Looking for help with my latest crackpot idea

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Cwalker935

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May 18, 2014
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Richmond, Va
I have a bumper crop of sweet gum balls in my yard and could not get he idea of trying to make a bowl with them. I bought a stackable plastic bowl set with the thought of using the bowls as molds. I placed gumballs between the largest bowl and the middle bowl and filled the space between them with PR resin (I filled the middle bowl with water so it would not float out). The larger bowl came off with some tugging. I have not gotten the small bowl off yet. Any suggestions on how to get it off? I am thinking about putting it in the refrigerator or freezer hopping that the temperature change might pop it loose or conversely taking my wife's hair dryer to it. As a last resort, I will break the bowl.

My plan is to turn a recess in the bottom, chuck it up, turn it thinner and polish it up.

C8A2B601-7FDB-4C99-A1FC-EF16893FB589.jpeg
 
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SteveG

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Dec 21, 2009
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Eugene, Oregon 97404
Travel back in time. Apply some release agent to both bowls prior to casting. I think, as time passes and you are ready to remove your casting from the bowls, they will just pop right out. Be sure to have enough fuel in the ole time machine to get back to the present, otherwise you may spend the rest of your life out of sync with the rest of the world.

This should produce an interesting turning! Have fun!
 

Charlie_W

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Nov 16, 2011
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Sterling, VA USA
What about boiling water for a few minutes and then dump and quickly pour in Ice water. Have the ice water ready ahead of the hot water.
Let us know what works.
 

MRDucks2

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Jul 17, 2017
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Bristow, IN
I had resin stuck in some white candy molds and simply putting it in the freezer for a couple of days then pulling it out allowed me to get the resin out in one piece.
 
Joined
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Tellico Plains, Tennessee, USA.
I'll be no help, but glad you have the sweetgum balls in your yard and not mine... we had a sweetgum in my yard in Houston and those things were lethal when the lawn mower started throwing them about.

But I do like your idea, looking forward to seeing finished bowl.
 

Cwalker935

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May 18, 2014
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Richmond, Va
I continued to try to work the inner bowl free and I could hear it popping and feel it flexing. I thought it was coming free and applied more pressure so much so that the bowl broke. I turned a recess on the bottom of the cast and turned the remainder of the inner bowl out. The inner bowl was a bit brittle so the flying pieces were a bit scary. I had on plenty of protection and managed to get the inner bowl out without incident.
 
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