Are urethanes casting resins harder to get a high gloos on?

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LandfillLumber

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Are urethane casting resins harder to get a high gloss on?

I have started to play with urethane casting resins and wonder if its different in the method to get a nice high gloss look.Seems like I get a much higher gloss with polyester resins,is it my method or is this natural with urethane resins???Maybe its the product I'm using?Does alumilite do the same thing?Thank you,Victor
 
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It's not you or your methods Victor . In general Alumilite and other urethanes I have tried do not shine as well as polyester resins . That has been one of the biggest complaints with Alumilite . Most people will add a coat of CA to get a better shine .
Alumilite is now selling a product called "Crystal Clear" that is supposed to be more like PR when it comes to shine but I haven't tried any yet so I cant say if it is any better but those who have say it is .
 
I know some people say you can't get a good gloss with Alumilite, but I
don't think that's true at all. What I think often happens is that people mistake
the resin being SET with the resin being CURED. I see post mentioning that they
can start turning 45 minutes after pouring, but I find that the finish is much
better if you post cure and even let it sit a day or two before turning or finishing.

I think you can get a good gloss finish with urethane resin (perhaps not as high as
PR) but you might need to tweak your finishing regime a little.
 
Not to argue with you Charlie but I have let it cure a week or more and still couldn't get as nice a shine as I get with PR . I don't just MM it when I finish , I buff it using Tripoli and White Diamond buffing compounds and it looks good but no where as nice as buffed PR . I will admit that letting it cure does make it easier to sand but does not change the gloss of the finish .
The shine or gloss is why Alumilite is now making their "Crystal Clear" version , to address this issue . I really hope that the new Crystal Clear fixes this problem , the LOML has COPD and can't come any where near the shop when I'm casting with PR so the new stuff would be a great thing .
 
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I really like the ease of the ureathanes to PR.PR is nasty stuff sticky/stincky/and cure time is a pain.Thanks this makes me feel better that its not just me.I will have to try the new alumilite.Any one used the crystal clear stuff yet???Thanks for the info. Victor
 
ldb2000 said:
Not to argue with you Charlie
Click to expand...

"Oh yeah?"

"Yeah."

"Yeah?"

"YEAH!"

I got the new stuff too, and yes it polishes better. But I had decent luck
with the clear by using the PlastX after the white diamond and Brasso.
(after MM, of course) and I used the PlastX two or three times. As good
as PR? maybe not, but good.
 
I did a test blank that was 1/3 Alumilite clear, 1/3 Alumilite Crystal Clear as now being sold, and 1/3 of a different, penturning specific version of Crystal Clear that Mike is working on with my help. All three blanks were cast exactly the same and included the same amount of black dye in each.

The three pieces were actually glued together and turned as one blank. They were sanded and polished as one blank using the same routine. The penturning specific version was noticeably shinier with the current Crystal Clear coming in second. The Water Clear was noticeably less shiny.

I then took a black PR blank that I had as well as a black Crystal Clear penturning version and made them into one blank, 1/2 and 1/2. I turned it as one and finished as one. There was no noticeable difference between the PR and the penturning specific test version of Crystal Clear Alumilite! I had 2 other folks look at the blank and asked them which side was shinier and they both said they looked the same.

The Crystal Clear and the Crystal Clear test version both turn differently than regular Alumilite and certainly sand differently. I would say that sanding is quite similar to PR. Both versions of Crystal Clear are definitely more brittle than Water Clear but still not as brittle as PR can be. I actually took a test blank and dropped it on the floor and it did not break. I then threw it 16' up in the air and it still did not break on the concrete floor. I then threw it on the floor as hard as I could and it did not break! It did dent the corner but that was it.

I think the new Crystal Clear penturning version will be the ultimate pen casting resin. It has even less smell than the Water Clear and actually smells like dish soap when you put your nose in the cup. I know that my next 10 gallon order will be Crystal Clear in the new version.
 
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