Ooohhh may I add some (just looking a our casting area) and a few of these are “upgrades” not necessities: 0) eyewash containers, we keep these through out the shop 1) exhaust fan in casting area, ours is setup for outside exhaust, some resins are not friendly🤢 2) very good lighting, daylight led strips 3) odd sizes of nippers 4) multiple sizes of fresh rubber bands (resin/silicons can make them dry up even faster) 5) we use a lot of the very thin stir sticks, break em half or short pieces.. totally agree and wood scraps 6) a lined trash container you can quickly get soaked towels (spills) into and out of the shop in a hurry to finish curing (exothermic heat!) 6a) appropriate fire extinguisher(s) 7) nitrile gloves (w overhead box holders) we use blue and black pending what we’re doing shop towel and paper towel holders (ours are mounted overhead) 8) compressed air manifold so you always have a air blow off gun handy 9) lots of small cheap cups for mixing small/tiny batches. Careful not all cups are resin friendly, flat bottoms w no sharp corners are a plus. Also great for pouring extra resin into to make resin pucks for turning…if no extra molds handy 😉 10) cheap wax paper at the handy, lots of uses including laying over nice digital scales to prevent spilling resin on em 🤭 but still operate/read scales. We also elevate our scales on a small piece of plywood to help keep spills from underneath it… hmmm. Never “glued” a scale to the bench before 🤪 11) magnetic bar tool holders, for snips, knives, carvers etc, all mounted high 12 plastic containers - we use large shallow flat snap containers to hold 20-30lb sulphur free clay, talc and a few thousand legos- keeps dust and detritus out of the clay and legos organized (yeah right) 13) markers to keep date stamps on resins/silicones …dedicated markers as wifey doesn’t like sticky markers 👍 14 alcohol for cleaning (we do 3D prints as well) 15) Sonic cleaner for cleaning parts (also used for 3D printing cleanups)..note never put alcohol directly into a sonic cleaner tank..put parts and alcohol in a baggy and submerge in water in cleaner tank 16) toothbrushes - for cleaning etc 17 yep wide roll paper. On the casting bench and resin storage shelves we use waxed wide butchers paper for easy spill cleanup and no seep through. A lot of times we’ll use smaller sized wax paper on top of that 18) our casting desk is a standup design…we have a solid oak wood floor over cement…got cheap interlocking exercise mats to stand on and help keep spills off of floor 19). Something we do, for consistency in casting, is run a dehumidifier. Won’t debate if needed, but we found what “works for usl and this works for us. Running a dehumidifier can heat up a space rather quickly, especially in summer even with a/c. So we made heavy duty curtains out of thick mil vapor barrier plastic (big box store) and closed off a smaller area around the casting bench and pressure pots. Helps the dehumidifier works and rest of room comfortable. 20) a true luxury item, but we swear by it now. A large tank compressor with a air dryer built in for casting. Runs out in the main shop so casting room noise is minimized. Have a water trap/dryer installed on lines running to casting bench just as lines come through to ac space. 21) strainers - different sizes and materials - plastic - metal 22) toothpicks! We use lots f these buggers We have a “cupboard built onto the casting desk which itself is on wheels. Items that are most used or “emergency” things (eyewas/towels/gloves) we keep up high for fast access since things tend to get covered up or spilled on on the casting desk. As always YMMV and just sharing. Nothing more. Nothing less.
Fantastic list! I will pin your comment because it adds many of the items I also have in my shop. I tried to limit my list to things particular to a casting shop and leave out things that would apply to most shops or art studios. I don’t have a sonic cleaner or a dehumidifier. But I can certainly see the benefits of having both. Thanks for adding this list!
