Clear Casting Resins

[jttheclockman]

This has come up various times so thought I would ask the question and maybe others can use this thread as a stepping stone for future casting. I have gotten into clear casting in the last 2 + years and switched to Liquid Diamonds epoxy resin for this. I did this on the hype and recommendations of some and have had excellent results. The main reason I switched from Silmar41 is because epoxy resins stick to just about everything and no bubbles. But I have been hearing lately of yellowing factor. Now as someone pointed out we thin our pen blanks so thin when we turn them that yellowing is really not a factor. Now I know from using epoxy glues that they will yellow over time including the so called clear ones. I have seen this. But casting resins are suppose to have UV prohibitors in them and thought this would deter that yellowing effect to some degree.

So my question here will be what resins do you use for clear casting such as cast on tubes?? Have you seen any yellowing effect over time and if so do you have examples to show us all.?? Where are you getting your resins from?? Are there special requirements like pressure pot, heating, time restraints for use and things of this nature. Maybe if you experimented with more than one can you give us your findings?? My only 2 resins I use are Silmar41 and Liquid Diaminds. I found silmar is great for color casting and making pen blanks but does not stick as well to parts such as watch parts when casting and bubbles form even in a pressure pot. Have not had that with LD because it is so much thinner and longer open time for bubbles to disperse. Like to hear others thoughts. Thanks.

 

[magpens]

Thanks for your post on this topic, John .

I don't do any casting yet but am interested in the technology because I use a lot of purchased cast blanks .

 

[howsitwork]

Mal

its a whole new world believe me !!

Some parts of it don't smell too pleasant either.

Im trying aluminite clear and glasscast 10:50 so far. Interesting but not in JT's league for results.

 

[eteska]

Following with great interest as I have just started playing with label casting. My first few I did with cheap epoxy resin as that is what I had on hand.

Curious/worried about yellowing. I guess time will tell. Those who have experienced yellowing. Roughly how long before the yellowing started?

Here is my first attempt.

Sent from my iPhone using Penturners.org mobile app

 

[Brandy]

Alumilite and I haven't had any issues so far

 

[its_virgil]

Not sure which epoxy resin this is (RP OR LD) but both have done this fir me. This blank has been on a shelf in a cabinet with several others. Never been out of my shop.

Epoxy and urethane for me have failed casting snake skin blanks.

I will continue using Silmar 42 for snake blanks and alumilite clear and clear slow for labels.

Do a good turn daily!
Don

 

[jttheclockman]

Not sure which epoxy resin this is (RP OR LD) but both have done this fir me. This blank has been on a shelf in a cabinet with several others. Never been out of my shop.

Epoxy and urethane for me have failed casting snake skin blanks.

I will continue using Silmar 42 for snake blanks and alumilite clear and clear slow for labels.

Do a good turn daily!
DonView attachment 292520

Don is it possible the snakeskin had that effect?? Toxins from the skins. ?? Do you have any with silmar sitting for that age??

 

[Don Rabchenuk]

I have label blanks that have done the same as Don's. They have not left the house and are kept in a closed container. I would take pics but am out of town for another week.

 

[bmachin]

John,

Here are a couple of videos from Alumilite that may help a bit. The first is on the science of yellowing in epoxies (Alumilite has a yellowing resistant epoxy). The second goes into the differences between epoxies and urethanes.

Both are a bit theatrical but worth a watch.

Bill

 

[jttheclockman]

Thanks I will read them or watch them.

Has anyone used this resin?? It is again suppose to be absolutely clear and will stay that way.

POLY-OPTIC 1411

 

[its_virgil]

Don is it possible the snakeskin had that effect?? Toxins from the skins. ?? Do you have any with silmar sitting for that age??

I dont think the skin is the problem. I have been casting snake blanks since 1998 and Silmar 41 has never yellowed on me. But, I suppose the skin or tanning could have reacted with the epoxy...don't think so.

The blank set pictured was cast about a year age and has been on the same shelf with the epoxy blank.

Do a good turn daily!
Don

 

[jttheclockman]

I dont think the skin is the problem. I have been casting snake blanks since 1998 and Silmar 41 has never yellowed on me. But, I suppose the skin or tanning could have reacted with the epoxy...don't think so.

The blank set pictured was cast about a year age and has been on the same shelf with the epoxy blank.View attachment 292559

Do a good turn daily!
Don

Thanks Don. I too have been using Silmar 41 for many years. I cast all my braiding blanks in them and never had a problem. But my thoughts were with things like abalone shells and watch parts there are so many nooks and crannys that I think there would be bubbles before the resin sets. I have seen this with some braidings I did. That is why I switched to epoxy because it is so thin and has a great open time for bubbles to set. May have to try a few watchpart blanks with silmar and see what happens. Problem is all the work involved to ruin a blank. My next LD pour I am going to have a test blank that I will leave in the sun light and also one in just basement conditions for some time and keep tract of the shades. I was hoping someone had done some experimenting. I really really hate to switch to alumilite.

 

[its_virgil]

Thanks Don. I too have been using Silmar 41 for many years. I cast all my braiding blanks in them and never had a problem. But my thoughts were with things like abalone shells and watch parts there are so many nooks and crannys that I think there would be bubbles before the resin sets. I have seen this with some braidings I did. That is why I switched to epoxy because it is so thin and has a great open time for bubbles to set. May have to try a few watchpart blanks with silmar and see what happens. Problem is all the work involved to ruin a blank. My next LD pour I am going to have a test blank that I will leave in the sun light and also one in just basement conditions for some time and keep tract of the shades. I was hoping someone had done some experimenting. I really really hate to switch to alumilite.

