Casting with Clear Resin?

[BarryZ28]

Thanks guys,
IÂ’ve gotten one decent pull from the mold, and with a little clean up, it should be usable.
IÂ’ve dipped it in Future Wax to smooth it up a bit and it seems to have done just that.
Its still not as nice as I would like but with a little clean up and paint it should be just fine for me.
I think I will use the canopy mold to create a totally solid piece and let it cure and then remove all the frame structure.
I would then polish it to a mirror like finish and recreate the frame structure and add simulated rivets and then use it as a master and create a vacuum form canopy.
I have tried vacuum forming before and have had success with it.

Again, thanks for all the help.

 

[Yorpheus]

Originally posted by blufive@Jun 19 2005, 04:20 PM
www.harborfreight.com has a sale on now.

I searched for "pressure pot" and found 2-1/2 GALLON PRESSURE PAINT TANK by Central Pnuematic. Is this what you mean?

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/Disp...temnumber=37515

Holy Schnikeys, the price is $79.99

Originally posted by blufive+Jun 19 2005, 09:39 PM--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(blufive @ Jun 19 2005, 09:39 PM)</div>

You have email.
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Hey there. Please don't go underground. Maybe other people want to know too.

<!--QuoteBegin-CaptCBoard@Jun 26 2005, 02:45 AM
Pressure Pot/Paint Pot, same thing.

and Pressure Paint Tank.

 

[blufive]

Yes, that's the one I use. I originally bought one from www.alumilite.com but I had trouble with the handles so I upgraded to this one.

 

[Yorpheus]

Alright, so do you pour your casting resin into your molds then place the whole shebang into this thing and turn it on? Does it hook up to a compressor? Shouldn't it suck air rather than blow? Please explain the process in detail.

 

[blufive]

The inside of the pot is concave, so I made a tray to fit inside the pressure pot out of MDF. I bought some metal U's from Home Depot to use as handles. This gives me a flat surface instead of a rounded one and keeps the mold level.

You have to hook a pressure pot up to a compressor. When you use compressed air, you're basically squeezing the air bubbles to a size you cannot see with the naked eye.

You can use a vacuum chamber instead and some people prefer vacuum to pressure for clear resin but I've had good results with pressure so I see no need (for me) to buy more equipment.

 

[Yorpheus]

Originally posted by blufive@Jul 10 2005, 10:33 AM
so I made a tray to fit inside the pressure pot out of MDF.

You can use a vacuum chamber instead

MDF?

Vacuum 'chamber'?

 

[blufive]

Medium Density Fiberboard. You can find it at Home Depot in the same section as plywood. It is commonly used for inexpensive furniture.

A vacuum chamber is similar to a pressure pot. Some are as simple as a large strong tube with thick plexiglass on both ends. The suction keeps the lid in place. I really can't comment TOO much on them since I've never used one.

 

[LogansRunner]

I found out yesterday that my dad has a pressure pot at his work so I cast an inch by and inch block of ortho resin and its hard as rock so I'm gonna carve that down into my anakin ears, the bubbles are soo small too, this pressure pot worked great.

 

[ricksprops]

Try clear urethane. There is a few companys who make it. Doesn't shrink like resin and doen't need mold release. Comes in clear and can be tinted. I have the number at work I'll try to get you that info. They send out samples out free and a very cool DVD on how to make molds and stuff. Very informative. Old hat for me but for the novice it perfect.

rick