I don't have a pressure pot and it's not necessary. All you have to have is a $10 coffee mug warmer, or set in a water bath at 125 degrees F and all the bubbles will rise. Okay, for some resins, this will dramatically shorten the working time, but if you're pouring like this, it shouldn't be a problem. So, how do you know how much mica powder to use? Just eyeball until it's opaque enough to hide the tube? I'm trying to figure this out myself. Don't want to use too much, but don't want it to be transparent and show the innerds you know ... or too much so as to hinder curing. I had to cast my last blank in cooler temps than it called for in the instructions. When I unmolded 24 hours later (the epoxy was a 12 hour cure), they were solid but still bendy. Thought I'd used too much mica powder. However, I let it sit for a few more days and weirdly, they cured solid. I'm wondering if that was because of the amount of powder I used, or because it was colder than the 72 degrees in the instructions ... or a combination? It all worked out in the end, but I don't know what made it cure slower ... or how the chemical reaction continued after 24 hours. Boggles the mind.
Temperature on the polyester resin is a big deal, you really need to be working with it at 70 or above for best results or heat the resin before putting in the activator so that it will cure while already warmed. I used a cardboard box around a very small space heater to warm up my cups of resin before mixing. Also, I have never had any issue with even what you would look at as very large amounts of mica powder. It's never caused a sticky or bendy blank for me as long as the rest of the process is followed correctly.
@@FrickWerkz that's good to hear. I just bought myself some molds and some resin and plan on doing the same. But instead of selling the blanks, I was going to have my brother turn them and put them together with pen kits
I don't use a pressure pot with the polyester resin, it normally cures well without pressure. It gets hot enough and stays a rather liquid state in part of the cure where the bubbles will push out. I only cure it under pressure if I want a really clear result - any bubbles left in it have never caused me issues on more opaque blanks. I 100% of the time cure Alumilite under pressure cause it does not act the same way in cure.
I just got into resin casting and I ran into a problem where I could see the pen tube when I had finished turning the blank. Is there a specific pigment of dye that would keep the casting from being clear?
You can use powder dyes to make it more opaque or you can also paint the pen tubes or get white or black tubes that will show better with a more clear blank.
@@legacyhuntergaming5399 Pearl Ex is a good start, you can find them locally at a Michael's craft store in the embossing area of the store, I also link to them in my descriptions.
Generally the less viscous the resin is the more the resin colors mix, but that causes issues of it's own when trying to get good separation - you have to wait until almost cured to get the apart and by that time the resin will not be able to remove bubbles and move much more.
I'm using Alumilite and it seems the pressure pot mixes the colors up more and there isn't the kind of defined separation I am looking for. Maybe I need to keep it out of the pressure pot a little longer so it "sets" more first. Another experiment I guess.
Keep the colors in their cups more before you pour them together, check out Zac Higgins on the temps to get the Alumilite up to before pouring for better color separation. These are tricky because of the amount of colors you are trying to combine also.
This is polyester resin and the ambient temperature is fairly high, so no pressure pot needed to get castings that are relatively free of bubbles. You can watch some of my other videos that talk about the material and see a pen I made from this showing the lack of bubbles.
This is polyester resin and the ambient temperature is fairly high, so no pressure pot needed to get castings that are relatively free of bubbles. You can watch some of my other videos that talk about the material and see a pen I made from this showing the lack of bubbles.
How did they turn out? and do you sell the silicon trays? Sorry I'm quite new to turning and this resin stuff looks amazing. Thanks for sharing your video.
The trays are available on Amazon.com, these are actually listed as silicone ice trays on there and are 3 for $10. I have not turned one of these yet, working on that for my next video actually, so stay tuned.
It is due to the elevated temperature as the resin cures and the cross-linking taking place to harden it up. The movement is exaggerated by having the pearl-ex colorant in the resin.
Sorry about that, I don't have these listed yet but I will be putting some up. I don't sell on Etsy, only on eBay. Same name on eBay - Frickwerkz www.ebay.com/usr/frickwerkz
That's awesome! I couldn't find the molds on Amazon but I did find them on Etsy. Sold individually and more expensive so I only bought two molds but I can't wait to try this. What do you do with whatever excess you have? I watched a video where a guy kept adding to larger PVC molds each time with whatever he has left over and he plans on making bottle stoppers from them. Do you think adding liquid resin to already hardened resin would be ok or do you think there would be less of a bond and possibly fall apart when turning it? Here's his video where he mentions savings the extra. th-cam.com/video/x-G7avr9U6o/w-d-xo.html
I have a link to the molds on Amazon in the description of the video - however I do see them showing out of stock right now. Hope they sell them again, they are great molds. I know the video you are referring to on the excess resin, and yes that is a great way to save it if you want to turn other blank sizes. It is ok to add liquid resin to already hard resin but you have to cover the already poured/hard resin in between to keep dust and other items out of it.
@@FrickWerkz Thanks for the reply. Really looking forward to trying this. I've done the PVC pipes but the colors tend to get more mixed up than I like. I think I'll be able to control the mix better using the silicone molds.
I don't have a pressure pot and it's not necessary. All you have to have is a $10 coffee mug warmer, or set in a water bath at 125 degrees F and all the bubbles will rise. Okay, for some resins, this will dramatically shorten the working time, but if you're pouring like this, it shouldn't be a problem.
So, how do you know how much mica powder to use? Just eyeball until it's opaque enough to hide the tube? I'm trying to figure this out myself. Don't want to use too much, but don't want it to be transparent and show the innerds you know ... or too much so as to hinder curing.
I had to cast my last blank in cooler temps than it called for in the instructions. When I unmolded 24 hours later (the epoxy was a 12 hour cure), they were solid but still bendy. Thought I'd used too much mica powder. However, I let it sit for a few more days and weirdly, they cured solid. I'm wondering if that was because of the amount of powder I used, or because it was colder than the 72 degrees in the instructions ... or a combination?
It all worked out in the end, but I don't know what made it cure slower ... or how the chemical reaction continued after 24 hours. Boggles the mind.
Temperature on the polyester resin is a big deal, you really need to be working with it at 70 or above for best results or heat the resin before putting in the activator so that it will cure while already warmed. I used a cardboard box around a very small space heater to warm up my cups of resin before mixing. Also, I have never had any issue with even what you would look at as very large amounts of mica powder. It's never caused a sticky or bendy blank for me as long as the rest of the process is followed correctly.
they looks crazy good
yes, I was really surprised at how well these came out, I sold these within 24 hours of listing them and have had people requesting them since then
@@FrickWerkz that's good to hear. I just bought myself some molds and some resin and plan on doing the same. But instead of selling the blanks, I was going to have my brother turn them and put them together with pen kits
Wow blanks look amazing 👍and subd,
Cheers from will
Just learning how come no pressure pot used, like the colors use .? Lonnie Shrum
I don't use a pressure pot with the polyester resin, it normally cures well without pressure. It gets hot enough and stays a rather liquid state in part of the cure where the bubbles will push out. I only cure it under pressure if I want a really clear result - any bubbles left in it have never caused me issues on more opaque blanks. I 100% of the time cure Alumilite under pressure cause it does not act the same way in cure.
@@FrickWerkz ok the polyester resin you used , wath is the brand name and where to did you buy it.Lonnie Shrum?
Silmar 41 - I bought at UScomposites.com - freshest and best price per gallon
What causes the movement of the resin?
Ciao bel lavoro bravo volevo sapere coli i colori tutti insieme?
How long do you have to let them cure before turning them on the lathe? Great work!
Nice color combinations.
Thank you, these turned out better than expected with the colors.
I just got into resin casting and I ran into a problem where I could see the pen tube when I had finished turning the blank. Is there a specific pigment of dye that would keep the casting from being clear?
You can use powder dyes to make it more opaque or you can also paint the pen tubes or get white or black tubes that will show better with a more clear blank.
FrickWerkz Thanks for the info and tips! I think I’m gonna try the powder dyes first.
@@legacyhuntergaming5399 Pearl Ex is a good start, you can find them locally at a Michael's craft store in the embossing area of the store, I also link to them in my descriptions.
