Diving in feet first

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Draconias

Member
Joined
Feb 27, 2008
Messages
38
Location
Mulino, OR, USA.
Hi Guys,

Well Betty and I have dove into this whole casting thing. We bought a Quart of Castin-Craft PR from Michaels (40% off) and some die. We mixed up the PR in two cups and added some Blue die in one cup and red in the other. We used the PVC method and poured a couple of blanks pouring both colors at once. After it dried, it looks like the colors seperated and red flowed to one end and the blue to the other end.

We then decided to try using the Pearl Ex pigments, and bought the Series 2 package with 16 colors. This time we made a horizontal mold and poured in one color, then the other and it looked like it was going to be really cool looking. But we I turned it on the lathe, it looked like the colors again were layered. This time it may have simply been due to me pouring the second color onto of the first color. It looked like the second color was flowing through the first one. I see where people use a small stick to stir the two colors in the mold, I didn't do this.

I read some where that you should wait until the resin just started to jel before pouring it into the mold. Do any of the rest of you have problems with the colors seperating on you?

We are slowly figuring out the whole casting thing, and taking notes so that we can reproduce one that turns out nicely. We are having a blast, and have all of the casting articles printed out in a three ring binder. You would think we were hooked on this, lol.

Ron
 
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Have you read the write ups in the library and watched the videos on YouTube? Those will answer just about any question you'll have. After that, it's trial and error time.
 
Waiting to pour your resin just before it sets is the key. The closer to the magic moment the better. If you pour early, you'll have the heavier resin sink. Or worse, they'll bleed together. Usually that's worse than the one color sinking. While this is probably not what you want to hear, it really takes about a gallon of mixing to start to get a feel for when it's the right time to pour. At least that was my experience.
 
I was thinking it was that I was just not waiting long enough, thanks for confirming this for me. We also discovered yesterday that if you stir the mix continously, that it doesn't setup as quickly as it does if you stir it for a few minutes and let it sit. Betty stirred her's for a few minutes and stepped a away while I continued to stir mine. She came back to check her mix and it had turned to "Snot" (her words, lol), while mine had not started to jel.

Ron
 
healeydays said:
Also, what is the temperature in the room you are mixing in? That also affects setup.
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Yup. This is a big part of it. It's why I allow my cups of resin to sit in a pot of hot tap water for eight minutes before pouring and THEN put the mold into a toaster oven at 150*F. Otherwise, it'll take days, if not weeks to cure, as I have to keep my garage door open, and it's in the low 30's right now.
 
We are casting in our kitchen with a windows open. So probably 65-68 or so. I am just going to have to get my stop watch out and time how long it takes to start jelling. Then I will know where my mixing window is. It sounds like the keys are number of drops of MEKP and the temperature (I might try placing the cup of resin in hot water to thin it down) that effect the time it takes to start jelling. How many drops do you guys normally use per oz? Seems like I have seen any where from 4 or 5 up to 7 or 8. I have been using 7, but I am thinking of cutting back to 5.

Ron
 
I use four per ounce because I heat the resin. I want a softer final product that is easier to turn, with less chance of chipping.

Left at garage temperature (40 and below when shut), at that mix rate, I've had resin stay in the "gel" state for days on end.
 
jbswearingen said:
It's why I allow my cups of resin to sit in a pot of hot tap water for eight minutes before pouring and THEN put the mold into a toaster oven at 150*F. Otherwise, it'll take days, if not weeks to cure, as I have to keep my garage door open, and it's in the low 30's right now.
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I bring my fresh poured molds inside by placing them in a cardboard box & taping it shut. It passes my wife's smell test, and usually the next morning they are ready to take out. I use vertical molds, and they won't go in my toaster oven.
 
Have you tried turning your oven on its side? Sounds crazy, but it might work. Does for mine, but I don't like the results from vertical molds.
 
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