I am hearing good things about Alumilite Amazing Clear Cast Plus and utilize Amazing Deep Pour.
Don

 

[CREID]

this site may be helpful

Clear Epoxy Resin for tables bartop marine repair jewelry casting

Crystal clear epoxy resin shipped from USA. UV absorbent epoxy resin, non yellowing, electrical potting, tabletop finish, bartop coating, jewelry casting, pigments, cabosil fumed silica and crafting materials

www.theepoxyresinstore.com

 

[jttheclockman]

Watched the videos and no they were not helpful. Alumilites clears are also epoxy resins so they too will yellow. Maybe a little longer because they use abit more UV preventative but will yellow. Not looking for bar top epoxy and the others listed are just what I use LD. I may give that poly-optic a try and see what that is all about. Thanks everyone.

Interesting video. Need to slow it down to comprehend it.

http://www.bing.com/videos/search?q...A765712F53C12D9907E8A76&view=detail&FORM=VIRE

Been reading and Art Resin seems to get high marks for UV protection. Anyone using this resin???

 

[McKenzie Penworks]

All clear plastics will yellow eventually. The new Alumilite epoxy has the appropriate inhibitors that most (liquid diamonds etc) lack to postpone that yellowing as much as possible.

1411 is a good resin but it will require pressure and is viscous enough I wouldn't trust stirring by hand personally. Also, I don't believe it has any additional UV resistance built in... You could get Urethane additives though I suppose.

We're playing with a new resin now that's UV resistant Urethane but it absolutely requires a proper curing oven so it's not really suited for hobby use. Have a few clear rods cast to see how they do in direct sun.

 

[bmachin]

Been reading and Art Resin seems to get high marks for UV protection. Anyone using this resin???

John,

I assume that you have looked at the threads from the past few years regarding ArtResin here on IAP. The original poster who mentioned ArtResin how ArtResin achieves its uv resistance. I suspect that the chemical additive that they use is the same that Alumilite uses so there should be little if any difference in yellowing resistance. Original post here:

UV Stabilization

Hey guys, Hope this isn't a double post but I have concerns about fading/yellowing, color change of both resin and dyes. I'm not a pen turner but I do work with epoxy resins, sheet acrylic, and acrylic resin (Weld On 40) for art projects. I found out that most if not all dyes are not color...

www.penturners.org

The only instance that I have seen of someone making a pen from ArtResin is here:

"You Can't Make a Pen from Art Resin!"

Hey All I had some Art Resin laying around after doing a tabletop pour. Normally I only use Alumilite Clear for Pen Blanks, but I had a couple ounces left over so I figured I'd try to make an Art Resin pen and see what happened. This pen is paired with Canadiana Silver/Pewter hardware and a...

www.penturners.org

Bill

 

[jttheclockman]

John,

I assume that you have looked at the threads from the past few years regarding ArtResin here on IAP. The original poster who mentioned ArtResin how ArtResin achieves its uv resistance. I suspect that the chemical additive that they use is the same that Alumilite uses so there should be little if any difference in yellowing resistance. Original post here:

UV Stabilization

Hey guys, Hope this isn't a double post but I have concerns about fading/yellowing, color change of both resin and dyes. I'm not a pen turner but I do work with epoxy resins, sheet acrylic, and acrylic resin (Weld On 40) for art projects. I found out that most if not all dyes are not color...

www.penturners.org

The only instance that I have seen of someone making a pen from ArtResin is here:

"You Can't Make a Pen from Art Resin!"

Hey All I had some Art Resin laying around after doing a tabletop pour. Normally I only use Alumilite Clear for Pen Blanks, but I had a couple ounces left over so I figured I'd try to make an Art Resin pen and see what happened. This pen is paired with Canadiana Silver/Pewter hardware and a...

www.penturners.org

Bill

Actually Bill I had not thought about looking here. Thanks will do some digging here as well as reading those links. The huge problem with Alumilite is they have WAYYYYYY too many products and continue to add and I bet many people have no idea what the differences are. I included a link of a test of epoxy resins by an independant company and Alumilite clear did not do well in the yellowing catagory Now are there other alumilite formulas since that was done who knows. I probably will use up what LD I have and try to get back to good old Silmar for all casting needs.

 

[jttheclockman]

Just read the threads and looks like the OP liked the Art Resin after all. I guess many times it comes down to claims of nonyellowing but eventually all will yellow. As other pen turners had said, being we turn down a blank to such a thin layer we probably will never notice and shift in hues. Especially if the background is full color and not much white.

 

[bmachin]

John,

The video that you linked to is one that was commissioned by ArtResin 3 or 4 years ago. The Alumilite epoxy in the comparison was Amazing Clear Cast--which is still in Alumilite's catalog. Alumilite's new UV resistant epoxy is Amazing Clear Cast Plus which is new --maybe the past year or two. Note that Liquid Diamond is not in the test as it came out at about the same or shortly after the the first mention of ArtResin here. LD claims UV resistance, but makes no mention of testing or chemical compositions.

I think that I should go and take a nap now.

Bill

 

[its_virgil]

Alumilites clears are also epoxy resins so they too will yellow.

Alumilite Clear and Clear Slow are urethane resins. Amazing Clear Cast and Amazing Clear Cast Plus are their epoxies.
Do a good turn daily!
Don

 

[jttheclockman]

Alumilite Clear and Clear Slow are urethane resins. Amazing Clear Cast and Amazing Clear Cast Plus are their epoxies.
Do a good turn daily!
Don

Too many resins Don. Not a fan of theirs.