sbell111
Member
When casting beans or money or the like, the material being cast will go all the way to the outside of the cast blank and, in fact, be turned down to create the pen. This is generally no problem. (However, 'bean' pens should really be finished with CA, rather than any of the friction polishes.)Have only made a few pens, but would like to try the casting technique. I can imagine some interesting stuff if clear casting material can be used.
Have one quick question: How are individual items (beans for example) held so that the item does not touch the outside, ie. the actual bean can be touched on the outside of the casting, or are the items so saturated that contacting the outside periphery is not a concern. Or is a first casting done with items touching the outside, then recast in the center, or coated on the outside to protect the exposed bean?
Casting individual items like fishing flies into a blank so that it is encased in the end of a closed end pen requires a somewhat different casting technique. Basically, I would cast that blank just like I cast bottle stoppers. The blank would be cast 'standing up' in a tube using multiple pours. The first pour would stop slightly below where you want the fly to 'float'. The second would be a thin layer of clear PR. You then place the item in the center of the cast area and pour the final layer of clear PR.I can imagine casting some small flies into a pen for fly fishermen (we spend a ridiculous amount on stupid stuff, particularly the guys down there at Tellico, and the guys who drive from here (Knoxville) to there :biggrin.