Pen blank mould

[Barry]

Just finish a mould for making blanks trying a new method with a sacrificial straw for a pilot hole down the centre don't know whether it will work till I cast a blank when I get the resin

 

[Jim]

That looks a sturdy mould Barry, what material have you used my friend ..

 

[Barry]

Hi Jim it was on one of these threads earlier in the week begins with V you melt it in the oven works quick sets in 5 to 8 hours

 

[Buckeye]

Are you using the mould under pressure?

Vinamold and it sets as quick as you can cool it.

Peter

 

[Barry]

Yes under pressure but not a heavy pressure and no pressure

 

[paulm]

Nice one Barry, I'd be interested to see if it works, I can't see why not.

 

[Buckeye]

If you want to use it under pressure then I would make the hole for the straw go through all the vinamold so that you can see the straw from each end, that way the air inside the straw will not cause the straw to collapse, if it is sealed each end then it will collapse. You run the risk of the the resin being forced through the hole where the straw will sit, but if you start off with 10psi and go up 5psi with each test you will find the sweet spot. I make my resin saver moulds so that they now have a similar hole albeit it smaller than a straw all the way through the vinamold and it seems to equalises the pressure in the tubes without getting resin forced into the tubes. I haven't used straws, so I can't say for sure how they will hold up, but it is worth a try.

Peter

 

[wm460]

Looks the bees knees Barry.

 

[Buckeye]

Barry, instead of making the hole bigger so that the straw goes all the way through you could use a smaller diameter tube that goes through the vinamold and into the straw, I use an empty cross style refill take the wriring tip off, flush it with acetetone to get the ink residue out and cut it in half, use each half for each side. Just make sure no vinamold block the end of the tubes.

Peter

 

[turnaround360]

You could use a dowel made of derlin.