Alumilite Dye "Bleeding"
- Thread starter TonyL
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MesquiteMan
Retired Head Moderator
No, this is NOT normal at all. You have a mix problem or a moisture problem. Alumilite dyes are reactive dyes that actually cross link with the resin when it cures. It will NOT bleed at all. How are you mixing? I highly advise AGAINST following Alumilite's directions! I recommend using a clear plastic cup for mixing. Go ahead and mix A and B, THEN add the dye. Doing it this way will allow you to see exactly what it going on when mixing. When you first pour the two parts together, they will be cloudy. When they are completely mixed, they will be totally clear. If you add the dye to one side as Alumilite's directions say, you will not be able to see this change.
MesquiteMan
Retired Head Moderator
Oh yeah, if you are embedding something such as worthless wood, then moisture can cause this as well.
MesquiteMan
Retired Head Moderator
Worthless wood is the technique of casting wood in resin.
Listen to Curtis. He is the King of all things Alumilite. I tried the AL way and struggled to know if my mix was complete. It is much easier to add color after you know it is completely mixed.
Run a stop watch (most smart phones have that function) once both A and B have been mixed to see how you're doing time wise. Depending on the ambient air temperature, your set-up time will fall somewhere between 5-7 minutes. The quicker you get it in the pressure pot, the better!
Just my .02¢:wink:
Run a stop watch (most smart phones have that function) once both A and B have been mixed to see how you're doing time wise. Depending on the ambient air temperature, your set-up time will fall somewhere between 5-7 minutes. The quicker you get it in the pressure pot, the better!
Just my .02¢:wink:
MesquiteMan
Retired Head Moderator
Yes. It works for all versions
Thank you again. We haven't made one bad blank since we followed your instructions. I don't understand why the manufacture publishes and emphasizes to do the opposite....unless there is the risk of something exploding....is there? .
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workinforwood
Member
It really doesn't matter, the instructions are not wrong, but they are not the only way, just mix it like crazy. You can under mix, but can't over mix unless you keep mixing until it cures!
But...one more thing that looks like might have been missed in your original post. You said you cast round blanks, and that also makes a difference. A round blank is less volume than a square blank. When I pour blocks, 1x5x5, well a fresh cool mold will become rock hard when poured in 30 minutes easy. the next casting in that mold will only take 15 min, because the mold now has heat in it from the first time around. When I pour rods, if i use fresh molds off the shelf, it is 1 hr before i can pull them from the 7/8 diameter by 4.5" long molds. the second batch i can pull out in 30 minutes because the molds now contain some heat. So...generally at the start of a day of pouring rods i will pre warm my molds in the toaster oven on its lowest setting. I pour thousands and thousands of rods of alumilite. because of the lesser volume a rod pulled to early will be sticky on the outside. But it will still cure. Basically, if you pulled your rods to early from a fresh cool mold they will be sticky but will still cure hard if you just check them again in another half hour or hour. If they are not fully hard and dry no stick after an hour then you know you didn't mix it enough.
But...one more thing that looks like might have been missed in your original post. You said you cast round blanks, and that also makes a difference. A round blank is less volume than a square blank. When I pour blocks, 1x5x5, well a fresh cool mold will become rock hard when poured in 30 minutes easy. the next casting in that mold will only take 15 min, because the mold now has heat in it from the first time around. When I pour rods, if i use fresh molds off the shelf, it is 1 hr before i can pull them from the 7/8 diameter by 4.5" long molds. the second batch i can pull out in 30 minutes because the molds now contain some heat. So...generally at the start of a day of pouring rods i will pre warm my molds in the toaster oven on its lowest setting. I pour thousands and thousands of rods of alumilite. because of the lesser volume a rod pulled to early will be sticky on the outside. But it will still cure. Basically, if you pulled your rods to early from a fresh cool mold they will be sticky but will still cure hard if you just check them again in another half hour or hour. If they are not fully hard and dry no stick after an hour then you know you didn't mix it enough.