New casts, new molds

[Glass Scratcher]

I tried Grub32's mixing method to inaugurate some new molds. I like it alot.

Here is the first cast of new mold #1.

This is the demold.

The cavities are .76 x .76 x 5.5 inches, and each cavitity holds 2oz of resin. I poured a little extra thinking I would loose some in the 4 color cups but suprise! I didn't loose nearly as much as I expected.

Silmar 41, 4dps MEKp (it was raining), preheated the mold with a heat gun.

 

[badger]

Legos are wonderful mold making tools.

 

[Glass Scratcher]

Originally posted by badger

Legos are wonderful mold making tools.

I was wondering if anyone would notice. [8D]

I had to fight enough of them away from the kids, to make the box, now I don't know if I want to give'em back. I never got to play with Legos as a youngster.

 

[Texatdurango]

I like the colors, makes me want to start making some of these. So if one wanted to make some 5/8" or 11/16" silicone molds instead of 3/4", are the appropriate lego blocks available?

 

[Glass Scratcher]

Originally posted by Texatdurango

I like the colors, makes me want to start making some of these. So if one wanted to make some 5/8" or 11/16" silicone molds instead of 3/4", are the appropriate lego blocks available?

The cane forms were made from 3/4" "square" dowels cut to 5-1/2" lengths that I surfaced to seal with Silmar 249 suncuring resin for surfboards. I mounted them on a bed of block caps. Built a 3 block high box with the cappers(which I think are Mega-Blocks). Bought some silicone, made up 5 of these molds.

Sorry I didn't take many pictures in process.

If the square dowel is available in the size one wants then anyone can make any size they want.

 

[sbell111]

When I made mine, I just used some pen blanks that were the same size as I wanted to make. Mine were wooden ones that had a wax coating, but I could have used PR ones easy enough.

 

[Glass Scratcher]

This is the first cast of mold 2/5. A little different mix. Went in at 3am, out at 10am. Just a tiny bit tacky on the corners. A good post-cure will remedy that.

 

[Glass Scratcher]

Here is the first cast of mold #3,

and this is the first cast of mold #4

I'm now going to wax up #5 and take it for a test run.

 

[VisExp]

Those look great. I'm really looking forward to next Monday evening! Glass Scratcher is giving a casting demo at our next local wood turning meeting

 

[Glass Scratcher]

Originally posted by VisExp

Those look great. I'm really looking forward to next Monday evening! Glass Scratcher is giving a casting demo at our next local wood turning meeting

Thanks Keith. I'm looking forward to the demo as well(for some reason that just doesn't sound quite right). Just to make sure I haven't been breathing too many PR fumes, the meeting is on the 14th (second Monday of the month), yes?

 

[VisExp]

Yes. It is the second Monday, which is pretty late this month, the 14th.

Although I seem to have a habit of going up for the meeting on the first Monday [:I] I must be eager to get there early or something, I've done that two or three times

 

[Glass Scratcher]

Originally posted by VisExp

Yes. It is the second Monday, which is pretty late this month, the 14th.

Although I seem to have a habit of going up for the meeting on the first Monday [:I] I must be eager to get there early or something, I've done that two or three times

I remember one of the times I arrived "early" for a meeting and Bob the former club president showed up while I was waiting. He did apologise for the the meeting being the next week. I still felt like a fool for not checking a calender. Of course it didn't help the chorus of laughter... I still look forward to the next meeting.[:I]

 

[Glass Scratcher]

Alright the final inaugural casting, MOLD NUMBA 5!

Thanks to eveyone who stopped for a look-see.

 

[Texatdurango]

Originally posted by Glass Scratcher

Alright the final inaugural casting, MOLD NUMBA 5!

Thanks to eveyone who stopped for a look-see.

Alright, enough with the mold shots..... I wanna see some pens!

 

[Glass Scratcher]

Originally posted by Texatdurango
Alright, enough with the mold shots..... I wanna see some pens!

Pens? You mean I'm supposed to do something with these after I cast them? Now I know why I have so many of these things and sticks of wood lying about![)]

 

[follow3]

Hey Glasscratcher,

GREAT looking blanks!!!

Can you elaborate a little on the details of your color mixing tachnique?

Also:
1. What type of silicone for the molds?
2. Where did you buy the silicone and the Silmar 249?

Thanks for the inspiration!!
Steve

 

[Glass Scratcher]

Originally posted by follow3

Hey Glasscratcher,

GREAT looking blanks!!!

Can you elaborate a little on the details of your color mixing tachnique?

Also:
1. What type of silicone for the molds?
2. Where did you buy the silicone and the Silmar 249?

Thanks for the inspiration!!
Steve

Steve,

The molds were made from Oomoo 25 RTV Silicone, from Smooth-on. I ordered it from ReynoldsAM, in Orlando.
http://www.smoothon.com/
http://www.reynoldsam.com/

The Silmar 249 I purchased from Surfsource. I only purchased a pint, cause a little goes a long way. It is a finishing resin marketed as Surboard Resin made by U.S. Composites, but Surfsource adds Titanium Dioxide UV curing agent to it. I only used it to laminate the square "dowels" that I mounted to make my master/plug to create the mold.

The castings shown were all made with Silmar 41 from U.S. Composites.
http://www.uscomposites.com/polyesters.html

I used 4 drops of MEKp catalyst. It rained on and off all this last week and weekend, when they were being cast so I increased the catalyst 1 drop per ounce. I would rather use 3 drops per ounce but the humidity was so high.

The pigments were those available from U.S. Composites and Surfsource, augmented by Pearl-Ex powdered tints, metalics, duos, and interference micas. I bought those available at HL and ACM mostly with 40% or 50% off coupons, (the only way to buy them) and 2 I paid full price for at the big specialty artstore in downtown Jacksonville.

The next batch of powders will be from Coastalscents.com, but I am set for at least the next week. Of course then I will have to weigh the new powders and reset my color mix/formulas.

I'm prepping a demonstration for my turning club on Monday the 14th, & I plan to submit my notes to the library after the meeting. Just be patient a bit longer.

 

[Mather323]

Nice looking casts!

 

[KDM]

Legos are wonderful mold making tools.

Here's one way to ressurect an old post:

I don't think Lego has a plural. Sticking an 's' on the end is not quite the same as sticking an 's' on the end of "sheep" or "salmon." I'd have gone with "Lego is a wonderful mould making tool."

Anyway. Age-old soapboxes aside, I'm off to try it!! The edges of my moulds are really gnarly 'cos I was too lazy to sand the MDF.