need some info on casting..

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xmaddchillx

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Joined
Nov 9, 2008
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Location
Boca Raton, FL
I would like to get into making my own acrylic blanks. Where can I order supplies online? I havent browsed this section of the forum too much yet but if anyone could point me to a good tutorial ( with photos ) i would appreciate it. Or any books that I can purchase

Thanks guys
 
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I don't intend for this reply to sound rude but sometimes a reply like mine is taken in the wrong way. So, here it is and I hope you take it in the spirit in which it is given: We have an excellent library here on IAP. There are several articles about casting pen blanks with info on what is needed, where to get supplies, how to make molds, color resin, and even casting snake skins. You should start with the articles by Richard Greenwald....an excellent artivcle. One of our members has even posted casting videos on You-tube...grub32 (I think). You need to decide if you want to cast polyester resin or alumalite and what exactly you want to cast...colored blanks, swirls, snakeskins or logo labels. They are two totally different resins and each has its good and bad qualities. Alumalite works better than polyresin for worthless wood casting but polyester resin works better than alumalite for embedding material in clear casts like snake skins and computer printed logos on mailing labels. The learning curve is not too steep or long (funny I should say that...I'm still going uphill at times). You should not have any problems with the wealth of knowledge in the library and in the heads of some of the members here. So, do your homework, read the articles, get some supplies and I'm sure there are those here who will help you get started. The casting forum has many excellent threads on several areas of casting.

Check this:http://users.lmi.net/drewid/resin_faq.html

Good luck and happy casting.
Do a good turn daily!
Don


xmaddchillx said:
I would like to get into making my own acrylic blanks. Where can I order supplies online? I havent browsed this section of the forum too much yet but if anyone could point me to a good tutorial ( with photos ) i would appreciate it. Or any books that I can purchase

Thanks guys
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If you can witness a tutorial in person is an amazing training tool as well. My intro was a demo at a chapter meeting. VERY informative! 90% of what i do casting was learned that day. Thee is some trial and error involved even with a top notch tutorial, especially if you experiment with things like pouring with ribbons, or over shavings etc. (As i stare at failed oatmeal blanks on my computer desk)
 
Casting 40" rods is the easy part. Getting the thin line swirls and ribbons is....easy for those who have the secret, equipment, engineering departments, R&D departments .... Not so easy for us. Some "acrylics" (and there are many types) are not easily done in the our shops without special equipment. Polyester resin and alumalite work well without expensive equipment.
Do a good turn daily!
Don

xmaddchillx said:
Hey I don't know! I see some sites sell 40" rods of acrylic blanks. How is that accomplished? Getting a longer narrow mold?
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