Food safe resin?

[MetalMangler]

I'm looking to cast a pair of Dr. Who Dalek for use as salt and pepper shakers.

My plan is to use a castable/pourable resin/epoxy/plastic/etc. and then drill it out to form the salt/pepper area, with small holes drilled at the top for the output.

The one thing I'm most concerned about of course is the food safety aspect of the plastic/resin.

I've checked Tap Plastic's website, reviewed the MSDS, etc, and haven't been able to find anything that says one way or the other anything about the finished product's ability to be food safe. The closest I got was one product mentioned that it wasn't good with Metal Salts. Not sure of table salt qualifies, but I'd probably stay away from that on principle.

Does anyone know of a good product that I can investigate?

Thanks,
MM

 

[falcondesigns]

there is none.....

 

[robn1]

Smooth-On Task 11 says it's safe for dry food contact.

Lots of silicones that are made for food applications, but not many plastics.

 

[BornKilr]

I've run into the same problem. I was casting a drinking cup in resin before I found out it's not food safe. I'm redoing it in styrene now which is what most food containers are made of.

 

[b26354]

Can you embed a plastic or glass container inside the resin?

 

[MetalMangler]

there is none.....

Not the answer I was looking for FalconDesigns! :unsure (Thanks though!)

Smooth-On Task 11 says it's safe for dry food contact.

Lots of silicones that are made for food applications, but not many plastics.

Robn1 - Thanks for the pointer. I'd found myself over there, but hadn't found that item. I'll have to investigate this because it looks like it might be promising!

I've run into the same problem. I was casting a drinking cup in resin before I found out it's not food safe. I'm redoing it in styrene now which is what most food containers are made of.

BornKIlr - So far the only knowledge I have of Styrene (until someone points to a particular everyday item and says "That's Styrene, you fool" :lol) is from Scratchy's Star Destroyer thread.

Since he is using sheet Styrene that's all I'm aware of. Any ideas on how I would go about doing the rounded head and the hemispheres on the facets of the Dalek?

Can you embed a plastic or glass container inside the resin?

Doing an embedded container has crossed my mind. The idea of having the top of the Dalek be removable to access the salt/pepper reservoir had its appeal, however I was concerned about biting off more than I was ready for since this is my first attempt at mold making and casting. I figured a simple single unit cast, and a drill.... KISS! :lol

However, with all the helpful information on this board, I may throw caution to the wind! :love

Thanks for all the information and suggestions!

MM

 

[division 6]

You could try casting with a regular shaker with removable top inside.
Over the openings of the cap attach surgical steel tubing so there is no chance of contamination from the resin.

 

[modelnutz]

Check out a company call Hapco hapcoweb.com
They're somewhere near Boston.

Be prepaired for the much higher prices for the specialty medical resins.

 

[BornKilr]

Vacuforming would probably be the way to go with styrene, short of scratchbuilding it. Once you formed the main body, you could add the detail on top. That's what I'm planning to do.

 

[robn1]

...So far the only knowledge I have of Styrene (until someone points to a particular everyday item and says "That's Styrene, you fool" :lol) is from Scratchy's Star Destroyer thread.

Since he is using sheet Styrene that's all I'm aware of. Any ideas on how I would go about doing the rounded head and the hemispheres on the facets of the Dalek?...

Styrene, also known as polystyrene is very common. Almost any plastic item you can think of, from appliances to toys to model kits; if it's injection molded it's probably styrene. Many plastic cups and dinnerware also. Vac formed trooper armor too. Styrofoam is whipped styrene. It should be safe for what you want to do.

The basic shape could be vac formed. Then the finer details could be sculpted from heavy styrene sheet stock and glued on. Use non-toxic model cement, they're usually citrus based solvents.

 

[exoray]

there is none.....

This is misleading and incorrect, their are some 'FDA' approved ones for dry contact, and there are other ones that are 'safe' as well, but might not be 'FDA' approved for food, doesn't necessarly mean they are not safe...

A perfect example is dental acrylic although it might not 'FDA approved' for food use, if it's safe enough to make fake teeth and dentures out of that will be placed inside your mouth for extended periods of time then IMO it's certainly safe enough for limited food contact and use...

I'm also too lazy right now to dig into it to see what approvals these have but McMaster-Carr list several flexible casting urethanes that are FDA approved... They are rubbers but still very hard...

McMaster-Carr

And I'm sure as pointed out if you poke around in the medical fields you will find other 'safe' resins...

 

[falcondesigns]

silicones yes,resins no.show me the FDA approval for resins?Your opinion is just that,an opinion.

 

[MetalMangler]

You could try casting with a regular shaker with removable top inside.
Over the openings of the cap attach surgical steel tubing so there is no chance of contamination from the resin.

