New way to vert cast

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sgimbel

sgimbel

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Joined
Dec 23, 2008
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Location
Round Rock, Texas
I figured a new way to vertically cast where you can see what your pour looks like. By using "baby soda bottles" you end up with a heavy duty, absolutely clear and smooth tube to cast in. They can be got at
stevespanglerscience.com/product/test-tube for $10.00 for a bunch of them. Cut the very bottom off the tube and use 2 pieces of blue painters tape to seal it back up. Do your pour, mix your colors the way you like them and then let them cure. I use PR. After they cured take the tape off and pop them right out. They come out extremely smooth to you don't have to touch them with a tool, like PVC, to see what they look like. The attached pictures should explain everything. I've been using these tubes to store scroll saw blades. They work for this also. I used Pam in my experiment on 1 tube. Both tubes released exactly the same so at least in the beginning a release agent isn't necessary. I've only done 1 pour so far. The finished blanks are 5" long and 7/8" in diameter. It takes about 2 oz of PR to fill the tube. Your mileage may vary depending where you cut the tube. You could also mark the tubes and do a short cast for pens like Sierras. Any questions just let me know.
 

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no they are not glass. they are actual soda bottle (2 liter size) in the shape just prior to going into the mold. the top even accepts 2 liter bottle caps to seal. wonderful idea. virtually unbreakable and completely recyclable.
 
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The best thing about it is you don't have to touch the blanks with anything when you get them out of the tubes. They are very smooth and nothing has to be done. They look polished in the photos but that is them out of the tube.
 
Now that is neat-o mosquito! Very kind of you to share and I do believe I will be getting some of those.
 
great idea scott
will have to try that glad to see good ole american inginuity is alive and well!!!
___________________________________________________________________
sincerely
kens
kens pens
 
snyiper said:
Threads may hinder that I am thinking.
Click to expand...

I don't think there are threads on the inside. Assuming the are pre-expanded 2-liter bottles, 2-liter bottles are smooth inside the mouth.

I was thinking the same thing about using them as-is without cutting assuming they slide out easy enough without the need to push them from the other end.
 
You need a way to push/knock on them. They may come out it you smack them upside down, don't know. You could drill a small hole say 1/4 or 3/8" so you can get something in there to push them. Made a couple more to day and my PR was setting up to fast. What a mess. Surpriseingly the spilled PR just peeled off the outside too.
 
OK so I bought a pack and made some blanks last night. They are cool and work pretty dang good. The blanks will come out through the top without cutting the bottom off. However it takes a little tapping and playin with. Helps to scrap the inside of the mouth with a xacto knife to clean off any PR residue. Took about 5 minutes to get them out. So, I think Scott's Idea of drilling a small hole in the end to help push them out is the way to go. I'm going to try some mold release in today's batch to see if that helps first.

Just for reference, I put one of Jonathan's blanks inside the bottle and there the same exact size.
 
Pushing out blanks

The problem with out cutting the bottom off is like trying to get a can of jelled cranberry out of the can, once you pop a hole in the bottom of the can it slides out. Currently you are creating a vacuum in the bottom of the tube air has to get into the space as you pull out the tube so a small hole should be good.
 
It seems the original idea is actually pretty good in that if you leave the round end on the bottle, it is harder to get out AND I would be apt to cut the round end off the blank to make it easier to drill and mount, etc., which makes more waste. Of course thats considering how I use my blanks, others may not need to have 2 square ends. Great idea.
 
Made a second batch today and just took a couple out. The ones I used mold release on came out a lot easier. One thing I noticed on a few was that there is a small groove in the opening where the big ring is. You can feel it if you stick your finger in. Out of 15 tubes only two had this groove. They don't come out without a hole to tap it. The biggest thing I found was that they warp a little from the heat. The blanks look fantastic so I guess time will tell on how long the last.
 
I got my tubes in the mail yesterday and before I start cutting them or using them I have a couple of questions.

Instead of using tape on the bottom of the tube is there any reason why you couldn't just use the cap and pour into the bottom? I think if the inside of the cap was greased and maybe the threads it should come off. I guess my only concern is are the caps going to melt from the heat of the resin? Ok another concern is how are these going to do in the pressure pot?
Any ideas?
Alice
 
Alice

I have made about 3 dozen blanks with mine. I cut the ends off two because of the deep ridge in the mouth on a couple. The other 13 tubes I left the ends on and sprayed with mold release. A few taps around the tubes and they slide right out. If you are planning on making designers or similar length pens, you need to leave the ends on and pour to within a quarter inch of the top for it to be long enough. If you cut the ends off the blue tape works fine to seal it up. Can't answer your question about the pressure pot.
 
Thanks Kent,
I will try out a couple of ways before doing much cutting.
Alice
 
I cut a hole in the bottom and taped it so I could pour from the top. I then put the lid on and placed the tubes in the rack upside down. I removed the tape so pressure could get into the tube and placed the rack in my pressure pot at 50 psi. The blanks are cast mini pine cones. It turned out pretty good and as far as I can see the caps were not damaged.
1_pine_cone_blanks.jpg
 
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YES and NO NO NO

kronewi said:
Curious if anybody has tried this with Alumilite yet?
Click to expand...

Well tonight I did my first cast in these tubes with Alumilite. I cut the rounded part of the tube off and put the cap back on poured from the bottom and placed it the pressure pot.

They are STUCKKKKKKKKKKKKKKK and will not even budge a little. After spending the last half hour trying everything to shock them out of the tube. No luck. I even put pam
spray in the tube before the pour.

I am now going to try to somehow heat the tube and hope it expands enough to get these out.
as of now I would say NO NO NO you can NOT use alumilite for these!
Alice

It is later in the evening. I placed both tubes in a heat sealed bag and in boiling water to see if the tube would expand.

No luck
I ended up cutting the tube down the length on 4 points. Two of the pieces came off and the other two I had to use a chisel and hammer and finally got they to come off. The Alumilite had eaten into the inside surface of the tube.

So I guess this shows that these tubes cannot, for sure be, used with Alumilite.
I'll post pictures in the morning.
Oh well
Alice

It is morning and here is the picture of what is left of the tube. One section is MIA because it flew so far when I was chiseling it off I do not know where it went!

I might have salvaged the blanks in all of this.. while cutting the tube off I accidentely made scores in the side of the blank. I am hoping that I can get something turned and avoid the cuts.
To be continued.
 

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OK,
I have switched to PR for these molds. I am not sure what you guys are doing differently but I am still having a terrible time getting these out of the mold!. they are not just slipping out by any means. The first time I used PAM. I had to hammer the mold out. So I went to vasiline. One came out and I am still trying to beat the other one out!????
 
Alice i'm not sure what to tell you. I been using them for a few months now and every once in a while I get one that is stubborn. I use the mold release sold by Douglas and Sturgess. A few taps around the side of the tubes and they slip out, on your next try, after they set up look to see if you see shiny areas around the tubes, if you do thats where you tap. after that that, hold them upside down and tap on the lip around the threads. also check inside your tubes, see if your tubes have an indention below the threads. I got a couple tubes where the indention was deep and would not let the blank slip out. hope this helps. PM me if you have any specific question
 
soda bottles

I haven't use them, but was thinking about trying them.

Have a question though, someone mentioned cutting bottom of tube off and placing tape across bottom, what would be wrong with leaving caps on and having the cut end up? Would you be able to take cap off after resin setup and then it needed could take a small dowel and help encourage blank out if needed?
 
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