catalyst

[ahoiberg]

i'm starting from the bottom here, just trying some michaels craftin' resin, not gonna do any pressure (don't have the money for the set-up YET), just going to try my hand at the whole process to see how it goes. but i'm curious to know if i should follow the catalyst recommendations on the can or do any of you have any wisdom to share as far as amount of catalyst to use with respective amounts of PR?

and i know pressure/ultrasonic are the two ways to eliminate bubbles, but any other recommendations from those who do it without? just a slow stir to limit the number of them or something?

thanks y'all.

 

[its_virgil]

I'm assuming you have read the various tutorials and postings on casting. There are some excellent ones here on IAP as well as http://www.penmakersguild.com and the best one I've read can be found in the Yahoo group's files if you are a member... http://www.groups.yahoo.com/group/penturners . I cast only snake skin blanks and use 3 drops of catalyst per ounce of resin. If you are coloring, dying, or adding luster powders the amount of catalyst may need to be adjusted. Start with the recommendation and go from there. Try to introduce as little air as possible by stirring as gently as possible. I add half of the catalyst to the mixing jar, add the resin, then the rest of the catalyst. It really isn't difficult. Good luck and we look forward to seeing what you produce.
Do a good turn daily!
Don

Originally posted by ahoiberg

i'm starting from the bottom here, just trying some michaels craftin' resin, not gonna do any pressure (don't have the money for the set-up YET), just going to try my hand at the whole process to see how it goes. but i'm curious to know if i should follow the catalyst recommendations on the can or do any of you have any wisdom to share as far as amount of catalyst to use with respective amounts of PR?

and i know pressure/ultrasonic are the two ways to eliminate bubbles, but any other recommendations from those who do it without? just a slow stir to limit the number of them or something?

thanks y'all.

 

[karlkuehn]

If nothing else, tapping the mixing container lightly on the bench helps me a little to get the bigger bubbles out. If you're not using a pot yet, I'd mix the resin with as little catalyst as possible to allow time for the air bubbles to come to the top, and it doesn't hurt to lightly tap the filled mold a little as well.

If you want to really get tricky, stick a block of wood on the lathe a little off center, turn it on so it gets some good vibration, and rest your containers on the top of the lathe for a minute. Same premise as ultrasonic, just not so 'ultra'...

Hope this helps!

 

[ahoiberg]

thanks guys, my first cast is currently curing. i used the circular wally world ice trays and michaels craftin' resin. went with 3 drops per ounce to do exactly as karl suggested and let the bubbles work themselves out and they seemed to. i'll find out tomorrow exactly how many made it to the top when i de-mold it. man that stuff stinks! i'll be wearing the mask from now on when pouring PR.

does anyone know if they sell the little corks at hobby lobby or do folks get those online or what?

 

[its_virgil]

The cheapest place I've found is http://www.sunburstbottle.com . The first ones I purchased from Lowes (only place I found them) were 60 cents each... tw in a bag for $1.20...ouch. There was a post yesterday about using rubber stoppers but there was no link to the source and the sizes are not the same as the real cork stoppers.
Do a good turn daily!
Don

Originally posted by ahoiberg



does anyone know if they sell the little corks at hobby lobby or do folks get those online or what?

 

[gwilki]

BPP (before pressure pot), I was using Michael's resin, and just put the "wet" blank in it mold on my scroll saw bed and turned on the saw. As other have said, it's sort of like ultra-sonic vibration, only in slow mo.