@@h7opolo aye, I saw that when I proofread. I also have some other edits on it to do. And I forgot at least one item I wanted to add. 🤦🏻♂️. Wrote it on my iPad, it’s not the most friendly of ways to post in the smallish window it gives you. Worst, the iPad IOS TH-cam app (latest version) has a tendency to entirely delete 🙀 long posts if you go back and try to edit them soon after posting. Started noticing it more after moving to iOS 15. Had only initially intended to put 2 or 3 things in the post, but when I went and looked at the casting bench, well , just got on a roll and put a lot more than the top ten or so Robert intended. Oh well, underpromise, over deliver 👍🤙 One of the desktops should free up tomorrow or so, I’ll go touch it up then 🤙🤙🤙
The BEST series on the subject. PERIOD. So gracious and generous in sharing your years of experience and knowledge. Clever tips, clear descriptions, ALL relevant topics covered, encouraging and instilling confidence in newbies like me. And very pleasant, entertaining and funny personality. The Mr. Rogers and Bob Ross of Casting all rolled into one. Thanks SO MUCH for taking the time. A real blessing... Keep 'em coming....
You are the cutest human being on this earth! Will you be my grandpa?😂 I’ve only made a few castings just for fun yet I have spent hours watching your videos. Thank you for sharing your knowledge with the community!!!!
I have long considered myself to be absolutely adorable. But it is remarkable how few people in my life agree with that sentiment. Thanks for watching!
My gooood! Finally a TH-camr that has a descriptive title and goes directly to the topic without 3 min of introducing them self and 4 min of explaining what this video will contain, thank you for good content! Love your work
That’s great Uncle Jessy! I have been sending models out to be printed for years now. Elegoo sent me over a printer so 2022 is the year I start 3D printing for myself! Your videos have been very useful to me. Thanks!
Sr. I think I've seen every video of yours and I will see every new one, cause I want to learn this craft as a way of life. From the bottom of my heart, thank you.
I just watched Jazza's video on silicone molds and resin casting, I asked him to watch your videos and try and do another one. You really are a master at doing this and teaching it.
I love it . All your tips are a treasure. I love the work you develop making things and showing us in this amazing videos were you share all your knowledge with us. 🌺💕🌺
Whoop whoop the Mold king is back! I quite enjoyed this video, always good to see what’s needed and even if a person already uses these materials the top tips might throw a surprise or two like the bonus stir tip. Glad your back
I do very little casting but sticking a paper roll on my main worktable is still going to save me all kinds of boring clean-up time. Thanks for the "Top Tip"!
Robert thank you for the information. I was worried I didn't see any update for a while. I'm glad you're back, don't want to snoop just hope you're feeling better if its even that at all.
This channel has by far been the biggest help with the medical task trainers I make. From the bees wax, wax pen, using sprues, all of it. Thank you so much Robert!!!!
Had a great time on my break. but also a lot of time just thinking about the channel and its future. Where it’s gonna go and what I hope to achieve with it this year. It was easier to see things without the daily pressure of the Friday deadline.
Your mentoring instruction is so enjoyable that I have binge watched many! This video is timely as I have recommended your videos to my brother, an artist who finally has time to reengage in sculpting and is excited to learn about molding to copy and preserve originals...as well as make modifications for new pieces as you described in passung in one of your Hairy Foot videos! This list will help him get equipped! Thanks so much andcwe look forward to more of your smiles and deminstrsted experience!!
The using a wide pan for degassing was a "duh! why didnt I think of that?!" great tip! Makes perfect sense. Also the paper with the roller! I would also add having a sheet of a thicker material like plastic of MDF to take damage or leak through of the paper.
Thanks for the tips Rob! I work from small home office and I've found that baking paper/wax paper taped to my desk is an amazing working surface! You can peel hardened resin and it doesn't seep through! Would recommend for smaller workspaces for sure!
This video is great, really to the point. I'm slowly accumulating the equipment I need to make my projects. One other place to get stir sticks is inside of popsicles. The good part about this source is that you get to eat a popsicle
so glad to see you re ok, i missed you. thank you so much for sharing once again. i have been looking forward to fridays for a long time now, i have learnt heaps and i hope that someday i can give something back for you
Great video Robert! Thanks for all the handy tips tricks and quality of life knowledge. What I wouldnt give to get to spend one day in your shop to learn directly from the master of mold making.
Hi Robert! I’m new to casting and can’t get enough of your videos. Thank you so much for making them. If you have already covered this is a previous video, please direct me to it, but I have a question: how should we be storing our one piece cut molds?
Kinda happy with myself, have all these other than the paper roll and hot box, but I can temp control the room so hot box not a huge deal in my case. Need to start using that paper.
A very punchy (and probably algorithm friendly) condensation of the most essential wisdom all your project based videos doll out in tidbits. A 1000 foot view of like, the different resin or rubber chemistries would also be cool. Maybe Goobertown Hobbies could get involved? He's got a degree in chemistry.
The work table I built for my garage in 2016 has a 1 inch thick layer of MDF, I put 2 coats of Spar Urethane on it a year ago.......makes a big difference when using mold rubbers and casting resins.
Your videos are the most calming, informative, industry relevant casting videos. I would love to also watch you at work sculpting. Ever since finding your chanel it reminds me of the casting class I took where I had to explain a lot of this stuff to the instructors. Definitely learned more from that class's 3D printing portion at least 😅 But that was a happy time for me and your vids bring both nostalgia and desire to keep pushing forward with my own art business so I can finally invest in the casting equipment. Feels like home.
Thank you very much for this list. Recommended products (or anti-recommendations) for the bigger items would be really helpful. Welcome back! I hope your break was relaxing.
awesome video Robert. i have like only 3 of these tools... the cutting ones and nothing else. looks like i have my work cut out getting these. great tips
Do you think any resin makers have considered selling their product in bag-in-box systems? The most notable example of these is modern box wine. I ask because it could negate the air moisture issue, and potentially make pouring easier. Another upside is that they’re slightly more recyclable than plastic jugs (this is debatable I know depending on different cities’ programs)
Great tips as usual, Robert - good to see you back on YT. For paper, I settled on red rosin paper from the big box stores. Not quite waterproof, but plenty good for paint/resin spills. I can get a couple more uses out of it than thinner kraft type paper I used previously.
i use my crocpot mostly, but i also have a small depilatory wax heater for melting small amounts or heating at a specific temperature ( from 50 to 200 degrees C)
Glad to see you back after your break! Wondering if you have any plans on showing different resin fillers to bulk out or strengthen resins? And rubbers?
I have used polyethylene mini fiber as a thickener on the channel. I use fillers very rarely in my studio although they can be very useful for modifying properties of a resin.
Welcome back Robert, hope your brake was restful. Hey, I wasn't sure if this was an idea for a video, but what do you do about the shelf life of your rubbers and resign. Is there any way to extend the life of a some rubber? I find myself either not having enough rubber/resin, or I just I just don't do enough and my rubber goes bad. Thanks!
Great video! Thank you for all the effort you put into this channel. You mentioned atmospheric moisture when opening up your resin bottles, and I know you've mentioned a aerosol inert gas product to lay on the top of the resin after opening, but would it be useful to have a siphon pump to draw from the bottom of the jug without opening the top all the time? Or do you think it would be wasteful/pointless/more trouble than it's worth? Thank you!
I don’t honestly know if there is a stratification of moisture within a jug. Doesn’t really matter because part B you are usually instructed to shake or mix vigorously. I have used inert gas, especially in large containers like 5 or 55 gallon buckets. But since I use pressure pods I usually don’t even bother.
I picked up the paper habit after watching an Adam Savage video. He started with it when he was at ILM. Not only does it keep the work surface clean, but makes a good starting point for the project. A clean, ready-to-use surface is very inviting. What kind of paper do you use? It looked like kraft paper. I've been using that but find that it tears too easily; I'm moving up to heavier butcher paper when the current roll runs out.
I played with it early in my career but settled on silicone as the best material for my needs. For your use a brush-on latex mold might be just the thing.
