Casting hard time swirling

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jxdubbs

jxdubbs

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hey guys. i've been doing casting blanks for about three weeks or so. i don't know what i'm doing wrong but there's not good swirls. its more blobby than swirly. i would have thought i'd get better with time. i know its not been a lot of time but i figured they would get better but they haven't. i also know its a trial and error type of thing but im blasting threwe resin and money. i've seen some beautiful blanks but i can't get them close. if you can help me out it would be great. ill tell yea its been a long week.
 
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It sounds to me like you might be waiting to long to pour the resin. A lot of people will mix the resin until it gets hot, once that happens it's already starting to kick up and you won't get good swirling. Just stir it long enough that you're sure the 2 liquids are mixed. The resin is very heat sensitive, so make sure you have it stored somewhere cool. This will give you a longer working time. Good luck!
 
If you don't have one you need an infrared temperature gun.

That's how I have always seen the "Pros" decide when to pour.
 
I'm using alumilite clear. I usually add dye/pigment first then add part b. It's still pretty new to me so I take a bit longer to do the mixing. Then I point the colors and swirl with a popsicle stick. This is In a silicone 4 single pen blank mold. 90g for each one. Also my part B was like slimy snot consistency. I tried Curtis's trick with the hot tap water and letting it sit overnight now it's very liquidy. So let's hope that helps. I also think I might grab some polyester resin and try some of that.

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jxdubbs said:
I'm using alumilite clear. I usually add dye/pigment first then add part b. It's still pretty new to me so I take a bit longer to do the mixing. Then I point the colors and swirl with a popsicle stick. This is In a silicone 4 single pen blank mold. 90g for each one. Also my part B was like slimy snot consistency. I tried Curtis's trick with the hot tap water and letting it sit overnight now it's very liquidy. So let's hope that helps. I also think I might grab some polyester resin and try some of that.

Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk
Click to expand...


For alumilite clear, i mix colors at 95 degrees using a infrared thermometer. I mix each color separately and pour into mold when it hits 95 degrees.
 
My understanding is that Alumilite clear is a urethane resin. There is not a target temperature using urethane. It's a 1:1 mix, that has a 12 minute open time. The color is mixed in the one part, and then the two parts are mixed.
The swirl comes from the method, not a temperature.

Pressure is highly recommended to eliminate air inclusions.
 
Terredax said:
My understanding is that Alumilite clear is a urethane resin. There is not a target temperature using urethane. It's a 1:1 mix, that has a 12 minute open time. The color is mixed in the one part, and then the two parts are mixed.
The swirl comes from the method, not a temperature.

Pressure is highly recommended to eliminate air inclusions.
Click to expand...

I would disagree that the swirl comes from method, not temperature. The swirl pattern is critically dependent on the amount of curing which has occurred prior to the colors being mixed. Too early and red with blue swirls turns into homogenous purple and too late, there will be bubbles. The curing reaction is exothermic, the mixture warms as a function of time as it cures. The trick is to find that Goldilocks moment where the colors are viscous enough to swirl without mixing, but not too late. This moment can be determined objectively by temperature. Granted, here temperature is a surrogate measure of viscosity which is much harder to measure accurately (at least by me, others are very good at it and have no need to use temperature)
 
Shock me said:
I would disagree that the swirl comes from method, not temperature. The swirl pattern is critically dependent on the amount of curing which has occurred prior to the colors being mixed. Too early and red with blue swirls turns into homogenous purple and too late, there will be bubbles. The curing reaction is exothermic, the mixture warms as a function of time as it cures. The trick is to find that Goldilocks moment where the colors are viscous enough to swirl without mixing, but not too late. This moment can be determined objectively by temperature. Granted, here temperature is a surrogate measure of viscosity which is much harder to measure accurately (at least by me, others are very good at it and have no need to use temperature)
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The swirl has nothing to do with the amount of gelling, but in the procedure in which the colors are introduced. As the resin begins to gel, it becomes harder to get a swirl. The pattern becomes very distinctive color separations.

The mixture doesn't warm as a function of time, it begins it's exothermic reaction as a result of cross-linking. The larger the mass of the cast, the higher the exothermic output.

With this particular Urethane resin, the open time is 12 minutes. Some urethane's are a little longer, some shorter.

In 12 minutes, it can be difficult to get the two parts mixed thoroughly, poured, and under pressure before it begins the gel. With a swirl, there are at least two colors to utilize in this process. This reduces the amount of time to get under pressure. Pressure is highly recommended when using urethane's. 12 minutes doesn't leave much time to linger, trying to test temperatures.

