Layering alumilite...

[furini]

Hi all

Had the time to experiment a bit with alumilite yesterday and made up some multi-layered blanks by putting one layer in the mould and then immediately mixing up another batch and pouring it over the first layer.

The hope was that the layers would stick to each other, as I've read that alumilite is not great at layering and that PR is the way to go with multilayers (I just can't stand the smell of PR though...).

Attempts were reasonably successful. I've now turned one of each blank and only had a problem with the layered green and yellow blank with one outer layer shearing off.

The circles blank worked better than I expected, and I've got some ideas about how to develop it and take it further. Anyway, enough words!

Pictures, right?









...and gratuitous shot of my light and camera set up...



Finally, failed experiment number 1, but I'll be returning to it to have another go...



I probably should buy some PR for this last one though!

 

[zaqdesigns]

Very impressive!

 

[stuckinohio]

What is the last experiment going to be used for?

 

[furini]

Several layers stacked vice versa and filled with resin. However my hope mould is proving reluctant to release alumlite so may have to go for PR and make a silicone mould...


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[1080Wayne]

Can you tell us what you did in the failed experiment ? I have always considered Alumilite to be very tough , yet the fractures look brittle .
So it broke when you were getting it out of the mold . Don`t know what a hope mold is , but it would have to be quite flexible to release such a complex shape . Silicone should also work for Alumilite .

 

[furini]

The failure was getting it out of the mould - made from an hdpe chopping board, not a hope mould! Ipad auto-correct...
It was also cast in narrow channels, which made it tricky with air bubbles too. I think this is where some of the breaks also occurred. Also, the layering with alumilite doesn't seem to give as strong a bond as PR does. The coloured layers were put on each other just moments after setting.