Rattlesnake Bite

[rtjw]

Okay I need some help. Got all of my casting stuff and decided I would try some rattlesnake. After coaxing the snake on the tubes I put them in the resin. The snake jumped out and bit me on the $%*!!!
What did I do wrong? All of the skins shrank on me.

 

[PenWorks]

Did you CA the skins on?
Did the mold get real hot? Did the base plugs melt?
Were the skins real plyable or kinda stiff?
Gotta admitt, I never had that happen or seen that before.
That's why I buy my stuff allready pre-shrunk []

 

[Rifleman1776]

Find a new topic title. Ye scared the *&$%# outa me. [!]

 

[rtjw]

CA'ed the skins on
how hot was it supposed to get?
plyable
never happened before with me either[]
I made the snake eat Alum before but didnt shrink it that much!

 

[its_virgil]

I have two castings just like yours. The wax plugs melted, which had not happened befere, the skins either shrank or were "burned" off the brass tubes. The brass tubes were exposed in several places and the skin that was left appearred to have a "silvery or shinnny" coating over it. I can only conclude that it was the heat from the chemical reaction. (concluded because the wax plugs melted). Mine were cast in the mid-day heat in July outside on my patio. I think reducing the catalyst will help. I am out of resin and haven't ordered any more. Must do that and cast some more snake skins. I normally have great success, but not the last two tries. Some skins are really thin and different species' skins take to being cast in PR resin differently. I know the guy who makes the blanks that our suppliers sell(but he keeps his technique closely guarded) and he told me he went through gallons of PR before he got the cobra skins to work. Rattlesnake skins seem to be pretty tough.
Do a good turn daily!
Don

Don
<br />CA'ed the skins on
how hot was it supposed to get?
plyable
never happened before with me either[]
I made the snake eat Alum before but didnt shrink it that much!
[/quote]

 

[Fangar]

Johnny,

Sorry to see that. The heat is caused by too much catalyst. I have had similar problems where the plugs melted allowing the resin into the tubes. I would back waaayyy off on the catalyst and just let em cure. Also, are you doing a two stage pour?

Fangar

 

[rtjw]

I am doing a two stage pour. I am still trying to figure out the length of time it takes to set up.

 

[Mudder]

I'll bet it was a heat problem.
That's an awfully big chunk if resin and I'll bet it got really hot when it kicked over.

Do others cast so many at one time?
I would suggest you try with 1 or 2 in a smaller container and see if the results are different.

 

[PenWorks]

I have no idea if this means anything. But I cast 3 molds last night , same size 3x6x1 the first mold was with older resin laying around, about 3 months old, took 45 minutes to set up, the others set up in 20 minutes and got a little warm. All three had the same mix 5 drops per oz.

I have cast that same mold with 6 skins , it is not a size problem, but a catalyst.

 

[rtjw]

So you did go down to 5 drops anthony. I think I am gonna do some more tonight with only 4 or 5 drops. Hopefully will do better this time.

 

[PenWorks]

I am going down to 4 tonight as well

 

[alamocdc]

Originally posted by Rifleman
<br />Find a new topic title. Ye scared the *&$%# outa me. [!]

Me too, Frank! [:0]

 

[PenWorks]

Johnny, I went down to 4 drops per OZ and with the 9 OZ mold, it was still to hot to hold and set up very quickly, within 20 minutes.
I am going to go down yet again with the catalyst.

Thought this was pic was appropiate for the title. My friend sent me this last night, if I would have seen him, he would be pen blanks by now. The down side to desert golf. This guy was hugging the fence line on the 6th hole at Anthem Golf Club, outside my friend's yard.

<br />

 

[rtjw]

Boy, that would have made alot of pen blanks. I finally got it right. Here is one picture of a blank. Cant wait to turn it tonight. Also made some more molds. I didnt know how nice the pearl white was.

<br />

<br />

 

[GregD]

HAY, we just had a guy here in town get bit by a rattle snake. I guess he was showing off his pets and got nailed. I wonder if he would like a souviner????

 

[Darley]

Originally posted by Fangar
<br />Johnny,

Also, are you doing a two stage pour?

Fangar

Can some one explain to me the 2 pour stage?

 

[PenWorks]

Serge, a two part pour assuming you are using a flat mold.
pour about 1/4 or more in the mold, let it set up till it
becomes sticky, place your snake tubes on top of the sticky
resin, this keeps them from floating away, then pour in another
batch of resin to cover them. You will never see or feel a seam.