Интересно взглянуть на них после обработки.
It is interesting to look at them after processing.
Yes the cure process on these blanks is something that looks really strange like looking at a lava-lamp.
why do the separate colors keep mixing, do they repel each other until the resin becomes more viscous?
Generally the less viscous the resin is the more the resin colors mix, but that causes issues of it's own when trying to get good separation - you have to wait until almost cured to get the apart and by that time the resin will not be able to remove bubbles and move much more.
I'm using Alumilite and it seems the pressure pot mixes the colors up more and there isn't the kind of defined separation I am looking for. Maybe I need to keep it out of the pressure pot a little longer so it "sets" more first. Another experiment I guess.
Keep the colors in their cups more before you pour them together, check out Zac Higgins on the temps to get the Alumilite up to before pouring for better color separation. These are tricky because of the amount of colors you are trying to combine also.
A. Ok ok lo spero eravate bravi salutalo e anche a te auguroni njk da Sestri levante
This is polyester resin and the ambient temperature is fairly high, so no pressure pot needed to get castings that are relatively free of bubbles. You can watch some of my other videos that talk about the material and see a pen I made from this showing the lack of bubbles.
excuse me for being a bit silly but what do you use these for and how
Check out some of my other videos, these are used in pen making on a lathe.
GOOD AFTERNON SIR , I LOVE ALL YOU PEN AND VIDEOS , I LIKE TO KNOW HOW MANY DROPS OF THE MK YOU ADD TO THE 3 OZ CUPS , THANK YOU
I use a little over what is recommended, generally I do 20 drops in the 3 oz. cups.
What resin are you using to cure without the use of a pressure pot?
This is polyester resin and the ambient temperature is fairly high, so no pressure pot needed to get castings that are relatively free of bubbles. You can watch some of my other videos that talk about the material and see a pen I made from this showing the lack of bubbles.
How did they turn out? and do you sell the silicon trays? Sorry I'm quite new to turning and this resin stuff looks amazing. Thanks for sharing your video.
The trays are available on Amazon.com, these are actually listed as silicone ice trays on there and are 3 for $10. I have not turned one of these yet, working on that for my next video actually, so stay tuned.
I have looked on your Ebay site you have No blanks for sale, when is the next batch going on ??
Yep, sorry - they sold out two days ago, been very popular, I will have more up there this weekend.
Why does it move like that while it's curing?
It is due to the elevated temperature as the resin cures and the cross-linking taking place to harden it up. The movement is exaggerated by having the pearl-ex colorant in the resin.
What Frick said. Convection if you want to put it into one word.
You sell these, or mention Etsy but there's no detail about your shop anywhere on your TH-cam channel or your videos that I can see. :)
Sorry about that, I don't have these listed yet but I will be putting some up. I don't sell on Etsy, only on eBay.
Same name on eBay - Frickwerkz
www.ebay.com/usr/frickwerkz
That's awesome! I couldn't find the molds on Amazon but I did find them on Etsy. Sold individually and more expensive so I only bought two molds but I can't wait to try this. What do you do with whatever excess you have? I watched a video where a guy kept adding to larger PVC molds each time with whatever he has left over and he plans on making bottle stoppers from them. Do you think adding liquid resin to already hardened resin would be ok or do you think there would be less of a bond and possibly fall apart when turning it? Here's his video where he mentions savings the extra. th-cam.com/video/x-G7avr9U6o/w-d-xo.html
I have a link to the molds on Amazon in the description of the video - however I do see them showing out of stock right now. Hope they sell them again, they are great molds. I know the video you are referring to on the excess resin, and yes that is a great way to save it if you want to turn other blank sizes. It is ok to add liquid resin to already hard resin but you have to cover the already poured/hard resin in between to keep dust and other items out of it.
@@FrickWerkz Thanks for the reply. Really looking forward to trying this. I've done the PVC pipes but the colors tend to get more mixed up than I like. I think I'll be able to control the mix better using the silicone molds.
@@robh063 I was very happy when I started using them. Hope you have great success with it!