$100 casting set up

Signed-In Members Don't See This Ad

RAdams

Banned
Joined
Apr 5, 2009
Messages
2,983
Pressure Pot: $55
Pancake compressor: $99
Hose, fittings and accessories: $30
silicone for mold: $45
Gallon of Silmar 41: $50
sampler pack of mica: $110
mixing cups, sticks, gloves, etc: $20

The realization that i could have done all but the same thing for less than $100:


PRICELESS


$50 worth of Polyester Resin, a couple of pieces of PVC from the local Plumber, some testors paint, and paper cups would accomplish the same results as the list above. If you wanted to get really fancy, There is a model paint company called "Boyd" That is known for making premium colors.

So..

1 gallon of Silmar 41 from US Composites (because i KNOW it is good to go in the PVC over and over and over)

$50 delivered

6 feet of 1/2 inch PVC and 6 feet of 3/4 inch PVC from local plumbing company (Or whole stick of each from Locke supply) $10-20

model paint: $2-4 per bottle (10 colors @ $4) $40

TOTAL: $110.

If you do it right, this will give you over 60 blanks. Already round, and ready to go for drilling on the lathe. The 1/2 inch blanks are going to be perfect for all your 7MM kits, and the 3/4 inch blanks will cover anything on the market today (that i have seen anyway).

You will also need some masking tape or similar to tape up the bottom of the PVC before you pour in it. Otherwise you are ready to make a mess! Sure wish i had this info before i bought all this gear, which is why i am posting this. Alot of people think it is crazy expensive to start making blanks, which can be true. If you want to make WW and bean and cactus blanks and labels and all that stuff you can spend alot of money on supplies and tools. BUT, You can cast BEAUTIFUL homebrew blanks for $100 start up cost.
 
Signed-In Members Don't See This Ad

dontheturner

Member
Joined
Sep 24, 2009
Messages
95
Location
Shropshire UK
Pressure Pot: $55
Pancake compressor: $99
Hose, fittings and accessories: $30
silicone for mold: $45
Gallon of Silmar 41: $50
sampler pack of mica: $110
mixing cups, sticks, gloves, etc: $20

The realization that i could have done all but the same thing for less than $100:


PRICELESS


$50 worth of Polyester Resin, a couple of pieces of PVC from the local Plumber, some testors paint, and paper cups would accomplish the same results as the list above. If you wanted to get really fancy, There is a model paint company called "Boyd" That is known for making premium colors.

So..

1 gallon of Silmar 41 from US Composites (because i KNOW it is good to go in the PVC over and over and over)

$50 delivered

6 feet of 1/2 inch PVC and 6 feet of 3/4 inch PVC from local plumbing company (Or whole stick of each from Locke supply) $10-20

model paint: $2-4 per bottle (10 colors @ $4) $40

TOTAL: $110.

If you do it right, this will give you over 60 blanks. Already round, and ready to go for drilling on the lathe. The 1/2 inch blanks are going to be perfect for all your 7MM kits, and the 3/4 inch blanks will cover anything on the market today (that i have seen anyway).

You will also need some masking tape or similar to tape up the bottom of the PVC before you pour in it. Otherwise you are ready to make a mess! Sure wish i had this info before i bought all this gear, which is why i am posting this. Alot of people think it is crazy expensive to start making blanks, which can be true. If you want to make WW and bean and cactus blanks and labels and all that stuff you can spend alot of money on supplies and tools. BUT, You can cast BEAUTIFUL homebrew blanks for $100 start up cost.
I am a newbie on this site, and have never cast blanks. I do not see the point, when you can buy them in from Rizheng in China, for LESS than $2 a piece, ( sometimes as low as $0.90) Or am I missing something here? dontheturner
 

ribanett

Member
Joined
Dec 15, 2007
Messages
381
Location
Kenner, LA, USA.
I am a newbie on this site, and have never cast blanks. I do not see the point, when you can buy them in from Rizheng in China, for LESS than $2 a piece, ( sometimes as low as $0.90) Or am I missing something here? dontheturner


Don,
Maybe you can buy blanks for $2 each in Thailand, but in the US I don't think so. A passable one will cost at least 3 to 4 dollars. Its not the cost, but being able to say "I made this and its my own design."
 

