HELP with LIQUID DIAMONDS

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saffron

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Help! I'm doing something wrong. First attempt with Liquid Diamonds ended up with lots of bubbles. Made a few different castings with pine cones and liquid amber seed pods. Colored the resin with Alumilite powder and liquid dyes. Put in the pressure pot with 80 psi. Left it in the pressure pot for 14 hours and then brought the molds into the house where it was warmer. The resin started expanding in the molds like it was boiling and bubbling up. Took it out of the molds after 24 hours and found that the blanks were FULL of bubbles and air pockets on the bottom and sides.

Possible errors....
Should have left it in the pressure pot for 24 hours?
Change from the cold garage to the warmer house?
What else could have caused the bubbles?

Would greatly appreciate help so I can do it correctly on my second attempt.

Thank you
 
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All of the above. You went from 80 lbs of pressure to 0 and the resin did not set up yet. That is your problem. Also the temp change. The smaller the pour the more time to cure. LD is a 24 hour in the pot resin. Do not be in a rush. Make sure the ratio is correct and before you pour let the air bubbles rise and dissipate after you mix. then when you pour do not just dump. I like to use the stir stick and pour the resin down it as I rest the stick in the mold. I do alot of vertical casting so I pour the resin down the sides of the plastic molds. I just started using LD as it is a great resin for things like you are casting because it is so liquid and it does take time to harden so there is no rush and bubbles have a chance to dissipate. But I still also use Silmar for other castings. I wanted it because of watch part pen blanks and all those nooks and crannies.

Also liquid dyes and powder dyes maybe a problem but not sure on that one. From what I read alumilite dyes are prefered.
 
Last edited:
saffron said:
Left it in the pressure pot for 14 hours and then brought the molds into the house where it was warmer. The resin started expanding in the molds like it was boiling and bubbling up. Took it out of the molds after 24 hours and found that the blanks were FULL of bubbles and air pockets on the bottom and sides.

Possible errors....
Shoulde have left it in the pressure pot for 24 hours?
Change from the cold garage to the warmer house?
What else could have caused the bubbles?

Would greatly appreciate help so I can do it correctly on my second attempt.

Thank you
Click to expand...

A pressure pot compresses bubble so small that you can't see them. If you take them out of the pressure pot early, before fully cured, the bubbles will expand. Try keeping them in the pressure pot for 24 hours.

Also, since there are no real vapors with LD, I cast in the basement. The cold can slow down the curing of the resin.

I mix the resin for 4 minutes, let it sit for 20, then pour. A lot of the bubbles will work themselves out by just sitting.

Phil
 
From my casting experience temp of all the products, material, mold,pressure pot and cold air from the compressor.
In colder weather I have to bring all items inside the house to get a non bubble free casting before I start the process. I like temp at 70 or above.

charlie
 
My experience so far with epoxy resins is to leave it in the pot for 24 hours at 70 degrees. Last one I pulled at 12 hours had the same result as yours.
 
Liquid Diamond does not start to gel for 45 minutes at 77 degrees. The colder it is, the longer it will take to start to gel. Of course the opposite is true, the warmer it is the faster it will start to gel.

However, what everyone else said about the 24 hour set time is true as well. In fact it may take even longer if it is setting in a cold area.
 
Thank You

Thank you for all of the helpful suggestions. Looking forward to a hopefully successful second attempt with Liquid Diamonds.
 
What pressure should I use for Liquid Diamonds? Will 50 psi be sufficient? Should I vacuum the resin prior to casting? Getting ready to cast my first batch too. Thanks for your post, hopefully I can be patient enough to let it fully cure before popping the top. Good luck with your next batch.

Danny
 
I have a friend to casts with 40 - 50 psi. If you are in a warm room where the resin is in it's thinnest state you can cast without pressure. The only caveat (drawback) is that you need to wait until the resin starts to gel before mixing in any additives. Dyes can be mixed along with the part A and B of the resin as they will not separate out. I have had good results with using Alumilite dyes to tint the resin. If you want to mica powders and other things if you do not let it start to gel, they will sink to the bottom and you will not get the effect that you want.

One thing that I read and have not tried yet was when using HDPE molds you need to use some type of a release agent otherwise they can be difficult to remove.
 
Danny, 50 psi is enough. You don't need to degas prior. Wait to pop the top until the residual resin in your mixing cup has cured. That's your cue.
 
eharri446 said:
I have a friend to casts with 40 - 50 psi. If you are in a warm room where the resin is in it's thinnest state you can cast without pressure. The only caveat (drawback) is that you need to wait until the resin starts to gel before mixing in any additives. Dyes can be mixed along with the part A and B of the resin as they will not separate out. I have had good results with using Alumilite dyes to tint the resin. If you want to mica powders and other things if you do not let it start to gel, they will sink to the bottom and you will not get the effect that you want.

One thing that I read and have not tried yet was when using HDPE molds you need to use some type of a release agent otherwise they can be difficult to remove.
Click to expand...



Thanks. I am using Maneater HDPE molds. I will use Mann 200 spray release agent. My plan is to clear cast tube in to start with.

Danny


Sent from my iPhone using Penturners.org mobile app
 
I used some ptownsubbie tube in molds with LD and because of the temperature of my resin I noticed some bubbles in them. At the time I cast them the room where I was casting was around 62 degrees so the resin was not a thin as normal.
 
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