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Getting ready for casting

Dalboy

Dalboy

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Well I have not done much casting for a while so as I sold a little at the rallies I attend I thought I would do some casting and to make the blanks work out cheaper I brought the 5Kg of resin. I also made a 6 tube stand and a 2 blank square mould (which is still drying). So no great piece of woodwork involved after all they will nd up covered in resin I should think.

I also brought 12 metallic colours(bottom 12 in picture) as I want to make some white and gold blanks for wedding pens which now bring my colours up to 24 powder and 5 solid colours.

So over the next few weeks I will be casting, I think that once finished I will have more than enough blanks.
 

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fortress

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I Myself bought 12 metallic powders and I'm set up just like you Derek, not tried it yet but soon. Good luck with yours. :thumbs::thumbs:
 
edlea

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It will be great to see what will arrive out of this venture Derek ..make sure you put the pics up for viewing :thumbs:
 
Dalboy

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fortress said:
I Myself bought 12 metallic powders and I'm set up just like you Derek, not tried it yet but soon. Good luck with yours. :thumbs::thumbs:
Click to expand...

This will be my third batch John.

edlea said:
It will be great to see what will arrive out of this venture Derek ..make sure you put the pics up for viewing :thumbs:
Click to expand...

Just a teaser Ed from the last ones I did
 

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fortress

fortress

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Self casting is like a box of chocolates..you never know what your going to get. Good blanks and good pen Derek. :thumbs:
 
Sgreen

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Do you use a pressure chamber, a vacuum chamber or do you just leave the castings out to dry? I really want to have a go at this but the price of the equipment is to high. Good luck with the blanks.
Simon
 
Dalboy

Dalboy

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Sgreen said:
Do you use a pressure chamber, a vacuum chamber or do you just leave the castings out to dry? I really want to have a go at this but the price of the equipment is to high. Good luck with the blanks.
Simon
Click to expand...

No chamber used with polyester resin.
I don't normally have problems with bubbles as I use polyester resin I make sure I mix the colours first but nice and slow but enough to mix the colour in completely then leave it a couple of minutes before adding the activator again mixing slowly until fully mixed from there it can take up to 20minutes before pouring slowly into either the tubes or square mould.


The only time I did was the bottom two blanks in the picture above but that was due to leaving the resin too long before pouring it into the tubes
 
Dalboy

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Sgreen said:
Thanks, that settles it. I am having a go at it :drool:
Click to expand...

Try the polyester resin first and buy the smaller amount to try it works out a little dearer but will give you an idea how it works. remember also that the resin has a shelf life so if left to long can start to become thick even without the activator. I will spend a couple of weeks at most casting all of the resin I have this should see me with quite a few blanks.
 
Jim

Jim

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A nice little factory you have there Derek .. Making your own blanks can be very rewarding for sure .. :thumbs:
 
Dalboy

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The two blank mould is now dry enough to remove from the template the outer will be the support as it is only 1/2" thick. It still needs a good week to dry fully.

Came out pretty good with a nice clean inside.
 

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Dalboy

Dalboy

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Gizmo3k said:
How do you release the pen blanks from the tubes? Do you need a release agent?
Click to expand...

Being polyester resin it does shrink a little so once dry if it does stick it only need a gentle tap with a large piece of dowel and it pops out.
 
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