This is where the method plays a large role.

Of course, if using polyester resin, there is more open time, and is a completely different process.

I have never used Alumilite products, but all of the other Urethane resins I have used, it is poured immediately after mixing all of the individual colors.

With polyester, the colors are mixed, and then relaxed for 5 minutes to eliminate the majority of the air inclusions, then poured. During the pouring, any remaining air is floated to the top of the mold.

The swirl will come from the method, not from the temperature.
But, do whatever works for you.
 
Terredax said:
My understanding is that Alumilite clear is a urethane resin. There is not a target temperature using urethane. It's a 1:1 mix, that has a 12 minute open time. The color is mixed in the one part, and then the two parts are mixed.
The swirl comes from the method, not a temperature.

Pressure is highly recommended to eliminate air inclusions.
Click to expand...


I will disagree. It takes about 7 minutes to reach 95 degrees. At 110 degrees it's so thick it becomes a blob. 95 degrees is about the ideal temp to start swirling colors together
 
Thinning the resin is a good start. It will allow you to mix it quicker. A second must in my opinion is mix with a drill. Take a 1" spade bit and break the tip off of it. Dull all of the sharp edges with a belt sander. Put the drill on high speed. This will give you more time to separate and add colors. Use the drill to mix the colors also. You will feel the heat build as you handle the cups. I don't wait long to mix. There are several ways to mix, getting different results. A little from each cup in different orders, pour 2 colors in one cup and pour a small stream as both colors mix, pour through a screen, etc...Find what works for you and have fun!
 
Forgot to mention.... in my experience with polyresin, liquid diamond, and alumilite.... it is far easier to keep separated colors and get better swirls with alumilite because it sets much quicker.
 
These are 2 alumilite slow clear blanks. I poured resin into mold at 94 degrees. Just a few colors like John mentioned. Alternating as I poured. But only gives you about 3 minutes to pour and get under pressure. So have everything ready before you start
 

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I had to do some digging, but I wanted to be fair, and show some urethane blanks.
These were cast in a very similar method to the polyester blanks I posted.
These were poured immediately after the two parts were mixed thoroughly.
They weren't poured based on the resin's temperature, and from the time the two parts were combined, to the actual pour, was approx. 3 minutes.
They were under pressure in less than 6 minutes.
The swirl is a result of the method, and not of the temperature.

I still prefer polyester.











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Late to the party but....From what I remember from one of the 1K vids I've watched on the subject I believe it was Casey Martin that said that the "swirl look" is best achieved by pouring, not actually sticking something in the mold and actually stirring it. It seems to make sense as a swirl once it is turned down to the size of a finished blank has no resemblance to what it looked like on the surface of a 1" block. His process is to just alternate the pours in a random fashion and pattern and let nature and physics take its course. Kinda like a whirlpool. It will look different depending on where it is viewed from and is fluid and dynamic.
 
Let's put all the theory, practice and methodology to the test! We can even see what it best among defined swirl and more subtle mixed swirl in the Pretty Resin Pen Contest and everyone who has posted here (except me) can win.

Take a look at the rules for what is considered the fairest, best balanced competition for all members:http://www.penturners.org/forum/f18/pretty-resin-pen-contest-rules-157766/
 
MRDucks2 said:
Let's put all the theory, practice and methodology to the test! We can even see what it best among defined swirl and more subtle mixed swirl in the Pretty Resin Pen Contest
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Really
 

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What do you mean "Really"?

What better way to see which method works best and if the old pros are any better than the new folks than put it to the test and let the membership decide.

It not a commercial, it's a challenge in this thread.


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MRDucks2 said:
What do you mean "Really"?

What better way to see which method works best and if the old pros are any better than the new folks than put it to the test and let the membership decide.

It not a commercial, it's a challenge in this thread.


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You've never seen "A Christmas Story"?

This meme kills on other forums.:biggrin:
 
MRDucks2 said:
Ahh, my lack of culture. I have honestly tried to watch "A Christmas Story" several times over the years and have never made it all of the way through.


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Really Really!!!!! :confused:

But anyway its my favorite Xmas movie since even though it was set in 1939 or 40 everything in it is very close to what I remember Xmas was growing up in the 60's.

You have about 10 times to watch it on TBS and TNT before 9 PM tonight.:)
 
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