Where to buy Casting materials in the UK

[raider]

Hi Chaps,

im after buying RTV and resin for producing replicator blocks along with a few other projects.

i was wondering where you fellow chaps in the UK buy your supplies and how much you pay for them.

any links or info would be good.

thanks

 

[judgedredd]

these are good guys:
http://www.tomps.com/shop/index.php

 

[Raffles]

http://mouldlife.co.uk/

http://tiranti.co.uk/

http://www.bentleychemicals.co.uk/

 

[raider]

thanks chaps, so if you were to buy Resin to pour into a mould for any project which would you buy ?

seems people in the USA go mad for smooth-on, do we have a UK resin that people rave about that does not cost the earth?

thanks

 

[Guy Cowen]

I'm with you Raider, I want to cast up some small 1/35 kit parts but just get lost in all the options. I'd love to know a good quality product for making a simple mold & low viscosity pouring resin, something that even an idiot like me could use?

 

[Raffles]

Bentley chemicals stock smooth-on products but for economic good silicone I use Platsil 7120 from mouldlife with resin casts in Rencast 5146.

Smooth-on make some of the best stuff out there but unless you're doing high quantity runs or need a certain exact finish you can use cheaper alternatives.

 

[Guy Cowen]

Thanks

 

[Heatshock]

I use the polyurethan resin F16 from tiranti - quite happy
for small items - I have got away with polyester resin (ie the same stuff u use to saturate fibreglass sheets with)

 

[Monkeywiz]

I've bought and used smooth-on products from Bentley Chemicals, and they are pretty straight forward to use and give good results, but definitely not cheap (you're paying as much if not more than £1 for every $1 the stuff costs in the states), really good to hear of other types guys over here have used.

 

[raider]

Thanks for the info guys its realy usefull, was also wondering do you guys add Fillers to your resin to make it last longer and make it more impact resistant ?

 

[clarence]

Hi I'm in NE Uk and I use eastcoast fibreglass supplies about the cheapest I've seen on RTV. I collect from South Shields but I know they do mail order.hope this helps somebody:angel

 

[raider]

looking at the sites there looks like there is a big diffrence in the RTV shore hardness from 15 - 27 is it best to go for the 27 ?


im sure i bought from Eastcoast fiberglass for there RTV and resin and there resin seemed a bit rubbish / brittle

Could someone also describe the diffrence between Polyester Resin and Polyurethane resin eg advantages and bad point

 

[JOATRASH FX]

Well, for prop purposes, unless you're making something huuuuge like a Proton Pack and need the extra strength afforded by fiberglass-inlay, stay far away from polyester because it stinks like hell. Polyurethane can be poured (in smaller quantities) in a well-ventilated hobby room. (Some do give off less-than-healthy fumes though- even if they are odorless, so use a mask anyway and keep it well ventilated!)

looking at the sites there looks like there is a big diffrence in the RTV shore hardness from 15 - 27 is it best to go for the 27 ?


im sure i bought from Eastcoast fiberglass for there RTV and resin and there resin seemed a bit rubbish / brittle

Could someone also describe the diffrence between Polyester Resin and Polyurethane resin eg advantages and bad point

 

[raider]

Thanks for the info Joatrash,

i was thinking of makeing some Predator masks

do you know any good sites for info on how to use resin with fiberglass, im a newbie to this ,is it basicaly pour the resin to go into the groves of the fine detail then lay the fiberglass on top, but im not sure how you would it to go up the sizes?


Also on the 2 types of resin apart from smell is there any other points why ones better than the other ?

Well, for prop purposes, unless you're making something huuuuge like a Proton Pack and need the extra strength afforded by fiberglass-inlay, stay far away from polyester because it stinks like hell. Polyurethane can be poured (in smaller quantities) in a well-ventilated hobby room. (Some do give off less-than-healthy fumes though- even if they are odorless, so use a mask anyway and keep it well ventilated!)

 

[Saz]

As for fillers, I tend to swear by the mini glass balls that TOMPS offer, if you want a basic filler, then french chalk usually suffices, I tend to use their resin and glass products, but I've had better results from Tiranti's RTV silicone products.

 

[piehead]

personally i think mouldlife cant be beat. bes general silicone i like is tinsil 70/25, platinum silicone for prosthetics and masks is gel 10. the resin i like is there alwa range. s3 has a 3 minute pot life there is s5 and s10. s5 is a great all rounder. as for filler, i like aluminium tryhydrate. it evens out the exothermic reaction , also polyfibre for thickening and bulking out. best thing though is to ring justin, russell or john. tell em what you are doing and they will advise. they supply most of the u.k. f.x. and prop shops and realy know there stuff.