@@RobertTolone silicone is far superior for so many reasons … but it’s just the cheapness and although more time consuming find it a great material.. your tips techniques have been very helpful… Your pressure pots are sooooooo cool
Hi Robert, would you have a tip on how to get hold of an affordable, yet capable vacuum pump and tank? Those seem incredibly expensive :( Another idea on preventing resins from drawing moisture would be using these gas sprays that form kind of a protective layer above the resin in the jug. Idk if it would work, but I used them on photo developing chemicals back in the days...
Aside from building your own vacuum system, the cheapest ones I know about on Amazon are in the $140-200 range. Inert gas works well to displace oxygen in resin jugs. I made a video about that here: th-cam.com/video/FBC9xQ6H4oc/w-d-xo.html
Lovely sum up. The first thing I got when I started watching your videos was a roll of paper. :D Another question: I want to cast about 10 pieces from a mold and would like to get the same color in each one. Would you recommend to put color in the complete a side and use it up over a couple of days (I just have a very little pressure pot and can just cast one or two pieces per day). Or can that cause problems, so I better measure up my color for each casting at the moment that I pour it?
Great video, Robert - now I know what to add to my birthday present list in a couple of months' time :) I've still never quite understood why silicone is degassed with low pressure and resin is (sorta) degassed by _high_ pressure, though... Why do you "suck out" the air with silicone, but compress it down with resin?
Because if you put foam in a vacuum all you get is more foam. Also, the resin that I use sets up in a few minutes and is cured in about 20. That isn’t enough time to allow for vacuum degassing anyway.
Thanks for the great tips! Just getting started and LOVE your videos. I'm curious if using an argon or other heavier than air gas to displace the atmospheric moisture would help to preserve the longevity of the rubber. As a woodworker I always have had trouble with my 1 gallon cans of polyurethane skinning over because of exposure to the air. I was thrilled to learn there are argon gas cans available and you just spray it in with a tube and it prevents the skinning. Might work for rubber too. Have you tried that or do people do that?
I did a video on the subject: th-cam.com/video/FBC9xQ6H4oc/w-d-xo.html I suppose you could use any inert gas; read the comments on this video too. Thanks for watching my channel!
can you cast small batches of resin even without a pressure pot? how about making a few small silicone molds? i feel like the cost of a pressure pot and a vacuum pump would be too much for a little need.
I have actually answered that question a bunch of times in my videos because it is probably my most-asked question. I very much appreciate that everyone is concerned about safety because it is such an important issue. So much so that I am producing a video devoted solely to the subject. It’s hard to fully explain it in a TH-cam comment. But briefly, I don’t wear gloves because I NEVER get anything on my hands. I don’t allow it. I don’t use a respirator because my exposure to resin is tiny compared to the level of exposure that requires masks by organizations such as OSHA. And yes, I have had OSHA inspections of my shop. OSHA inspectors have given me guidelines as to occupational exposure. And my workshop is large and extremely well ventilated. I am on TH-cam, so the ventilation system is turned off while the camera is turned on. That’s why you don’t hear the fans. Also, remember that you are only seen what I show on screen. I thank you very much for your comment and for your concern about safety.
There’s no such thing. You pick the materials to match the project. In my shop I use primarily tin-based silicone rubber and urethane resin to cast my sculptures and toy prototypes. Specifically, I use a Econosil-25 rubber and FastCast urethane resin from www.silpak.com.
I have an old 1980s retro computer that doesn't work and one that does. Commodore 128s to be exact. I kept the one that doesn't work around because some day, I'd like to build a mold of the case and cast it in cleared resin dyed with transparent florescent green resin dye. I have built molds and cast items but this is something not only large, but very thin. I was thinking of using firm silicone and maybe back it up with fiberglass or plaster of Paris. Could you please do an instructional video of how you would go about tackling a project like this? I cannot find anything like this on TH-cam or anywhere online. Thank you.
It is extremely difficult to cast parts like these because, as you note, they are large and very thin. Also, they have stand offs and sharp corners, etc that makes them very difficult to cast. You also must account for the shrinkage in cast resin parts. You may find that even if you can solve the technical problems of casting them, they will have shrunk enough so that they don’t fit with the mechanical parts of the computer.
Thank you for replying. I thought it might be too difficult and I was holding off for that reason. I think I'll go with my 2nd plan of just giving it a nice paint job. Thanks again and I enjoy your channel.
Hey Rob, I've got a question I hope you find interesting. Would it be possible to take say a spherical mold, and use pressure to force the resin into the shape of the mold? Meaning you'd fill the mold with X amount of resin, and place it in a pressure pot under X pressure. I've heard of it being d ok ne with melted plastic, basically forcing air into the cavity to force the plastic against the mold walls.
What you are describing is blow molding. That is when a sheet of melted plastic is blown into a cavity and pressed against the walls with air pressure. If you were to try that with resin casting all you would accomplish is to push all of the resin into a mass at the bottom of the mold.
Do you use the hot box to preserve the quality of the resins/rubbers during winter, or do you use it to have them warm and workable before use? I'm curious about this because my workshop gets really cold during winter and was wondering if the cold damages the materials if I store them cold during the cold months.
I’m not sure because I live in a mild climate. I would ask your material supplier about recommended storage temperatures. But would certainly keep your materials from freezing.
So I'd like to mold and make some custom gameboy game shells but I dont want to invest in both a vacuum chamber or a pressure pot (I have nowhere to store them and no money to afford them). Do people have any small scale, household, alternatives?
People modify spray paint pots to use as pressure pots. You could buy a small vacuum pump and hook it up to a cooking pot to make a vacuum chamber. You can buy them fairly cheap online.
What weight of craft paper do you prefer? Do you get the waxed or sealed wrapping paper (it looks like regular 20-30# craft paper, but I gave seen other people use other types)
Ooohhh may I add some (just looking a our casting area) and a few of these are “upgrades” not necessities:
0) eyewash containers, we keep these through out the shop
1) exhaust fan in casting area, ours is setup for outside exhaust, some resins are not friendly🤢
2) very good lighting, daylight led strips
3) odd sizes of nippers
4) multiple sizes of fresh rubber bands (resin/silicons can make them dry up even faster)
5) we use a lot of the very thin stir sticks, break em half or short pieces.. totally agree and wood scraps
6) a lined trash container you can quickly get soaked towels (spills) into and out of the shop in a hurry to finish curing (exothermic heat!)
6a) appropriate fire extinguisher(s)
7) nitrile gloves (w overhead box holders) we use blue and black pending what we’re doing
shop towel and paper towel holders (ours are mounted overhead)
8) compressed air manifold so you always have a air blow off gun handy
9) lots of small cheap cups for mixing small/tiny batches. Careful not all cups are resin friendly, flat bottoms w no sharp corners are a plus. Also great for pouring extra resin into to make resin pucks for turning…if no extra molds handy 😉
10) cheap wax paper at the handy, lots of uses including laying over nice digital scales to prevent spilling resin on em 🤭 but still operate/read scales. We also elevate our scales on a small piece of plywood to help keep spills from underneath it… hmmm. Never “glued” a scale to the bench before 🤪
11) magnetic bar tool holders, for snips, knives, carvers etc, all mounted high
12 plastic containers - we use large shallow flat snap containers to hold 20-30lb sulphur free clay, talc and a few thousand legos- keeps dust and detritus out of the clay and legos organized (yeah right)
13) markers to keep date stamps on resins/silicones …dedicated markers as wifey doesn’t like sticky markers 👍
14 alcohol for cleaning (we do 3D prints as well)
15) Sonic cleaner for cleaning parts (also used for 3D printing cleanups)..note never put alcohol directly into a sonic cleaner tank..put parts and alcohol in a baggy and submerge in water in cleaner tank
16) toothbrushes - for cleaning etc
17 yep wide roll paper. On the casting bench and resin storage shelves we use waxed wide butchers paper for easy spill cleanup and no seep through. A lot of times we’ll use smaller sized wax paper on top of that
18) our casting desk is a standup design…we have a solid oak wood floor over cement…got cheap interlocking exercise mats to stand on and help keep spills off of floor
19). Something we do, for consistency in casting, is run a dehumidifier. Won’t debate if needed, but we found what “works for usl and this works for us. Running a dehumidifier can heat up a space rather quickly, especially in summer even with a/c. So we made heavy duty curtains out of thick mil vapor barrier plastic (big box store) and closed off a smaller area around the casting bench and pressure pots. Helps the dehumidifier works and rest of room comfortable.
20) a true luxury item, but we swear by it now. A large tank compressor with a air dryer built in for casting. Runs out in the main shop so casting room noise is minimized. Have a water trap/dryer installed on lines running to casting bench just as lines come through to ac space.
21) strainers - different sizes and materials - plastic - metal
22) toothpicks! We use lots f these buggers
We have a “cupboard built onto the casting desk which itself is on wheels. Items that are most used or “emergency” things (eyewas/towels/gloves) we keep up high for fast access since things tend to get covered up or spilled on on the casting desk.
As always YMMV and just sharing. Nothing more. Nothing less.
Fantastic list! I will pin your comment because it adds many of the items I also have in my shop. I tried to limit my list to things particular to a casting shop and leave out things that would apply to most shops or art studios.
I don’t have a sonic cleaner or a dehumidifier. But I can certainly see the benefits of having both. Thanks for adding this list!
you skipped numbering your eighth, listed item, so you actually presented 24 additional tools/materials/appliances in total.
@@h7opolo You sound like every teacher I ever had! 😄
@@h7opolo aye, I saw that when I proofread. I also have some other edits on it to do. And I forgot at least one item I wanted to add. 🤦🏻♂️. Wrote it on my iPad, it’s not the most friendly of ways to post in the smallish window it gives you. Worst, the iPad IOS TH-cam app (latest version) has a tendency to entirely delete 🙀 long posts if you go back and try to edit them soon after posting. Started noticing it more after moving to iOS 15. Had only initially intended to put 2 or 3 things in the post, but when I went and looked at the casting bench, well , just got on a roll and put a lot more than the top ten or so Robert intended. Oh well, underpromise, over deliver 👍🤙 One of the desktops should free up tomorrow or so, I’ll go touch it up then 🤙🤙🤙
A respirator and a oven for post curing.
Good to see you are back.
Welcome back, we missed you ❤️
Welcome back 👍
I was literally just thinking yesterday, "I wonder what Robert is up to." Glad to see you back!
I thought that today!
YES!!!!! I love the Reference Video Series!! Go Robert!!!!
The BEST series on the subject. PERIOD. So gracious and generous in sharing your years of experience and knowledge. Clever tips, clear descriptions, ALL relevant topics covered, encouraging and instilling confidence in newbies like me. And very pleasant, entertaining and funny personality. The Mr. Rogers and Bob Ross of Casting all rolled into one. Thanks SO MUCH for taking the time. A real blessing... Keep 'em coming....
Welcome back Mr. Tolone!
You are the cutest human being on this earth! Will you be my grandpa?😂 I’ve only made a few castings just for fun yet I have spent hours watching your videos. Thank you for sharing your knowledge with the community!!!!
I have long considered myself to be absolutely adorable. But it is remarkable how few people in my life agree with that sentiment. Thanks for watching!
He is so adorbs !
All of your info and knowledge is golden. Thanks rob
Return of the king. Friday nights just weren't the same.
