90% rubbing alcohol instead of water for ultra cal 30

[itsalive]

Will it cure Ultra Cal 30 faster if you used it instead of water. Since isopropyl alcohol evaporates. I could try this out later this week but not right now. As far as the amount of Ultra Cal- Paper thin layer.

 

[darthchiro]

I wouldn't think so, its not the water evaporating that makes it set, its a chemical reaction that produces heat. Also a paperthin layer won't work that great either, it will very brittle and take longer t oset since the reaction will be slower with a small amount.

 

[itsalive]

Some people are using 105 Proof Vodka to speedcure Plaster of Paris in homemade RP machines using modded desktop inkjet printers.

I'm trying to figure out a system to accelerate the cure rate of Ultra Cal 30.

If Vodka will work for common plaster in these machines. I figured rubbing alcohol would do much better.

The way it works. The printer cartridge drops a thin layer of water onto a uniformed area of Ultra Cal in the same fashion that it would deposit ink onto paper. After that's done. This layer lowers down. A new paper thin layer of Ultra Cal 30 is rolled over this previous layer and the process repeats. Layer after layer until you have a 3d part.

I was thinking of replacing the water with the Isopropyl.

The only speed up formula I have for Ulra Cal is the following:

Mix 4 onces of Terra Alba powder into 50 pounds worth of Ultra Cal 30
powder.
Add 2 onces of Aluminum Sulfate to the proper water volume needed for a 50 pound mix.

 

[Great_Bizarro]

The easiest way to make it kick faster is to use a bowl you haven't cleaned completely from a prior batch mix and mix it in that. For some reason it kicks about twice as fast. Works with hydrocal, haven't tried it with ultracal

 

[gobler]

Use hot water...

 

[HMS Mike]

Add a pinch of salt to a small batch and a small palm to a large batch.

Hope this helps,

HMS Mike

 

[itsalive]

Thanks for all those methods. I'll have to check them out. I wonder how Salt compares to Aluminum Salfate. You can Use Zinc Sulfate too, but Aluminum sets it up faster than Zinc.