Need help with Alumilite photo casting

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Roy99664

Member
Joined
Apr 29, 2006
Messages
207
Location
.Seward, Alaska
I've been trying to cast a blank with a photo of my grandaughter on it and have had many failures. Hoping someone could tell me what I'm doing wrong. Here's the steps I'm following;

Roughing the tubes with 80 grit
Clean with lacquer thinner
Paint tube with flat white Krylon spray paint
Let dry for 48 hours
Print photo on Avery label
Let dry for 24 hours
Stick label on tube
Roll on flat surface
Cast in Water Clear Alumilite with 45 to 50 Psi. Also tried without pressure.
Let dry 24 hours

Here's the results.
casting2Small.jpg

casting1Small.jpg


Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks
 
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I was given instruction by another member "mitchm" and his work is awesome. You may want to email him for further details.

Re: Photo Montoge Pen

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Wes, the photo's are not under acrylic! They are pasted to the turned wood barrels and finished with many coats of Modge Podge then 10 coats of medium CA.

Mike
 
Looks to me like the white paint is melting from the heat of the curing process. I would powder coat your tubes white. If you can't do that, I don't doubt for a second that you can find someone around here that will do powder coat them for you.

I would expect PR to do the same thing to the paint. I would however still recommend that you use PR to cast the label once you get the tubes powdercoated. The alumilite will want to release from the tube when you install your parts because it lacks the hardness. I prefer alumilite, but for this situation have to recommend PR.
 
If you purchase the labels that are white instead of clear, you don't have to paint the tubes.

I did a prototype to make sure it would work and it did. The labels are purchased the same place you purchase the clear ones. They are applied in the same manner only they are white instead of clear.

Just cover the entire tube instead of just the small label.
 
I don't know if they labels are clear or white, but white is good. Painting the
tubes white is good, too.. but I've had better luck with white primer than with
white paint. There are some labels that are a heavier white, meant to stop
color from bleeding through. THe white can turn gray when the label gets wet,
so this can help, too.

I've also found that some inks can leach when put in resin. I'm not sure if this
means it needs a sealer coat (some have suggested lacquer, some have said
Krylon Acrylic spray) but it is worth a try. Some have also said to use white
glue. (Elmers)

I also find a white background shows this a lot more than other colors. I've mostly
been using black backgrounds, so it may be happening more often than I know.

If you spray a coating on the label after it is on the tube, you might want to make
sure to seal the ends of the labels, too. If the resin doesn't permeate the face
of the label, it could certainly wick in from the ends, where the surface is more
exposed. You could get a capillary action pulling resin into the label from the ends.


The spots seem to be a difference between the places where resin has seeped
into the label and places where it hasn't. If you get the tube and label white enough,
then deliberately getting the resin into the label could give you an even look. Some
people are painting the label with resin (not catalyzed) before casting. (that's for
PR, not Alumilite) and if the resin gets into the whole label, there won't be light or
dark spots.. all wet or all dry will give a uniform look.

OK, that's all the ideas that come to mind. One or more (or none) might help..
 
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I paint the tubes with flat white paint. I do use white labels. Avery 8254.

I also tried sealing the label with spray lacquer, but got the same results.

I'm using a Canon printer with Canon ink cartridges.

I'd be happy to mail these failures to someone for a closer look. Just toss them when you are done. Sure would like to figure this out. I thought I was following the same procedures as others have used, but no luck for Me. :confused:
 
Roy99664 said:
I paint the tubes with flat white paint. I do use white labels. Avery 8254.

I also tried sealing the label with spray lacquer, but got the same results.

I'm using a Canon printer with Canon ink cartridges.

I'd be happy to mail these failures to someone for a closer look. Just toss them when you are done. Sure would like to figure this out. I thought I was following the same procedures as others have used, but no luck for Me. :confused:
Click to expand...

If you are using white labels, why paint the tube?

Are these the labels that you have to wet in order to apply or are they standard labels that you use on an envelope? I use the TESTORS # 9201 & 9202 models that you have to wet in order to remove the backing.
 
Why paint the tube? Because the brass color of the tube will change the color of the artwork on the label. Whites will not be as white and ... well you get the idea.

I use Avery labels only. The size is 2" x 4" or the full sheet label.The labels are the kind that you peel off a cover from the back side to expose the sticky surface.

I cast with polyresin and have great results. don't use alumalite.

Do a good turn daily!
Don

PTownSubbie said:
If you are using white labels, why paint the tube?

Are these the labels that you have to wet in order to apply or are they standard labels that you use on an envelope? I use the TESTORS # 9201 & 9202 models that you have to wet in order to remove the backing.
Click to expand...
 
I don't know exactly how this might work out, but try using Rustoleum white appliance epoxy to paint the tubes. It's a much more durable paint than the krylon paint or primer. It's the kind of paint they use on the 'prepainted' tubes you buy from WC or any of the other big suppliers. I have no idea if it would hold up to the heat involved in curing resin, though, but it's going to be the best paint you can get without going to powdercoating.
 
NewLondon88 said:
Ah..those are water slide decals, not labels. Not sure how they hold up
to the heat of curing resins, but they could work too.
Click to expand...

I thought that was what everyone used :rolleyes:. Showing my newness :eek:

I casted a pen with it in PR the other day. No problems with the label. I put it on and let it sit for several days curing before I cast it in the PR.

The normal envelope shipping labels can be used? I thought they would peel away from the tube during casting. The water labels actually shrink around the tube the longer they cure. Only drawback is they are more expensive.
 
PTownSubbie said:
The normal envelope shipping labels can be used? I thought they would peel away from the tube during casting.
Click to expand...

Some do, but some experimenting shows that certain types are more
likely to come off than others. Seems like most agree that the Avery 825x
labels work best. (8254, 8255 .. etc.)

Also, trimming the labels too short can make them come off. You need
several millimeters of overlap for the label to stick to itself. Some types of
inks can cause the labels to release.. some types of spray coatings can
cause them not to stick..

The adhesive in some labels can get soft when exposed to either the
resin or the heat generated by the curing resin. Those conditions can
cause the labels to release their hold, too.

See why we ask so many questions? :tongue:
 
labels

I have been able to do the label process. Resin did not work for me. It chipped, split and allowed air inside.

Correction: the first photo is NOT a label, sorry.
 

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Roy,
I recently did some photo casting with Alumilite and one turned out pretty good. I did a little summary of it in response to another post about some resin saver molds from newlondon88. Let me see if I can post a link to that thread here. (haven't done that yet) http://www.penturners.org/forum/showthread.php?t=51574 Yea!! I think it worked. I'm certainly no expert, but would be glad to answer any questions or discuss any ideas you have on the photo casting. It's really cool.
 
You have to use white tubes even with white labels, the brass color will show through anything light in your picture. I have had the most success buying the 10 inch white tubes cutting them a little longer than I need, sticking the avery label on them and casting them, A black background behind the picture always seems to work best to hide the seam.
 
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