Next time you see the King tell him Robert says hello! 👍😀
Great top ten!!All the best to the Talone family in this coming year!!!! Doc BC
I've been wondering where you got too. Well deserved break more than likely. Glad your OK 👍
I'm always impressed how you balance awesome logical and practical tips with friendly straightforward presentation. You're a treasure Rob.
Thanks for watching!
@Discovery147 - Perfectly Stated! That's exactly how I feel about our beloved teacher, Robert.
My gooood! Finally a TH-camr that has a descriptive title and goes directly to the topic without 3 min of introducing them self and 4 min of explaining what this video will contain, thank you for good content! Love your work
This video is amazing!!! Thank you so much. 2022… year I finally start mold making/casting
That’s great Uncle Jessy! I have been sending models out to be printed for years now. Elegoo sent me over a printer so 2022 is the year I start 3D printing for myself! Your videos have been very useful to me. Thanks!
I thank you for your videos! It's a pleasure to watch them, and learn from them. 👍👏👏👏👏
Sr. I think I've seen every video of yours and I will see every new one, cause I want to learn this craft as a way of life. From the bottom of my heart, thank you.
Long time watcher- Bravo yet again Mr. Robert! Be safe and as always- at peace
I just watched Jazza's video on silicone molds and resin casting, I asked him to watch your videos and try and do another one. You really are a master at doing this and teaching it.
I love Jazza, it would be very cool if he watched my videos. I didn’t see his casting video. I’ll go take a look at it.
All great tips! Thanks for sharing this with us. It’s so good to see you 😊
I found you via The Crafsman and after watching a couple of your videos I went and ordered some brown paper rolls - I use it in the kitchen too :)
I love it . All your tips are a treasure. I love the work you develop making things and showing us in this amazing videos were you share all your knowledge with us. 🌺💕🌺
Whoop whoop the Mold king is back! I quite enjoyed this video, always good to see what’s needed and even if a person already uses these materials the top tips might throw a surprise or two like the bonus stir tip.
Glad your back
Happy to be back, thanks Andrew!
Wow... OK. I think I'm going to go find me some paper for my work tables. 💪 you... are a super guy. Thanks for sharing your knowledge
I do very little casting but sticking a paper roll on my main worktable is still going to save me all kinds of boring clean-up time. Thanks for the "Top Tip"!
Thank you for all the invaluable information. You’re the best Robert!!!
Robert thank you for the information. I was worried I didn't see any update for a while. I'm glad you're back, don't want to snoop just hope you're feeling better if its even that at all.
I did 28 months of weekly uploads without a break. I was tired! My time off was wonderful but I’m really happy to be back.
This channel has by far been the biggest help with the medical task trainers I make. From the bees wax, wax pen, using sprues, all of it. Thank you so much Robert!!!!
Thank you the atmospheric pressure was a great tip
You are so generous with your knowledge! Thanks for sharing with us!
Welcome back Robert! We missed you. Hopefully you took time off for enjoyable reasons.
Had a great time on my break. but also a lot of time just thinking about the channel and its future. Where it’s gonna go and what I hope to achieve with it this year. It was easier to see things without the daily pressure of the Friday deadline.
It's like he knew Jazza needed to see this
Nice to see you again Robert! Great video by the way, very useful for those who are starting! Hope you have a great 2022!
I really need to add a paper roll dispenser to my bench. I got all kinds of crap stuck to it. Thanks for the tips!!
Your mentoring instruction is so enjoyable that I have binge watched many! This video is timely as I have recommended your videos to my brother, an artist who finally has time to reengage in sculpting and is excited to learn about molding to copy and preserve originals...as well as make modifications for new pieces as you described in passung in one of your Hairy Foot videos! This list will help him get equipped! Thanks so much andcwe look forward to more of your smiles and deminstrsted experience!!
Thanks Michael, glad you find my videos enjoyable! I appreciate you taking the time to comment
The using a wide pan for degassing was a "duh! why didnt I think of that?!" great tip! Makes perfect sense.
Also the paper with the roller! I would also add having a sheet of a thicker material like plastic of MDF to take damage or leak through of the paper.
