Whoo! Alumilite doesn't mess around!

[karlkuehn]

Man, that water clear resin kicks fast!

How do you find time to do anything?! I just cast one blank for the first time using this stuff, and barely had time to get it mixed, get the lid screwed down and hit the air. heh

It is nice that it gets hard so quick, though.

 

[karlkuehn]

By the way, Curtis, you're the Alumilite pro - I noticed that when the water clear stuff cures, it is extremely hard, very nice stuff. Do the other resins (i.e. the cheaper ones) get as hard? It'd be worth the few extra dollars a gallon if so. This stuff beats the pants off of PR.

 

[MesquiteMan]

Karl,

Yes, the other Alumilite formulations get just as hard but none of them are clear. The regular Alumilite cures a creamy color that is not at all transluscent so it is only good if you want a solid colored blank or swirls. Talk about fast, the regular is faster than the clear!

 

[jack barnes]

Curtis how does Alumilite cure in colder temp. my shop is unheated in the winter but stays about 45-50 degrees?
Jack

 

[MesquiteMan]

Jack,

I am in Texas so I don't really know for 100% sure! I don't think my shop ever gets that cold!

Seriously, it will slow down the cure just a little but not much. Alumilite suggests for those who need an additional 30 seconds to put their resin in the refrigerator before mixing.

 

[Nolan]

What about not curing enough? The instuctions say to heat the mold first is anyone doing it? I was told i must have got a bad batch as my last cast was gooie after 4 hours (twice) bad part is customer is waiting for the blanks so I had to can that and order again. BTW I didnt heat the molds as all the other casting I have done was in the summer so it was hot already. It has cooled down already here but not enough that I would think would require heating the molds but what say you Curtis?

 

[MesquiteMan]

Nolan,

When I first got started with Alumilite, Mike, their VP, told me that I did not need to heat the mold. That is necessary only if you are casting thin items which we are not.

I have used over 25 gallons of the stuff so far and have yet to get a bad batch. That does not mean it is not possible though. Did you contact Mike at Alumilite and see what he had to say? If not, please do so and he will certainly send you a replacement on them.

I am sure you are using it right but just in case...are you sure you got it mixed thoroughly? Did you mix equal parts of A and B based on weight? Did you scrape the sides of the mixing container as you went? One way to make sure it is mixed thoroughly is to look into the mixing cup as you mix it. When you first pour them together they will look cloudy. As you get them mixed completely it will become water clear.

Something was definitely wrong with your results. Everything I have cast is nice and hard in 15 minutes or so.

 

[Nolan]

Originally posted by MesquiteMan
<br />Nolan,

When I first got started with Alumilite, Mike, their VP, told me that I did not need to heat the mold. That is necessary only if you are casting thin items which we are not.

I have used over 25 gallons of the stuff so far and have yet to get a bad batch. That does not mean it is not possible though. Did you contact Mike at Alumilite and see what he had to say? If not, please do so and he will certainly send you a replacement on them.

I am sure you are using it right but just in case...are you sure you got it mixed thoroughly? Did you mix equal parts of A and B based on weight? Did you scrape the sides of the mixing container as you went? One way to make sure it is mixed thoroughly is to look into the mixing cup as you mix it. When you first pour them together they will look cloudy. As you get them mixed completely it will become water clear.

Something was definitely wrong with your results. Everything I have cast is nice and hard in 15 minutes or so.

Well definatly something wrong then because I did all the mixing correctly but those times it didnt turn clearer and it didnt warm up like before. I thought mabe my scale wasnt accurate enough but after looking on ther site the small one they sell is down to 3 gram and mine was like 4 or something like that. Whatever it was mine was almost the same as theirs.

 

[guts]

I just ordered some alumilite,are y'all saying the only way it will work is with EXACT measuremants,if you are using high dollar scales it seems like it it pretty important to have the mix right on,I'm talking about a blank or two at a time not any big pours,don't want to mess up my first try,thanks.

 

[MesquiteMan]

Bill,

I use a cheap postal scale I got from the office supply store and it works just fine. What you don't want to do is just eyeball it or guess at it. That is where you might end up with problems.

 

[Nolan]

I just use postal scale also, BTW that is about what they sell on their site.

 

[karlkuehn]

Heh...I feel a little sheepish. I just used two paper dixie cups, drew a line at the same height on both of them and poured equal by volume.

Just goes to show what happens when you give a redneck volatile chemicals to play with.

Casting turned out great, and I got the fire put out right away. []

 

[Fred]

Measurement using volume vs weight can be way off if you "eyeball" to equal lines. If it says weight you MUST weight the components to the designers recommendations ... if you don't you just be asking for problems! []