Last Minute Questions for First Cast

Signed-In Members Don't See This Ad
Rogersab1223

Rogersab1223

Member
Joined
Jun 22, 2011
Messages
44
Location
Alexandria, VA
Hey everyone -

I'm planning on doing my first casting this weekend. I picked up the Cast-A-Kit from Penn State, only because it seemed to be a fairly comprehensive starter kit at a good price.

I'm planning on doing a couple Wall Street II/Sierra tubes with labels. I used Avery 8168 labels, which will have dried for about 24 hours by the time I put them on tonight. I'm planning to clean the tubes with acetone and spraying them with flat black paint (and letting it dry) prior to applying labels.

My questions:
I'm planning on using a spray laquer to "seal" the labels prior to casting. At what point in the process should I do that? Should I let the labels stay for a certain amount of time before I spray them and should I spray them a certain amount of time prior to casting?

I've read most label casters have issues with bubbles appearing at the seams so I'm planning on having the seams facing up when casting so I can wrangle the bubbles with a toothpick as they appear. Sound good?

Anything else I should consider? Any last minute words of advice?

Andy
 
Signed-In Members Don't See This Ad
I thing the rule of thumb is to let your final sealer to dry completely. I think most use CA to seal and let it dry for at least 24 hours. With any other type of sealer, your mileage may vary.
I would suggest making at least two or three, even if you are just experimenting with some 7 mm tubes.
Let us know your results, good or bad.
 
i have had problems with the CA running the ink if applied directly. i always spray the label, decal whatever i have inked, with Crystal Clear high gloss lacquer from Krylon. then cast, CA or whatever you are doing over the printing.
 
Bubble jet printer inks may run when adding CA as a sealer, while laser printers tend to hold the ink due to heat transfer. a simple spray seal from any hobby shop should hold the ink from the bubble jet prints prior to using CA. I just pour the thin CA right over what ever I'm casting being sure to cover everything. I do this two or three times to ensure everything is covered. 24 hours at least for gas off then you should be good.

On a side note...look into a Resin Saver! The kit you bought is a real pain in the butt. Three layers, weights, rubber stoppers....A resin saver saves both resin and time!!!!
 
cwolfs69 said:
i have had problems with the CA running the ink if applied directly. i always spray the label, decal whatever i have inked, with Crystal Clear high gloss lacquer from Krylon. then cast, CA or whatever you are doing over the printing.
Click to expand...

How long do you let the lacquer cure prior to casting?

Andy
 
Ah.. I see the Crystal Clear .. I was thinking Deft or something like that.
(which I would still give a week or more to fully cure)
The Crystal Clear that Charley mentioned is an acrylic spray. I forgot all
about that when you said lacquer. I'll let him answer.

ps .. Tim is now in my will.
 
I used the WATCO High Gloss (available at Woodcraft). I'm planning on letting it cure for at least a week, however, I can ALREADY tell, in the few hours since I put my second coat on that the ink is "protected", if that makes any sense.

Also, you guys shamed me into ordering the resin savers. :)
 
Rogersab1223 said:
I used the WATCO High Gloss (available at Woodcraft). I'm planning on letting it cure for at least a week, however, I can ALREADY tell, in the few hours since I put my second coat on that the ink is "protected", if that makes any sense.
Click to expand...

It does .. BUT now that the ink is protected, you need to make
sure that the lacquer doesn't react with the resin. So your
week sound good.
Alton has something he tested and it seemed to work pretty well
after an overnight cure. I forget the name.. but it was good for
putting over colors that can often run with anything solvent based.
 
I don't understand all of the chatter lately about sealing the labels prior to casting. I print labels on my ink jet printer, let them dry overnight and stick them on painted tubes that have dried overnight. I make sure the labels are stuck really well to the tubes and let them sit another overnight stay. I do not seal with anything. I cast and they come out perfect. I have printed with my Lexmark, HP and Canon printers and they all work fine. I have even use house brand ink from Office Depot as well as the refills from CVS pharmacy. I am particular about the labels I use. I ONLY use Avery labels. My favorite is #8163. Cast me "sealer confused" in Texas.
Do a good turn daily!
Don
 
I'm with you Don. I use the same Avery labels. I let them set a day after applying. Never used sealer, and never had an issue.
 
well .. speaking as someone who wasted way too much money trying out
labels, I can tell you that many of them have to be sealed. I'm in a
small area, so most stores don't carry all that much for labels, I've never
found the ones people mentioned.
But the issue isn't so much the ink as it is the paper being full of air.
That gave me tons of bubbles. Of course, matte labels are worse, but
the color is usually more saturated. Glossy labels don't bubble as much.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom