Pressure pot or ultrasonic cleaner?

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junosdad

junosdad

Member
Joined
Aug 8, 2008
Messages
71
Location
La Conner, WA
Greetings all.
I've been lurking for the better part of a year and would like to first thank everybody that has so generously contributed to these forums, as they have helped me to produce some fairly passable pens.:smile:

I'm interested in casting my own blanks now, and have been reading the posts and articles, especially the recent thread on casting sans bubbles. It would appear that when casting around a tube, the method described is really the cat's meow. However, I think I'd like to start by merely casting blanks, plus I want to play with pigments and the like.

So I'm trying to decide whether I'd be better off constructing a pressure/vacuum pot or going the ultrasonic cleaner/heater route with the aim of producing colored solid blanks.

Obviously, the correct answer is both, however, in order to ensure domestic tranquility, I'd probably be better off choosing one for the time being, and expanding (again :biggrin:) in the future.

So I turn to you, the 'been there, done that's' for guidance.

Thanks in advance,
Sam
 
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I don't know how expensive an Ultrasonic cleaners is but the pressure pot is only $59.99 when on sale from Harbor Freight.

The plumbing if you make it like MesquiteMan's design will only cost you about $5.

For $65 you can't beat that!!

The heating method may work but with Polyester Resin, it may begin the hardening process just from the heat. I think the PR is cheaper than Alumite but I am not sure because I only use PR.

Hope that helps a little.
 
Since I just poured four sets of blanks in the last 30 minutes with no pressure
pot and no ultrasonic cleaner, I'd say if you're going to do some solid colors, then
get yourself a pan of warm water and bring the resin up to about body temp.

It makes the resin thinner so the bubbles rise to the surface and don't interfere
with the casting. If you're using Alumilite, you can do it pretty much anywhere
since the the fumes aren't so much of an issue. (still use a fan to draw them outside
though..)
 
Hi Tim,
Who was that masked man? Was that at the turnathon at WoodWorld? I was there and I wish I had met him....oh, it was me, I think. I didn't see any other snake blanks. Thanks for the compliments if it were I you with whom you spoke.

Pressure or ultrasonic: my vote would have been for both two months ago. But, my lasts several casts have been with the ultrasonic cleaner. I will not be using my pressure pot unless things go south again. I am more than pleased with my latest castings.

Alumalite requires the pressure pot from what I understand.

Several posts have indicated the use of the ultrasonic cleaner with the colors mixed in the PR. Reports are that the cleaner helps mix the colors, especially the dry powders.

Not usiing the pressure pot should produce the same results with colored blanks as it does with my clear castings. I've had excellent results with both the resin saver molds from NewLondon88 and the molds made by gadget.

I really like the way the heated resin allows air bubbles to quickly rise to the top, although there aren;t many after 30 minutes in the ultrasonic cleaner.

Do a good turn daily!
Don
tim self said:
I met a turner last weekend in Dallas who dasts with only the heated ultrasonic cleaner. His snakeskins were flawless, no air bubbles and crystal clear resin. I'm leaning toward the cleaner method myself.
Click to expand...
 
Don, you may have mentioned this in your other thread, but to lazy to look. What temp are you setting your PR before using? Thanks
 
I don't really know. I use hot tap water and turn on the heater on the cleaner. I've never measured the temp. I would guess it may be somewhere in the 125 degree range. If Roy the Oklahoman see this he may share with us what temp he sets his oven. I think he has told me 140 or so. How about it Roy?
Do a good turn daily!
Don

Rollerbob said:
Don, you may have mentioned this in your other thread, but to lazy to look. What temp are you setting your PR before using? Thanks
Click to expand...
 
Here is the cleaner I use:
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=95563

I place the raw resin into a jar and hot tap water into the cleaner. I place the jar of resin into the cleaner and turn on the heater and the cleaner function. They are separate and can be run together or separate. I run the cleaner for about 30 minutes turning off the heat for the last 10 minutes. When I'm ready to cast, I remove the jar of resin, add the catalyst stir and cast. The cleaner works with ultrasonics which cause the water to vibrate (I think). Small air bubbles can be seen rising to the top. I really like the cleaner. I've been using it for over a year now.

Do a good turn daily!
Don



jkeithrussell said:
I'm afraid I'm clueless about the ultrasonic cleaner. What is it, and how does it work?
Click to expand...
 
As I raise my hand to signal Here teacher!!

I've tried Dons non pressure casting.
I pre heat my resin in a toaster oven as Don said. I set the temp. at 140-150 degrees for 30 minuets, then into my non heatable ultrasonic cleaner for 8 minuets, the 3 castings I've done so far have been bubble free. I will continue this method until as Don said it goes south on me or I buy a untrsonic cleaner with a heater.
BTW I need to thank my good friend Don for posting his NON PRESSURE POT method a week AFTER I bought my second pressure pot. Shees!!!!!!!!!!!:wink::rolleyes:
 
Last edited:
Sorry about that Roy. Maybe we should start talking up the virtues of the pressure pot and help you sell it. Maybe someone wanting to cast alumalite will need it. But, youi know as soon as you get rid of it we will need to start using one again. You and I both know how fickle snake skin casting can be and when bad things start happening...well I could just bite nails in two.
Do a good turn daily!
Don

OKLAHOMAN said:
As I raise my hand to signal Here teacher!!

I've tried Dons non pressure casting.
I pre heat my resin in a toaster oven as Don said. I set the temp. at 140-150 degrees for 30 minuets, then into my non heatable ultrasonic cleaner for 8 minuets, the 3 castings I've done so far have been bubble free. I will continue this method until as Don said it goes south on me or I buy a untrsonic cleaner with a heater.
BTW I need to thank my good friend Don for posting his NON PRESSURE POT method a week AFTER I bought my second pressure pot. Shees!!!!!!!!!!!:wink::rolleyes:
Click to expand...
 
I can't speak to the cleaner, but the PP works great for alumilite. If you're doing worthless wood casting the PP is very necessary to get the alumilite into the crevices of the wood. I'd say if you're ONLY looking to do PR with colors, get the cleaner. If you have any interest in WW casting, get the pot b/c it can do both. The PP can also do vacuum for stabilizing if you want. It's a little more versatile.
 
Here's my breakdown on the 2 options:

Pressure Pot:
1) Required for doing alumilite
2) Required for doing worthless wood
3) Useful for doing vacuum for stabilizing (but not always necessary)

Ultrasonic Cleaner:
1) Helpful for removing air bubbles and heating resin
(heating the resin's not a major issue here in Phoenix)
But the drill press will shake the air bubbles out too
2) Works like magic for breaking up clumps of most powdered pigments
3) If you get air bubbles in a blank that turn into white spots while sanding,
the Ultrasonic cleans them out real nicely.

So if I were starting out, I'd probably go w/ PR and the ultrasonic, in large part to
#2.
If I was doing worthless wood, get the PP.
 
If you have a scroll saw or drill press, putting the blank on there while it's running can help get bubbles out similar to an ultrasonic. With PR you can heat it before you mix everything and it would speed up the cure time.
 
That's a bit of a perilous balance point. If you heat the resin to cure faster, the bubbles have less time to escape. Heating to 120-ish max seems to thin the resin without causing it to cure too fast.

I just put the resin in a container of warm water, just above room temperature, if I need it thinned. But that's rare for me.
 
This is a pretty good example of how the pen-turning hobby has gotten out of control for me. It starts with a basic set-up. Small lathe, a few turning tools, a few kits, maybe some glue and Mylar's. Then you find out that you have to sharpen your tools. Then you need better bushings and a live center. Next you start hating the finish, so you jump into CA, which teases you and makes you hate all finishes. Your pen press isn't as good as an arbor press... your barrel trimmer isn't as good as a disc sander with a fancy squaring gadget... It goes on and on and on. Just when you figure something out, you realize that you can't get quite where you want to go unless you buy the next tool or piece of equipment. I thought I had learned my lesson, but then I thought it might be fun to do some casting. Basic PR set-up in hand, try a few blanks and they melt or have pin-holes or the color is butt-ugly, etc. But if you buy an ultrasonic cleaner... Or, if you get a pressure pot....
 
Keith .. I think the point is that you CAN do without all of those things. But if you
do it a lot, you can do it faster/easier/cheaper (pick one or pick another) with
the latest, greatest gadgets.

Do you NEED them? No. Can they make life easier? Sure.
Is it worth the extra cost? Only you can decide that.

I'm doing casting right now with no pressure pot and no ultrasonic.
(I have both, but for the casting I'm doing right now, they're not
necessary) I never bought a pen press, don't have an arbor press..
but I did find that a sawed off piece of dowel chucked up in my
drill press works just great as long as I'm careful with alignment.
Would a press be easier? Sure. Do I need it? Nope.

Shoot me a PM about the pin holes and the melting.

DEFINITELY give me a shout on the 'Butt Ugly" colors.
I SPECIALIZE IN THOSE!
 
NewLondon88 said:
Keith .. I think the point is that you CAN do without all of those things. But if you
do it a lot, you can do it faster/easier/cheaper (pick one or pick another) with
the latest, greatest gadgets.

Do you NEED them? No. Can they make life easier? Sure.
Is it worth the extra cost? Only you can decide that.

I'm doing casting right now with no pressure pot and no ultrasonic.
(I have both, but for the casting I'm doing right now, they're not
necessary) I never bought a pen press, don't have an arbor press..
but I did find that a sawed off piece of dowel chucked up in my
drill press works just great as long as I'm careful with alignment.
Would a press be easier? Sure. Do I need it? Nope.

Shoot me a PM about the pin holes and the melting.

DEFINITELY give me a shout on the 'Butt Ugly" colors.
I SPECIALIZE IN THOSE!
Click to expand...

Thanks! I sent you an email asking a bunch of those questions before I saw your post. I appreciate your help.
 
You all ROCK

Thanks for all of the thoughtful input.

I think my domestic financial officer would definitely agree with Keith's assessment :smile:

That said, I'm a big fan of not re-inventing the wheel/learning from other's 'learning opportunities'. I think I'll find myself an on-sale ultrasonic cleaner and have a go at it. Worst case scenario, I'll have a submission for the next ugly pen contest.....best case, I'll turn out something really cool that has the added satisfaction of being my own creation. Either way, I get to have a fun garage chemistry experience.

Another set of thanks to the folks that have posted pics of their castings. It's really inspiring to us newbs.


Sam
 
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