RAdams

Banned
Joined
Apr 5, 2009
Messages
2,983
Don,

For me, the draw to casting was purely the ability to design and create my own colored blanks. Sure, it is easier to buy blanks from sources like rizheng, but it is also easier to go to wally world and buy papermate pens.

It also adds an extra element to the whole "hand made" aspect. I love telling my customers that i made the material, and then made a pen from said material...


Scratcher of Glass,

These bottles are the little 1/4 Oz bottles. I should have put that you will not be able to buy enough color to do the whole gallon, but with a pen sale or two from your fancy new blanks, it would be super easy to get enuogh paint to finish the gallon.

OR... for $4 a container, you could get several containers of mica from coastal scents. This would probably be the way to go in reality.You probably wouldn't get as many colors within the $100 budget but you would surely have enough mica to do the entire gallon, and prolly a couple more! (The $4 price for model paint is actually kinda high, I can find it locally for as low as 75 cents.)
 

gketell

Local Chapter Leader
Joined
Dec 15, 2006
Messages
2,772
Location
Pleasanton, CA, USA.
Why cast your own?

A lot of times, you are correct Don. With so many gorgeous blanks available from others why not buy them rather than making your own. I do it regularly.

But there are times.... I had a customer that said "I want a Sage colored pen". After a lot more discussion what she really wanted was a pen to match this picture

attachment.jpg


Ok, where to buy a blank like that? I didn't find any. So I went to a casting-friend's house and we played until we came up with this

attachment.jpg


attachment.jpg


Now I have a very happy customer who can truly say she has a "one of a kind" pen.

GK
 

Attachments

  • Katie's 2009 Order - 6.jpg
    Katie's 2009 Order - 6.jpg
    41.2 KB · Views: 639
  • Photos - 0004.jpg
    Photos - 0004.jpg
    30.9 KB · Views: 655
  • Photos - 0003.jpg
    Photos - 0003.jpg
    28.2 KB · Views: 640

thewishman

Member
Joined
Mar 9, 2006
Messages
8,181
Location
Reynoldsburg, Ohio, USA.
Thanks for the post. I bought (but never received) a pressure pot already set up to go, but needed the other supplies and equipment you listed. Put that off long enough to read that a pressure pot was not needed. Glad I didn't spend all of the extra.
 

Mark

Member
Joined
Oct 12, 2009
Messages
2,536
Location
Pottstown PA
My wife would love that green (sage). That is the big reason I'm getting into casting, is the unique colors and mixtures I can come up with.
 

NewLondon88

Local Chapter Leader
Joined
May 15, 2008
Messages
5,077
Location
Claremont NH
I am a newbie on this site, and have never cast blanks. I do not see the point, when you can buy them in from Rizheng in China, for LESS than $2 a piece, ( sometimes as low as $0.90) Or am I missing something here? dontheturner

Well .. we can buy resin pens from WalMart for the same $2, maybe less.
Does that mean we should never make pens?

It depends on how much of the project you want to take on yourself.
Some people like to make colors they can't buy online. Some find it too
difficult to look through the many websites it might take to find (or not find)
the one blank you want. (ever try buying just one $.90 blank from China?)

Some prefer not to use commercially made pen components at all. Some
like to cut segments. Some prefer to mix media.

It's all in what you want to do and what you'd like to learn.
 

workinforwood

Member
Joined
Mar 1, 2007
Messages
8,173
Location
Eaton Rapids, Michigan, USA.
Even if you can buy one blank from China for 90 cents and the shipping was free, I can still make my own cheaper! Plus of course as already stated, I can make them any color I want, any time I want, as well as incorporate things into blanks that are not commercially available anywhere in the world. This is why we cast.
 

its_virgil

Member
Joined
Jan 1, 2004
Messages
8,101
Location
Wichita Falls, TX, USA.
Can't get these from China.
Do a good turn daily!
Don