Thanks for another great idea division! I wouldn't have thought to use the tubing for the holes.

Check out a company call Hapco hapcoweb.com
They're somewhere near Boston.

Be prepaired for the much higher prices for the specialty medical resins.

modelnutz - I'll probably swallow my teeth when I get the prices, but I've got them on my list to call on Monday!

Vacuforming would probably be the way to go with styrene, short of scratchbuilding it. Once you formed the main body, you could add the detail on top. That's what I'm planning to do.

BornKIlr - I've been toying with the idea of making a vacu-forming rig... This would be a justification... "But hon, I can't make your present without it!" :lol

Styrene, also known as polystyrene is very common. Almost any plastic item you can think of, from appliances to toys to model kits; if it's injection molded it's probably styrene. Many plastic cups and dinnerware also. Vac formed trooper armor too. Styrofoam is whipped styrene. It should be safe for what you want to do.

The basic shape could be vac formed. Then the finer details could be sculpted from heavy styrene sheet stock and glued on. Use non-toxic model cement, they're usually citrus based solvents.

robn1 - I'll keep this in mind! In fact, I just came across an Instructable on making an injection molding unit.

This is misleading and incorrect, their are some 'FDA' approved ones for dry contact, and there are other ones that are 'safe' as well, but might not be 'FDA' approved for food, doesn't necessarly mean they are not safe...

A perfect example is dental acrylic although it might not 'FDA approved' for food use, if it's safe enough to make fake teeth and dentures out of that will be placed inside your mouth for extended periods of time then IMO it's certainly safe enough for limited food contact and use...

I'm also too lazy right now to dig into it to see what approvals these have but McMaster-Carr list several flexible casting urethanes that are FDA approved... They are rubbers but still very hard...

McMaster-Carr

And I'm sure as pointed out if you poke around in the medical fields you will find other 'safe' resins...

DOH! I've got McMaster-Carr on my frequent bookmarks, but I hadn't even considered them for something like model making supplies. My preconceptions hold me back almost as much as my ignorance! Thanks exoray!

Thanks again everyone!

MM

 

[exoray]

silicones yes,resins no.show me the FDA approval for resins?Your opinion is just that,an opinion.

Did you miss the Task 11 link posted previous, that is FDA approved?

Did you miss the McMaster-Carr link I posted, that had multiple FDA approved hard casting rubbers?

Did you miss the Hapco, Inc reference above? Here is an example of one of their FDA approved resins http://www.hapcoweb.com/steralloy.htm

And did you miss my entire post in regards to dental acrylics (white fillings and bondings, dentures, fake teeth) that are FDA approved resins as well?

If you require more FDA approvals like this one or this one or this one heck here is a list of 100+ FDA approved resins... If you need a specific approval then contact the manufacture of the resin you plan to use, I'm sure they would be very happy to show you their approval...

FACT is FDA approved resins do exist, it's not my 'opinion' its a fact...

And just because the FDA doesn't approve it for a specific use doesn't mean it's unsafe for that use...

Nor does FDA approval mean it's safe, the FDA is constantly changing their minds, just look at the drug industry, the FDA has approve many 'dangerous' drugs... The FDA is constantly approving drugs for 'adult' use but physician regularly prescribe them to children in lower dosages...

 

[Pilot]

Oh, c'mon exoray. Don't let those pesky facts get in the way. He said "there is none....." Isn't that good enough for you? :lol

 

[MetalMangler]

Well, I've finally taken the plunge, and started my mold. Unfortunately I've already screwed up.

:unsure I had already decided that I was going to take a "riskier" route with the mold and do a single pour from the top with the base in clay so I would simply pull the dalek from the mold. There are some overhangs involved, so I knew it might blow up on me. Unfortunately I found that I didn't have enough silicone to make the full pour. Since I can't get any more silicone tonight I'm going to let it set up, and then see if I can add the rest on top. It may be for naught, but if nothing else I'm having a blast and I'll learn what not to do!

MM

 

[Pilot]

Your mold should still come out fine. Silicone sticks really well to itself, just not to much of anything else.

 

[exoray]

Silicone sticks really well to itself

This is brand dependent, not all silicone sticks to itself...

 

[Pilot]

Interesting...I've honestly never used any that didn't. I guess I'll amend that to "if you're using a typical hobbyist brand, it should be OK." :lol

 

[MetalMangler]

I'm using Smooth-On PMC 121/30, and my plan is to get more of it tomorrow. Even if it doesn't stick together I figure I'll have a... um... Unique... parting line. Yeah, that's it.

I'm using a 3 liter soda bottle as the outer shell of the mold, and I've got that compressed into an oblong, so I'm not even too worried about registration issues if I wind up with two distinct mold pieces.

It will be what it will be, and I've learned alot already.

MM