Heat setting resins

[rtparso]

I am a complete newbee about using casting resins for pens but have use some for other tasks. Many years ago I was involved in a project that used heat to set the resins. Any one tried that? Seems like it might help with some of the problems I have been reading about. I think they used low heat from heat lamps.

 

[JimGo]

Ron,
Please tell me (us) more. After my troubles this weekend, I'm certainly open to suggestions that make it more effective.

 

[rtparso]

Sorry I was not doing the resin work. All I remenber was that they were having trouble, I think with cracking, and they used heat to set the resin. I don't know if they used heat only or heat with catalist. I do remember that an artist was using heat for some large spheres. Also dosn't the amount of catalist effect the hardness??

 

[JimGo]

I'm not sure. I was wondering whether casting it under a vacuum might help, too (though that would make it a little colder, at least for a while).

 

[coach]

If you use the correct amount of catalyst, you should have no problems at all. Just make sure you mix it completely. I turned one of my resin blanks last night.

 

[JimGo]

And where are the pictures Coach???

 

[PenWorks]

Jim, don't complicate things. Unless you want to experiment in casting with vacume & heat.
But like coach says, using the right amount of catylst works just fine. I have tried an over dose of catylst to see what happens. The mix in the mold gets real HOT, almost to hot to hold. It was a clear cast with snake skins. I new it was going to be scrap. Turned out, just like glass, very brittle, even drop some and it shattered. Try staying in that 7 drops to 1 oz using the PR resin.

 

[coach]

I'll try to post some pics of the 3 I have turned of my own resin and some pictures of the blanks tonite.

 

[scturner]

I messed around years ago using 1.5oz matt fiberglass and resin building a fiberglass dome to house my telescope. I did a lot of digging on the net back then and found a really good trick for mixing MEK and resin. Maybe you guys have heard of these, their called an MEK despinser. You just pour up how much resin you need in a measuring cup then put some catalist in the despinser.

With the despinser you carefully squeese the bottom of the bottle and the mek will rise up to a measured vile at the top giving you the perfect amount every time. I also just made a mark with a sharpe on the vile since I used the same measured mixture every time. The top holder (if I remember correctly) is measured in both "ml and oz" like many of the measuring cups used for mixing resin. I found the despinser to be invalueble for mixing resins. No more fooling around with drops. Works like a charm! Note: I'm not affiliated with this company in any way, just thought it might be of help.

I got my little despinser here: http://selectproducts.com
I think it is under fiberglass accessories.

 

[elody21]

My basement is cold. I use a regular 60watt bulb in a fixture pointed at my fume extraction cabinet which is clear acrylic. This gives just enough warmth to speed up the process. Most 2 part acrylics or epoxies set at different TIMES according to the temperature. This DOES NOT set it up any stronger JUST faster. The more chemical accelerator you use the more brittle ( harder) the material but then you run the risk of the blank shattering when drilled! I agree with penworks stay to the 7 to 1 formula. I think the worse problem is the smell!!
Check out page 4 of my album to see the fume extraction cabinet. In the upper left had corner you will see a small portion of the white clip on lamp.

 

[Gregory Huey]

I am glad to here of the 7 to 1 formula because as of yet I not been able to get a good cast. I thought I read some where that the room neede to be 70 degrees.

 

[JimGo]

Thanks guys (and gals)! Alice, that's a pretty ingenious box! Great design!

 

[YoYoSpin]

With the great weather we've been having lately, I've been doing my casting outdoors. Letting the castings set up in the sun gets them pretty much hard as a rock within an hour or two. And, I've been using 5 to 6 drops of fixer per ounce of resin. Did all these this afternoon...I love the colors and textures that are possible with this stuff!

 

[swm6500]

Ed makes me want to try some casting myself.

 

[MDWine]

You guys make it very difficult to try to keep up. I have to keep reminding myself to take it easy and not bite off more than I can chew! I need to concentrate on making a good wood pen before moving too far too fast.

It is a delight to see the possibilities, I can't wait to see pens turned from your casts!

(so get to work, I gotta see them pics!!! ;^)