7mm embedded tube casters......

[PenMan1]

How do you seal up the ends of the 7mm tubes?

I do quite a bit of vertical tube casting. I find this really a simple and straight forward procedure.....with Jrs, Sierras, Gentlemans, etc. In those casts I jam a silicone "cork" in either end of the tube, seal off the bottom of my clear tube and let her rip.

The only way I've found to do a 7mm vertical embedded cast it to turn points on dowels. This is QUITE CUMBERSOME and somewhat time consuming. There HAS TO BE A MORE TIME EFFICIENT WAY!

Help!

 

[its_virgil]

Why not do the 7mm tubes the same way? Silicone plugs are available. What am I missing? You could use a smaller tube to save resin.
Do a good turn daily!
Don

 

[PenMan1]

Don:
The smallest silicone corks I can find around here (small town) barely fit into a Sierra tube.

Where can I buy tiny corks on line?

I'm not so interested in saving resin. I have an idea for razors which require a bigger diameter pour.

 

[Jim Burr]

Little corks...I think I have a bag in the shop somewhere. I don't have a source, but if you Google it, I'm sure you can come up with something. I seem to remember small black rubber stopper in that bag. Potato could work too...but the question of starch and resin reacting comes to mind.

 

[Jim Burr]

10 small corks by impedimentavintage on Etsy

Just found these

 

[its_virgil]

I have used real cork stoppers, black hard rubber stoppers and silicone stoppers. The silicone stoppers are the best I have used....hands down.
Do a good turn daily!
Don

 

[its_virgil]

Echo - Silicone Tapered Plugs 600F (315C)

High Temp Silicone Plugs 1/8 - 1/4 10/pack


Search for powder coating silicone plugs and you will find lots of online sources. Maybe even on ebay. I did get some off of ebay and ther werer not large enough to plug a 7mm tube. I get most of mine from the Echo supply link.

Do a good turn daily!
Don

Don:
The smallest silicone corks I can find around here (small town) barely fit into a Sierra tube.

Where can I buy tiny corks on line?

I'm not so interested in saving resin. I have an idea for razors which require a bigger diameter pour.

 

[JohnU]

Argon Masking : CSP SILICONE PLUGS FOR POWDER COATING
Here's a site that works well for me.

 

[Harley2001]

Get some play Dough that kids play with

 

[Jim Burr]

Sorry...just trying to offer a little help.

 

[PenMan1]

THANK YOU, EVERYONE.

JohnU. Those little silicone corks are EXACTLY the ticket. AND the price is great. That's EXACTLY what I use for the big corks. They work GREAT! AND, you source is about 1/10th the price of trying to buy local.

 

[PenMan1]

Get some play Dough that kids play with

That's exactly what I did on the last cast (plumber's putty, actually as a 5LB can is $4). It has a "few issues" with pressure casting as the pressure forces the putty up the tube and then seals the end, making it a BOOGER to clean inside of the tube.

 

[Tim'sTurnings]

Rubber Stoppers | buy from WidgetCo®

This is where I bought some cork stoppers for slimlines.
Tim.

 

[hard hat]

how about a pencil sharpener to make the points on the dowel? a power sharpener would make it quick, I've even got one that has a quick connect to put into a drill and its the fastest thing i've ever seen for making a point on a dowel. have a dozen of them, sharpen them all, bandsaw the ends off and do it again.

 

[its_virgil]

There are so many things to use to plug the ends of tubes when casting. I have probably used all of them...or close, anyway. Silicone plugs work the best of all I have tried. They are soft and can be pushed in well enough to seal. The heat of curing causes the air inside the tube to expand and unless a good seal is obtained then there will be problems. Either air leaking out or resin leaking in. I like making do as easily and cheaply as the next guy but silicone plugs are well worth the money to help increase the success rate of tube in casting...with or without pressure....vertical or horizontal molds...homemade or purchased molds.
Do a good turn daily!
Don

 

[crokett]

Why not take a few tubes, squirt in some silicone caulk in one end and wait? instant plugs. only do one end, so after the silicone cures you can push the plug out from the other end.

 

[Pjohnson]

How do you keep the tube centered in the vertical mold?