Resin Help

polyester resin

Thanks 1337 - any good leads on where i can get it? (LHS, home improvement stores, special order)

Hooker06

I think it's polyester resin (although I not completely sure) but I've had very good luck using the resin from a standard fibreglass kit purchased at the local automotive supply. They have the resin (with hardner) in pint, quart and gallon sizes plus can supply the hardner seperately in tubes of varying sizes.

I've tried AlumaLite but found that the pot life was too short (2 to 3 minutes). by adjusting the hardner to resin ratio of the fibre glass resin, I can vary the drying time from 10 minutes to 10 hrs (although I usually let the subject set for 24 hrs after pouring). The resulting item files and sands very easily and can be attached with CA or Epoxy. It's fairly cheap, easy to find, has relatively long shelf life (3 to 4 yrs if you keep the top on tight), easy to work with, and a pint can goes a long way.

I have considered using polyester resin but I've been told it generates too much heat and is too brittle for casting purposes. I still intend to experiment with it due to how cheap it is. You can buy polyester resin at the auto parts store or Walmart by the way. It is the resin used in conjunction with fiberglass cloth for automotive body work. I've thought about mixing it with a filler like micro ballons, talcum powder, or pecan shell powder to over come these problems. Anyone tried that?
I would suggest you try urethane resin like the kind that MicroMark sells. It is much more forgiving.

Thanks all. I'll have to visit my local automotive store and see how it goes.

wait.....wait.....micro mark sells casting resin (2 part). Also if you have a really well supplied art store near by, they should also have a casting resin starter kit.

I have used both polyester resin and epoxy resin in fiberglass work - epoxy resin, you have to be really percise about your mixing ratios or it doesn't dry/harden properly. With polyester resin you will walk around stoned all day from the fumes (not necessarily a bad thing, just don't drive - it stinks big time) - casting resin does not have that stench and will harden in about 2 to 3 minutes.

I use alumalite and it works good and is very detailed but like mentioned before after mixing the two parts together you have about 90 sec to get it in your mold.

Thad

Thx KINGTHAD - alumalite is what I was thinking about

Bare metal foil and others make a longer "pot life" casting resin...... I've learned to move FAST to get stuff in the pressure pot.

Woody

IMicroballoons work very well with the fibreglass resin, even makes the part lighter. I've also discovered that microballoons work well with CA. Just pack the crack with the microballoons and add CA. It seems to sand much easier.

I have been casting my own parts with Alumilite for quite some time and found the easiest way to retard the pot life is to keep both bottles of A and B in the refridgerator. It usually gives me between 7 and 10 minutes to pour the mold.

Just a tip I found to save the cost of buying more mixing cups each time. When you're done place the mixing cup upside down on a piece of paper towel (I use new leftover coffee filters from an old coffee maker that finally died on the bench)

Once the resin sets up and hardens the excess will have dripped down to the paper and you should be able to simply pull it of with one smooth motion and the cup will be clean and ready to go again. I use graduated medicine dispensing cups they're cheap but very accurate and I find the use of "drams" as a measurement works best.

Final note:

The above information works equally well for the cold storage of celebratory brown bottle "wobbly pops" for completion of a session of casting parts. Just don't consume and subsequently confuse the two stored items as being interchangeable.

Cheers;

Gregory

I bought all my supplies from http://www.dickblick.com/categories/moldingcasting/ Just surf around, they have molding material and polyester resin, filler, mold release and the like. Way cheaper also. Let me know what you think.