S
spiritwoodturner
Guest
I've finished several batches of PR, under some different circumstances with different equipment, and here's my question. Are there different cutting characteristics with PR, depending how much catalyst you add, what you add into the finished mix (beans, rice, rutabaga's, whatever), how you mix it, etc.? My first few batches have turned more like the PR blanks you buy that act more like glass than plastic. I always use sharp tools, and I've gotten them done, but what about the PR blanks one buys where you get nice ribbons off the tool, that are more "rubbery" in consistency than what I'm getting. Then again, are those resin at all, or are they Acrylic Acetate or something like that?
The reason I ask, is I was cutting a tenon for a Silver Bullet today and even with a freshly sharpened 1/16th" parting tool I got a little piece crack off like glass. I find the other blanks I'm referring to above don't tend to do that. Does Alumilite offer that more rubbery consistency?
I did get a perfect fruity pebbles Dick Sing pen done this weekend, will post pics when I get out of the shop long enough to take them. My kids want me to make one for every single kid in both their classes. I also did my first batch with an untrasonic jewelry cleaner like the one Don Ward was referring too in a recent thread. I was a bit skeptical about their ability to actually mix material, but as I watched it you could actually see it turn it over, like a mixer would! NOT a good option if you are trying to keep colors separate, but the mold was VERY HOT to the touch when I took it out, and was hard and dry in an hour, I'm sure due to the warm water bath and better mixing than I was getting, even with a drill and tongue depressor. The reason I set this batch in the cleaner was to see if I got no bubbles in the mix, because until I get my 2nd pressure pot set up (I have buckeye burl stabilizing right now) I wanted to know if this was a good alternative. But a second pot is imperative. And a third. And...
On a side note-Don't use the clear/colored plastic cups from Costco to hold resin in while mixing in the ultrasonic cleaner, or I guess for anything. The resin MELTED the bottoms out of both cups while they were in the water bath! I got it cleaned out with Acetone, but don't make that mistake, now that I have...there is a lot to learn about this casting business, but it is FUN!!!
Back to the Laboratory,
Dale
The reason I ask, is I was cutting a tenon for a Silver Bullet today and even with a freshly sharpened 1/16th" parting tool I got a little piece crack off like glass. I find the other blanks I'm referring to above don't tend to do that. Does Alumilite offer that more rubbery consistency?
I did get a perfect fruity pebbles Dick Sing pen done this weekend, will post pics when I get out of the shop long enough to take them. My kids want me to make one for every single kid in both their classes. I also did my first batch with an untrasonic jewelry cleaner like the one Don Ward was referring too in a recent thread. I was a bit skeptical about their ability to actually mix material, but as I watched it you could actually see it turn it over, like a mixer would! NOT a good option if you are trying to keep colors separate, but the mold was VERY HOT to the touch when I took it out, and was hard and dry in an hour, I'm sure due to the warm water bath and better mixing than I was getting, even with a drill and tongue depressor. The reason I set this batch in the cleaner was to see if I got no bubbles in the mix, because until I get my 2nd pressure pot set up (I have buckeye burl stabilizing right now) I wanted to know if this was a good alternative. But a second pot is imperative. And a third. And...
On a side note-Don't use the clear/colored plastic cups from Costco to hold resin in while mixing in the ultrasonic cleaner, or I guess for anything. The resin MELTED the bottoms out of both cups while they were in the water bath! I got it cleaned out with Acetone, but don't make that mistake, now that I have...there is a lot to learn about this casting business, but it is FUN!!!
Back to the Laboratory,
Dale