Mold making question, now casting Q

[01Hawk]

I use 305 a lot. If it sits more than a week I always shake the containers really hard a few hours or a day before I use it. Glad you were able to get it to work!

 

[Sundowner]

I use 305 a lot. If it sits more than a week I always shake the containers really hard a few hours or a day before I use it. Glad you were able to get it to work!

I bought the beginner's kit that came with the 300. Would you suggest 305 for resin?

 

[Halliwax]

Re: Mold making question

You are on the right idea. Just fill in the bottom when you do the top half of the mold, clean it all out, replace the part, use a goodly amount of mold release and do the 2nd half. here is an extreme example but these guys are a great source of info.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dBEK_Jyfvek

very interesting video, thanks for sharing!

 

[01Hawk]

I haven't used the 300 to make an honest comparison. I like Task16 for making guns. It picks up the real fine detAils perfectly. I use 305 for my other parts cause it is cheap and white and takes paint fairly well. I cast pistols in it and parts for Boba Fett costumes. I think it should be used with pressure casting to get rid of any air bubbles and haven't used any other brand resins to know what it good/bad. I basically wing it and try different things read. The 305 cures quickly and has a decent work time for what I do. It is also very white which is what color I want the pistols I cast to be. Seems some people look down on smoothon products but I have been happy with them so far.

 

[robstyle]

What is the amount of material needed to cast one part? I have made badges consisting of seven grams of material with no issues but I always mix more than that using multiple moulds. The less amount of casting material mixed the less chemical reaction is involved in curing and the chances of separation of A/B is present. For the record I also notice this when mixing large batches consisting of gallons of materials in a single pour. The actual mix itself comes into play which seems youve discovered.

I should also pass on a little bit of a trick with stir sticks. Going against EVERYTHING vendors will tell you, I reuse a stir stick until its too built up to properly do its job. By doing so ive no issues with moisture contamination or off mixes due to the bare stick being porous or damp. The used stir stick is sealed and solid. Thats just me though, im a noob with all this.

 

[cavx]

I should also pass on a little bit of a trick with stir sticks. Going against EVERYTHING vendors will tell you, I reuse a stir stick until its too built up to properly do its job. By doing so ive no issues with moisture contamination or off mixes due to the bare stick being porous or damp. The used stir stick is sealed and solid. Thats just me though, im a noob with all this.

I have been using plastic chop sticks in preference over wood tongue depressors. I found that by turning the chop stick up the wrong way (fat end into the pot), I can get a really good scrape of the sides. Like you, I let the resin on the stick set and re-use the sticks.

I had several sticks with massive build up on them, so just used the grinder to take off the build up. Sticks are like new again. I also have a heap of plastic (ice cream containers) that I peel the skin of the set resin out of and re-use.