keithlong
Member
Anyone up for a meeting either in March, or April? Maybe the weather will be better. Any I as, please post em.
Spring Meeting
- Thread starter keithlong
- Start date
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homemade
Member
Either month will do for me.
SGM Retired
Member
I'm good for either month too. I do have knee surgery next week so will be laid up for a few days but can sit and watch. 
homemade
Member
Knee surgery
Poor guy, I know the feeling. I had both my knees done. It's gonna be sore,but with a set of crutches you won't have any problems.:wink:
Poor guy, I know the feeling. I had both my knees done. It's gonna be sore,but with a set of crutches you won't have any problems.:wink:
homemade
Member
meeting
May is pretty much out for me. I have a wedding and graduation to go to.:airplane:resent:
May is pretty much out for me. I have a wedding and graduation to go to.:airplane:
resent:homemade
Member
Luffa casting
Has anybody casted a luffa before. I was wondering if I should stabilize it first and then cast it or just cast it. Any answers?
Has anybody casted a luffa before. I was wondering if I should stabilize it first and then cast it or just cast it. Any answers?
sseamen
Member
I've never done any casting, only read about it, so that makes me fully qualified to have an opinion....... Right?
It does occur to me that stabilization is normally a process that works something like a porous object soaking up a thinner liquid, that then solidifies, strengthening the object and filling the small holes that make it porous.
Casting uses a thicker liquid which flows around and encases the various parts of the object before solidifying.
If what you are planning to cast is porous - lots if little tiny holes that a casting liquid can't get into so, but is stiff enough to not collapse when encased with the casting liquid, and you are not planning on cutting thru the inside of the object when you turn (exposing air bubbles), you probably don't need to stabilize.
If what you are planning to cast is porous - lots if little tiny holes that a casting liquid can't get into so - and soft enough that the casting process would causes it to collapse or deform- or you're afraid a turned surface will end up full of air bubbles, then you probably need to try stabilizing first.
If your object has mostly larger holes and spaces, the stabilization stuff will probably not completely fill those holes and you'll just end up with smaller holes to try and force the casting stuff into.
Stabilizing resins, when they harden, are usually pretty brittle. They work well in the small pores because the fiber of the material gives them flexibility and they give strength to the fibers, but in larger voids they don't get the flexibility and support from the fibers and don't turn well once the item is on the lathe. That's why they don't get used for 'worthless wood' castings.
I've read of people warming their casting resins before mixing them to try and get a thinner liquid. Also read about turning on a scroll saw and sitting the mold on the table because the vibrations cause the air bubbles to break loose and rise. One guy wrote that he sets his pressure pot on the scroll saw table, pumps the air out of the pot first, pauses a few moments, and then runs it up to 80 psi. Talk about covering all of your bases!
It does occur to me that stabilization is normally a process that works something like a porous object soaking up a thinner liquid, that then solidifies, strengthening the object and filling the small holes that make it porous.
Casting uses a thicker liquid which flows around and encases the various parts of the object before solidifying.
If what you are planning to cast is porous - lots if little tiny holes that a casting liquid can't get into so, but is stiff enough to not collapse when encased with the casting liquid, and you are not planning on cutting thru the inside of the object when you turn (exposing air bubbles), you probably don't need to stabilize.
If what you are planning to cast is porous - lots if little tiny holes that a casting liquid can't get into so - and soft enough that the casting process would causes it to collapse or deform- or you're afraid a turned surface will end up full of air bubbles, then you probably need to try stabilizing first.
If your object has mostly larger holes and spaces, the stabilization stuff will probably not completely fill those holes and you'll just end up with smaller holes to try and force the casting stuff into.
Stabilizing resins, when they harden, are usually pretty brittle. They work well in the small pores because the fiber of the material gives them flexibility and they give strength to the fibers, but in larger voids they don't get the flexibility and support from the fibers and don't turn well once the item is on the lathe. That's why they don't get used for 'worthless wood' castings.
I've read of people warming their casting resins before mixing them to try and get a thinner liquid. Also read about turning on a scroll saw and sitting the mold on the table because the vibrations cause the air bubbles to break loose and rise. One guy wrote that he sets his pressure pot on the scroll saw table, pumps the air out of the pot first, pauses a few moments, and then runs it up to 80 psi. Talk about covering all of your bases!
Allen_B
Member
Is there a meeting lined up? I'm new and wanting to learn all that I can.
homemade
Member
Luffa
Well, I did it. I cast luffa w/o stabilizing it first in resin. This is just a beautiful pen. When I get photos of it, I will post them to see.
Well, I did it. I cast luffa w/o stabilizing it first in resin. This is just a beautiful pen. When I get photos of it, I will post them to see.