at all. The mold material stays that tight and true. I'm still amazed at it.

I'm really new at this and haven't had a lot of experience. But this seems to work okay for me.
  • Member since
    November 2005
Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, February 4, 2003 6:37 PM
I've used the Alumilite products for a long time and really like their product and it is relatively cheap to purchase. They have good tips on building the molds, using release agents etc.

One problem you can encounter is that a particular clay or release can cause some resins to not cure.

I use clay on glass or thick plastruct sheet or inside a tupperware dish for my molds both one and two part molds. I have used the legos and like them as well. You can seal the base to the glass or plastic with silicone, rtv, or canopy glue.
  • Member since
    November 2005
Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, March 4, 2003 9:29 PM
Big Smile [:D]i found something in my wandering for every way to make cast parts. there is a company that sells a catalyst for the plain silicone caulking you can find at just about any store (color is your preference), but make sure it is silicone. the web addy is http://www.dolata.org/~silicone/index.html. supposedly, the catalyst cure the silicone in 35mins. they also have a thinner for the caulk. i haven't used it, but it seems worth a shot. that is once i graduate and have time to actually try it. hope this may help someone. grace, peace and love to you <><.
  • Member since
    November 2005
Posted by Anonymous on Friday, March 7, 2003 9:51 PM
I read a really good book on how to mold and cast. It tells just about everything about everykind of casting and when to use a mold release. "The Theatre Props Handbook," Thurston James. The first edition even has a vacuform building guide.
  • Member since
    November 2005
Posted by Anonymous on Saturday, March 8, 2003 1:41 PM
just press the thing u wanna recast into a block of clay, then put superglue and accelerator in. ta da
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