Repeat after me: Recycle Code 5

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Lenny

Lenny

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Jan 6, 2009
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Searsport, Maine
Once I discovered the temperature had reached the 50's today I decided to try and do another cast, my 6th.

A few weeks ago my wonderful wife, in an effort to help, had picked up some plastic cups. Now I had been made aware of the problems with using recycle code 6 plastic by PenMan1, but I threw these into my stash of casting supplies anyway figuring they would be handy for measuring amounts (with water) or whatever.:confused: BIG MISTAKE! :eek:
I forgot, and mixed up about 6 oz. of resin and (luckily) had it warming in a tub of warm water. When I picked it up to add to the mix ....:mad::frown::frown::redface::redface:


But in spite of that mental fopar I managed to get cast #6 poured. :)
 

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Lenny if that's the only mistake you make, your lucky. Word for the wise, don't put #5 cups in a 120 degree oven to heat the resin. Only takes about a minute before it melts. DAMHIKT:wink:
 
EBorraga said:
Lenny if that's the only mistake you make, your lucky. Word for the wise, don't put #5 cups in a 120 degree oven to heat the resin. Only takes about a minute before it melts. DAMHIKT:wink:
Click to expand...


so .... probably 40 seconds would be ok, huh ?

:eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek:
jk
 
How about use glass pouring jars. You get some wax paper and stuff it in the jar with an elastic band holding it on the outside. You mix and pour, then pull out the paper into the trash. That will reduce cost on cups and land fill.
 
as for plastic pouring cups...i found and have always used 2 different sizes of Kerr (brandname) plastic canning jars.
you will find them with all the glass canning jars (mason) and the lids and rings etc.
they are somewhat flexible, won't melt and since you can reuse them over and over....i usually have a dedicated cup for most of my basic colors.
good note...the resin peels out or chips out after you're done.

i dont know if anyone else uses these....but i never had any problems with them at all.

Hughbie
 
I got one cut away and turned round tonight just to see what was inside ... :tongue::)

I think I found wood! :eek:
 

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I used to use the Kerr and Rubbermade containers, but stopped. We pour 5 gallons of resin about every 3 months. Cleaning the containers is a P.I.T.A. And we started getting some "cross contamination" from reused cups.

As far as "clogging up the landfill", this doesn't happen with code 5. They go on to live anothe life as grocery shopping bags and other things.

It IS getting hard to find code 5 cups. I buy them 64 - 9 oz cups for $2 at Family Dollar Stores.

We also eat a lot of Breakstone yogurt, Sour Cream and cottage cheese ad these little containers make perfect bottle stopper and razor bush molds.
 
Ernie's post made me snicker. The water in our ultra sonic cleaner heats to 150 degrees.
The code 5 cups handle 3 cycles of 480 seconds without issue.

SO, one would think that the cups would hold up in the toaster oven at 120 degrees. NOT!
Thank goodness I used that little pan and not the wire rack:)
I can't explain what the difference is, as I thought temp was temp. As Ernie suggest, it doesnt work out quiet that way.
 
PenMan1 said:
I used to use the Kerr and Rubbermade containers, but stopped. We pour 5 gallons of resin about every 3 months. Cleaning the containers is a P.I.T.A. And we started getting some "cross contamination" from reused cups.

As far as "clogging up the landfill", this doesn't happen with code 5. They go on to live anothe life as grocery shopping bags and other things.

It IS getting hard to find code 5 cups. I buy them 64 - 9 oz cups for $2 at Family Dollar Stores.

We also eat a lot of Breakstone yogurt, Sour Cream and cottage cheese ad these little containers make perfect bottle stopper and razor bush molds.
Click to expand...

Yes the cottage cheese and yougurt cups have been great! My wife did find some 8 or 10 oz. code 5 cups but so far at least the larger ones have remained hidden from us.:frown:
 
Lenny:
I've NEVER found a code 5 cup bigger than 10 ounces. I think bigger ones may be unicorns (never found one of those either)!

We make the 9 oz cups work. We usually do "multi color" pours and 6 of the 9 oz cops will fit into the ultra sonic at once.
 
PenMan1 said:
Lenny:
I've NEVER found a code 5 cup bigger than 10 ounces. I think bigger ones may be unicorns (never found one of those either)!

We make the 9 oz cups work. We usually do "multi color" pours and 6 of the 9 oz cops will fit into the ultra sonic at once.
Click to expand...

Next your going to tell me there is no Holy Grail! :rolleyes::wink::):biggrin:
Don't even bring up the Easter Bunny!

Thanks, Andy .... I won't waste anymore time searching for those.
I guess a small cup is a good enough reason to try some "multi colors" :)
 
PenMan1 said:
that the cups would hold up in the toaster oven at 120 degrees. NOT!
Thank goodness I used that little pan and not the wire rack:)
Click to expand...


I wish I was smart enough to think of using the pan:mad:. That's why the first oven found it's way into the garbage truck. I have since thrown out the wire rack:biggrin:
 
I was glassing a cedar canoe (still not done) when my neighbor who works on airplanes as a hobby mentioned that the airplane guys liked to get cheap toy balls from the dollar store, cut them in half, and then use them as resin pots.
No corners for resin to hide in, and when the resin cured you just flexed the ball inside out and it was clean.

I haven't tried this yet, and don't know how they'd work with polyester.

I usually use the Kroger yogurt cups for my casting. Don't try the Yoplait ones unless you're doing Alumilite. (been very glad the inner tub of the ultrasonic was metal and not plastic on several occasions).
 
Another idea is silicone muffin cups... cost about 2 bucks at the dollar store and same deal, they are flexible enough to pop out resin the harden resin residue.
 
Anyone ever look at the code on the cups at the fast food resturants??? They seem to be pretty stout and you can get large sizes.:) You want some fries with that sir???:)
 
I have been using the Crisco Baking sticks. They are 2x 5.25 with a recycle number of "1". Just right for 2 pen blanks. I found I can only go to about 100 degrees in the oven. The top starts to drop down when at 120. I have used one container twice but normally they stick so I just break them off.
When my wife giving me the Crisco tubs that means there is a pie around. Look for pie then go to shop....
 
PenMan1 said:
Ernie's post made me snicker. The water in our ultra sonic cleaner heats to 150 degrees.
The code 5 cups handle 3 cycles of 480 seconds without issue.

SO, one would think that the cups would hold up in the toaster oven at 120 degrees. NOT!
Thank goodness I used that little pan and not the wire rack:)
I can't explain what the difference is, as I thought temp was temp. As Ernie suggest, it doesnt work out quiet that way.
Click to expand...
I believe that problem is that the heating element in a toaster oven doesn't just heat to the temperture that you set and stay there. The element itself only has two settings: off and HOT!!!! In order to hit the set temperature, the element cycles on and off as necessary. When it cycles on, the object being heated is hit with heat that's significantly higher than 120 degrees.
 
jttheclockman said:
Anyone ever look at the code on the cups at the fast food resturants??? They seem to be pretty stout and you can get large sizes.:) You want some fries with that sir???:)
Click to expand...


Great point, John! We use the "Mickey D Extra Value" cup as a mold for wine glass stems and they work splendidly!

Frankly, it never occurred to me to use these as mixing cups, as they are too valuable as wine stem molds.

I'll have an answer to this question, tomorrow!
 
Hey, I tried to warn you! :eek::):biggrin:

Don, thanks, I feel a little better knowing I'm not the only absent minded caster. :wink:
 
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