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Novice needs help!

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Drew mumby

Apprentice Member
Joined
Sep 21, 2018
Posts
4
Location
Lincolnshire
First Name
Andrew
Hi all. I'm currently trying to make a wedding pen for my best friend. I sprayed the brass tubes with white enamel paint and decorated them. I cast them both in polyester resin and was quite happy with the casting. They came out clear and bubble free. One of the blanks was perfect however the other has had some kind of reaction with the paint and made the paint bubble up (kind of like what paint stripper does) did I do something wrong and is there a way to stop it happening again? Thanks.
 
Penpal

Penpal

Grand Master
Joined
May 26, 2013
Posts
25,342
Location
Canberra AUSTRALIA
First Name
Peter
Welcome Drew from over here. Grease, any water evidence,type of paint you chose namely Enamel (drying time). Location etc. We have on this forum numbers of pro level casters.

Peter.
 
Bill Mooney

Bill Mooney

Blind old git
Grand Master
Joined
Aug 16, 2014
Posts
11,096
Location
County Durham
First Name
Bill
I’m unable to answer your query as I don’t cast my own blanks but welcome to the forum Drew. Someone will be along shortly who will no doubt solve your problem.:thumbs:
 
R

Ray7756

Full Member
Joined
Dec 4, 2017
Posts
198
Location
Kirkmichael Scotland
First Name
Ray
Hi Drew welcome to the forum, im not a caster but from what you said that you cast 2 and only had problems with 1 so that suggests to me your basic procedure is ok, did the paint on the second one have time to dry properly ???
I am sure someone with more expertise than me will be along soon, but try to think if you done anything slighty different on the second blank ???
Cheers
Ray
 
Gadget-UK

Gadget-UK

Fellow
Joined
May 18, 2018
Posts
1,044
Location
Nr Blandford Forum. Dorset. UK
First Name
Colin
Hi Drew
Had something very similar to yourself with some tubes.
Turned out I didn't clean the tubes off properly and still had some grease on them, it is amazing how little dirt / grease / muck can mess it all up :sob:
 
Bammer

Bammer

Fellow
Joined
Oct 5, 2015
Posts
1,494
Location
Cambridge
First Name
Brad
Drew mumby said:
Hi all. I'm currently trying to make a wedding pen for my best friend. I sprayed the brass tubes with white enamel paint and decorated them. I cast them both in polyester resin and was quite happy with the casting. They came out clear and bubble free. One of the blanks was perfect however the other has had some kind of reaction with the paint and made the paint bubble up (kind of like what paint stripper does) did I do something wrong and is there a way to stop it happening again? Thanks.
Click to expand...

Hi, welcome to the forum, you can introduce yourself on the introduction thread.

Rather than being unlucky with one blank that rippled up, I would suggest that you were lucky with one blank not rippling.

Polyester creates a lot of heat when curing, it reacts with enamel paint and cause it to ripple.
 
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Drew mumby

Apprentice Member
Joined
Sep 21, 2018
Posts
4
Location
Lincolnshire
First Name
Andrew
Thanks all. I'm trying to make an executive fountain pen. I'd painted the tubes about a month ago and cast them on Tuesday. I've ordered another kit to try again. I wondered if this time I could mix some white dye into the resin and put a very thin layer onto the tubes and then add the decals and cast....? Hope that makes sense.... Thanks again for all the replys to my first post!
 
H

Harry

Full Member
Joined
Aug 18, 2014
Posts
183
Location
Dunfermline
First Name
Harry
Hi Drew,
I do a bit of casting with polyester resin and I always use nail varnish to paint the tubes as there is no reaction at all with the resin. There is a huge range of these available and you can get some amazing effects by combining them. You will need to use two coats to get a good coverage and I wait overnight to let the first coat dry.
 
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Drew mumby

Apprentice Member
Joined
Sep 21, 2018
Posts
4
Location
Lincolnshire
First Name
Andrew
KevinMc said:
Welcome Drew...

If your the Drew I think you might be....

You do know James is a member on here you might have him worried now!

Oh yes by the way Welcome

Kevin :banana:
Click to expand...

I could well be the Drew you think I am. Lol. No I wasn't aware James is a member on here.... I best be careful then and not post a finished picture when the pen is done as it's a gift for his wedding! Lol
 
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Drew mumby

Apprentice Member
Joined
Sep 21, 2018
Posts
4
Location
Lincolnshire
First Name
Andrew
Thanks all for the advice. Especially the nail varnish tip. Never thought of that. I did think about using a vinyl wrap, I've seen vids of people using stickers so wondered if that would work. Nail varnish is possibly a better idea though... Thanks again to all
 
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