I am a newbie on this site, and have never cast blanks. I do not see the point, when you can buy them in from Rizheng in China, for LESS than $2 a piece, ( sometimes as low as $0.90) Or am I missing something here? dontheturner
 

Attachments

  • snakes small.JPG
    snakes small.JPG
    46.3 KB · Views: 205
  • IMG_3444.JPG
    IMG_3444.JPG
    42.3 KB · Views: 188
  • sierre logos.JPG
    sierre logos.JPG
    86.8 KB · Views: 191

dontheturner

Member
Joined
Sep 24, 2009
Messages
95
Location
Shropshire UK
I can see, and appreciate what you are saying, but although I was able to get £7 in the UK, for a pen created in some unusual wood, perhaps from the Amazon, which you could not buy in the shops, I cannot possibly, sell ANY pen however unusual, or rare here in Thailand. people say, ''very nice, but it is only a pen''. Do bear in imnd, most have never even seen a gas cooker, like we use, and sleep on a mattress ON THE FLOOR. It is such a different market. dontheturner
 
Joined
Jan 2, 2005
Messages
1,199
Location
Atlantic Beach, Florida.
Snippage

Scratcher of Glass,

These bottles are the little 1/4 Oz bottles. I should have put that you will not be able to buy enough color to do the whole gallon, but with a pen sale or two from your fancy new blanks, it would be super easy to get enuogh paint to finish the gallon.

OR... for $4 a container, you could get several containers of mica from coastal scents. This would probably be the way to go in reality.You probably wouldn't get as many colors within the $100 budget but you would surely have enough mica to do the entire gallon, and prolly a couple more! (The $4 price for model paint is actually kinda high, I can find it locally for as low as 75 cents.)

Okay I don't feel so bad buying my pigs in 4oz jars at $11.95 before my wholesale discount.

If you are paying:
$2.00 per 1/4oz, that is $32.00 per 4oz
$0.75 per 1/4oz, that is $12.00 per 4oz

I still do better with my pigs.
 

RAdams

Banned
Joined
Apr 5, 2009
Messages
2,983
Actually... I spent around $110 on the samplers from coastal scents. I have colored 3 or 4 single gallons, and am well on my way with my 5 gallon bucket of resin. For the purpose of this thread, it is unrealistic to spend $100 on pigment for $50 worth of resin.

The mica is a bit more expensive than the color you use. ($4.95 for an ounce). They also sell the mica colors in 1 teaspoon samples for $1 each. Which would really be the way to go for doing your first gallon under $100. I am not saying my suggestions are the best way to start up, just a cheap way. I think alot of people don't cast because they think it has to be a $1,000 investment to start. In that case, it would be much easier and cheaper to just buy blanks from commercial vendors, and homebrew guys at places like here. I just wanted to offer my opinion on a cheap way to start pouring.


In a perfect world, I would suggest something completely different than the $100 start up. The fact of the matter though, Is that nobody wants to spend $200 on 5 gallons of resin, and another $400 plus on the complete mica set, and $50 or so on a pot, and $50 or so on a toaster, and however much a sonic jewelry cleaner is, and resin saver molds, air compressor, hose and accessories, cups, gloves, mixing sticks, work surface, lighting, etc. etc. ESPECIALLY when starting up. Not to mention, I wish someone wuld have shared this info with me before i bought a pressure pot and $40 worth of silicone for a mold... neither of which i use any more.
 

Jgrden

Member
Joined
Mar 27, 2009
Messages
6,287
Location
hOUSTON, Texas
Can't get these from China.
Do a good turn daily!
Don
Whatt method did you use? Did you put a label directly onto the tube (it doesn't look like it) or did you add the label to a: clear, white, black alumilite blank? How many of what kind of coat did you use? CA - 6 coats?
 

DennisM

Member
Joined
Apr 30, 2009
Messages
636
Location
Northern Illinois
The label is added to the tube prior to casting. There are a few threads on it here, its basicly the same as the technique using stamps, forgot the term.

The general thing to watch for is air bubbles under the label, and certain glues break apart in the pr.

I did one as a trial using a piece of measureing tape from a table saw. It worked just my casting was flawed.. :)
 
Top Bottom