Skeels
Member
so i was asked by a couple people how I get my blanks out of my pvc pipe molds. so I figured its time for a quick tutorial. sorry for the lack of pics but it is pretty straight forward.
first off we gotta get this out of the way.... lets use some common sence and use all the PPE associated with the trade. don't over pressurize your tank, don't eat he resin, wear gloves, eye pro and ear pro, yada yada. so lets get on to getting on.
step 1 : cut a hole in the box... wait, that a different tutorial...
so seriously...
-I have the same basic set up as everyone and their brother for casting... mine was cheap and on the fly so I conjured up an old compressor, a HF pressure pot and used bits a pieces acquired from work to convert to just the pressure pot and made a small mold holder that holds (2) 3/4", (2) 1/2" and (1) 1-1/2" pvc pipe molds.
-I cut all my pipe, with the exception of the 1-1/2" pipe at 6" (1-1/2" is cut at around 4", gonna be using it for "left over resin" bottle stoppers)
-I use whatever tape is laying around to put a good layer covering the bottoms of all the pipe. I also have some rubber corks from the hardware store when I can find them in the shop
- I then place the pipes in my mold holder (made it from a couple pieces of 1x6 and drilled some holes in it for the pipe)
-now this is an organization thing but I have my alumilite, mixing cup, scale, and molds/mold holder and pressure pot all in a line so I can work fast. not crucial but with short open time, I like to be on my game... I even have my hose hooked up to the pot lid ready to rock.
-if using a color, I place a small amount of pigment powder in a cup, place it on the scale and ZERO it out.
-I mix the amount of part A with color and ZERO the scale again and mix the exact same amount of part B... and mix for a full minute per alumilite instruction.
-I pour the alumilite in my designated pipe and place it in my pot, close the lid nice and tight and add air SLOWLY.
-alumilite recommends 30-40 psi if I'm correct. my pot can take 70... I put it up to 60psi and hold for 2-3 hours.
now for the part people have been askin about... I keep getting asked about mold release and hold I get the blanks from the pipe. both easy answers. I try to be as cheap as possible so I DO NOT use any sort of mold release... period. the way I see it, for about 5 bucks for 20' of the size pvc pipe I need (free if I get it from work) if it does get stuck in the pipe... its plastic, itll turn off. and on top of that, its more of a mystery of how itll turn out if it gets stuck.
as for removal...
-I take to pipe from the holder and remove the tape.
- I put the pipe on the open end with the previously taped side up.
-I take a punch and center it on the blank and give it a couple good whacks until I can no longer hit the punch
-I then move to a longer rod, punch... whatever can fit in the pipe and not break when its hit, usuall its a 3/8" key stock that's about 15" long, whatever works
- after that, I just keep hitting with small hits till it pops. the first time or two the pipe is used u can just hold it in your hand and hit it out. I don't clean my pipes out after removal so I guess stuff gets crammed in there makin the next few a little tight to get out. when it does that I just place the pipe on a vice with the jaws open just enough for the blank to stick through and the pipe to stay on top of the jaws.
BADA BING...theres your newly cast blank, now go turn a pen
first off we gotta get this out of the way.... lets use some common sence and use all the PPE associated with the trade. don't over pressurize your tank, don't eat he resin, wear gloves, eye pro and ear pro, yada yada. so lets get on to getting on.
step 1 : cut a hole in the box... wait, that a different tutorial...
so seriously...
-I have the same basic set up as everyone and their brother for casting... mine was cheap and on the fly so I conjured up an old compressor, a HF pressure pot and used bits a pieces acquired from work to convert to just the pressure pot and made a small mold holder that holds (2) 3/4", (2) 1/2" and (1) 1-1/2" pvc pipe molds.
-I cut all my pipe, with the exception of the 1-1/2" pipe at 6" (1-1/2" is cut at around 4", gonna be using it for "left over resin" bottle stoppers)
-I use whatever tape is laying around to put a good layer covering the bottoms of all the pipe. I also have some rubber corks from the hardware store when I can find them in the shop
- I then place the pipes in my mold holder (made it from a couple pieces of 1x6 and drilled some holes in it for the pipe)
-now this is an organization thing but I have my alumilite, mixing cup, scale, and molds/mold holder and pressure pot all in a line so I can work fast. not crucial but with short open time, I like to be on my game... I even have my hose hooked up to the pot lid ready to rock.
-if using a color, I place a small amount of pigment powder in a cup, place it on the scale and ZERO it out.
-I mix the amount of part A with color and ZERO the scale again and mix the exact same amount of part B... and mix for a full minute per alumilite instruction.
-I pour the alumilite in my designated pipe and place it in my pot, close the lid nice and tight and add air SLOWLY.
-alumilite recommends 30-40 psi if I'm correct. my pot can take 70... I put it up to 60psi and hold for 2-3 hours.
now for the part people have been askin about... I keep getting asked about mold release and hold I get the blanks from the pipe. both easy answers. I try to be as cheap as possible so I DO NOT use any sort of mold release... period. the way I see it, for about 5 bucks for 20' of the size pvc pipe I need (free if I get it from work) if it does get stuck in the pipe... its plastic, itll turn off. and on top of that, its more of a mystery of how itll turn out if it gets stuck.
as for removal...
-I take to pipe from the holder and remove the tape.
- I put the pipe on the open end with the previously taped side up.
-I take a punch and center it on the blank and give it a couple good whacks until I can no longer hit the punch
-I then move to a longer rod, punch... whatever can fit in the pipe and not break when its hit, usuall its a 3/8" key stock that's about 15" long, whatever works
- after that, I just keep hitting with small hits till it pops. the first time or two the pipe is used u can just hold it in your hand and hit it out. I don't clean my pipes out after removal so I guess stuff gets crammed in there makin the next few a little tight to get out. when it does that I just place the pipe on a vice with the jaws open just enough for the blank to stick through and the pipe to stay on top of the jaws.
BADA BING...theres your newly cast blank, now go turn a pen