few weeks into casting, have a few questions

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spitfire

spitfire

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Dec 22, 2007
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Location
bloomsburg,pa.
I started casting a few weeks ago and I am having decent results but I hvae some questions.

1. I am using powder coat powder and it does not dissolve all the way. Clumps rise to the top but not all of them so sometimes I will get a little air pocket in the casting then have to fix it when I turn it. I have a pressure pot but when just doing swirl cast I don't use it as its really not needed. Should I just sart using that and will that tkae care making the res of the clumps to rise to the top? O should I lok into get pigments from artstuf.com? The pearlx powders I use have no problems dissolving.

2. How do you finish your custom castings such as coffee blanks? I did a casting and have 4 blanks fom it. Put it in my pessure pot and put that to 50 pounds of pressure for 6 hours and I still had small air pockets/voids in the blanks. Once I get to the point to where I am ready to put a finish on the pen I am having troubles filling the voids. I tried to rub med ca over the entire blank then spray it with accelerator but that turns it all cloudy. I tried just smearing med ca all over the blank and letting it go but it doesn't dry fast enough and wil start to run, I also tried this with thin ca and it doesn't do a good job filling the voids. I am curious to hear what your procees is in this situation.

3. Stabalizing. I hav had acetone and plexi sitting in a mason jar for a few days now and I still have an inch think layer of plexi on the bottom of the glas and acetone aboe that. How long does it take for it to dissolve all the way? I mean the bottom is gel like and I shake it 5-8 times a day was just cuious how long I should expect for the entire mixture to get to the honey stage.
 
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Can't help on the casting question other than to say I've seen Russ Fairfield use thin CA on his video.

As for the plexi question, what happens when you shake it? Does the lump "run" off the bottom or just sit there? If some of it mixes in, mix as much as you can into the acetone and then pour into another container and add fresh acetone to the rest of the blob.
 
When I shake it it does float up into the acetone. So your saying kinda start a new one then add fresh acetone whats left f the old one. I will do that today.
 
I use a double cast method,,,

Jason,
When I work on custom cast jobs, like worthless wood or cactus blanks, I often use a double cast method. I turn the blank to just "under" final size, being careful not to cause a blow out or failure. I turn it to a couple of thou under sized. Then I cork cap the ends and re-cast it. Then turn it down to the correct size, finish and assemble. This method is considerably more time consuming. But the results are pretty impressive. It gives me a deep, clean shine every time. I only use this on custom casts or special projects, because of the extra time and expense involved.
Just a thought for you to consider.
 
stevers,
Thanks for the info. I have thought of that and seen people refer to that method as well. I plan to try that but would also like to hear other options that are a little less time consuming. When you recast them, do you finish the blank as you normally would then recast and turn again or just turn it down and go right into recasting. Thanks
 
spitfire said:
3. Stabalizing. I hav had acetone and plexi sitting in a mason jar for a few days now and I still have an inch think layer of plexi on the bottom of the glas and acetone aboe that. How long does it take for it to dissolve all the way? I mean the bottom is gel like and I shake it 5-8 times a day was just cuious how long I should expect for the entire mixture to get to the honey stage.
Click to expand...

If the plexi isn't going into a solution - actually dissolving - you may have the wrong type of plexi. That has happened to me, the blob never actually dissolved - just became a blob. Try some different plexi.
 
thewishman said:
If the plexi isn't going into a solution - actually dissolving - you may have the wrong type of plexi. That has happened to me, the blob never actually dissolved - just became a blob. Try some different plexi.
Click to expand...

Could you give me a little more detail. How am I going to know which one to use. Since right now I basically have a blob of goo but it is starting to mix a little. Can you tell me exactly what it is so I don't have to go through guessing? Thanks
Jason
 
There are a couple of main types of plexi - the polycarbonate is the wrong kind, it just forms a blob. The right kind (I never remember the correct term) dissolves right away (a couple of days) and goes into solution.

I got the right stuff from Lowes - bought a big piece from their scrap bin in the window department for a dollar.
 
Ok so I want to stay away from polycarbonate. I will see what I got and what I can find at Lowes. Thanks for the info.
 
Hi Jason,
When I first started experimenting with stabilizing about 4 years ago I tried several different things. One of the things I played around with was plexiglas dissolved in acetone. "plexiglas" is just a brand name, don't get too hung up on it. What you are looking for is "acrylic sheet" material. I ran mine (on edge) over my jointer and collected the shavings, along with a few stray wood chips (not to worry, you can strain them out later). I filled a mason jar about 3/4 full of acetone and threw in a handful of acrylic shavings. They dissolved in a few hours. I kept adding a handful at a time and quit when the solution wouldn't absorb anymore (a blob of goo just stayed at the bottom of the jar). I then strained the solution through a screen while pouring it into another jar being careful not to pour the goo in, too. I added more acetone to the goo and dissolved it as well. I ended up with a moderately thick, syrupy substance which I thinned slightly before using as a stabilizing solution.

Now for the bad news. I perform vacuum/pressure stabilizing and do you remember how the acetone is supposed to dissolve the plastic? Well, it dissolves and softens several types of plastic. I mean, just the fumes will melt plastic over time.

That is how I killed my first vacuum pump. May she rest in peace..... or pieces. Little melted pieces.

I gave up on the homemade stabilizing solutions after that. I surrendered and opted for one of the more conventional commercial products on the market. It's a bit pricey at about $100/gallon but I haven't melted any more vacuum pumps.

Anyway, I hope this helps. If there's anything I can help you with just let me know.
 
buzz7164 said:
I gave up on the homemade stabilizing solutions after that. I surrendered and opted for one of the more conventional commercial products on the market. It's a bit pricey at about $100/gallon but I haven't melted any more vacuum pumps.
Click to expand...

Pat ... would you share the name of the commercial product and your source please, if you can do so?
 
Ooops..... forgot the source.

It is manufactured by the good folks at Henkel/loctite. Minimum order of 4 gallons applies and you have to jump through hoops and sell your soul to get them to sell you the stuff. Took me months to become authorized to purchase and use the stuff.

But it sure is a great product.
 
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