Good idea!
Thank-you so much for this list. It simplifies my purchasing and building priority.
Good to see you back Bob . Hope all is well and you had good holidays . All the best from Australia.
I LOVE learning from a pro.
Why should I re-invent the wheel? Thank you, thank you, thank you. Great info.
Nice! I also use 3m yellow masking tape to remove tiny bits of resin stuck to the molds.
Glad you're back. I almost emailed you to make sure you were ok. Useful information as always. Thanks for sharing.
Good to see you back Robert! Nice list of tips.
Thanks for the tips Rob! I work from small home office and I've found that baking paper/wax paper taped to my desk is an amazing working surface! You can peel hardened resin and it doesn't seep through! Would recommend for smaller workspaces for sure!
Great tip! Thanks.
This video is great, really to the point. I'm slowly accumulating the equipment I need to make my projects.
One other place to get stir sticks is inside of popsicles. The good part about this source is that you get to eat a popsicle
Ha, good point! Just be sure to dry them thoroughly before using them as stir sticks!
so glad to see you re ok, i missed you. thank you so much for sharing once again.
i have been looking forward to fridays for a long time now, i have learnt heaps and i hope that someday i can give something back for you
Hey thanks Kate! You give back every time you watch and comment on my videos. ❤️
Great video Robert! Thanks for all the handy tips tricks and quality of life knowledge. What I wouldnt give to get to spend one day in your shop to learn directly from the master of mold making.
Great tips :) The paper benchtop cover is awesome.
Great video! That wax carver pen is a great one, I love mine!
Hi Robert! I’m new to casting and can’t get enough of your videos. Thank you so much for making them. If you have already covered this is a previous video, please direct me to it, but I have a question: how should we be storing our one piece cut molds?
Wrap them in plastic and keep them in the dark. Store them so they’re not warped or distorted.
hey Robert! good to see you back.
Thank for your video.👏👏👏
Thank you for the tips sir, I’m downloading this video :)
Kinda happy with myself, have all these other than the paper roll and hot box, but I can temp control the room so hot box not a huge deal in my case. Need to start using that paper.
A very punchy (and probably algorithm friendly) condensation of the most essential wisdom all your project based videos doll out in tidbits. A 1000 foot view of like, the different resin or rubber chemistries would also be cool. Maybe Goobertown Hobbies could get involved? He's got a degree in chemistry.
good info!
glad to have you back! I missed your weekly videos.
Thanks Perry! I’m happy to be back.
I love this man! Thanks you Robert, for the tips! You seem like a lovely person!!
The work table I built for my garage in 2016 has a 1 inch thick layer of MDF, I put 2 coats of Spar Urethane on it a year ago.......makes a big difference when using mold rubbers and casting resins.
Good that you are back. 😉
Your videos are the most calming, informative, industry relevant casting videos. I would love to also watch you at work sculpting. Ever since finding your chanel it reminds me of the casting class I took where I had to explain a lot of this stuff to the instructors. Definitely learned more from that class's 3D printing portion at least 😅 But that was a happy time for me and your vids bring both nostalgia and desire to keep pushing forward with my own art business so I can finally invest in the casting equipment. Feels like home.
This is great! Thank you.
Thank you very much for this list. Recommended products (or anti-recommendations) for the bigger items would be really helpful.
Welcome back! I hope your break was relaxing.
I was so happy to see you are back! :) Great video as always.
awesome video Robert. i have like only 3 of these tools... the cutting ones and nothing else. looks like i have my work cut out getting these. great tips
such a resource-intensive hobby
Good to see you back!
Happy to be here!
Do you think any resin makers have considered selling their product in bag-in-box systems? The most notable example of these is modern box wine. I ask because it could negate the air moisture issue, and potentially make pouring easier. Another upside is that they’re slightly more recyclable than plastic jugs (this is debatable I know depending on different cities’ programs)
I’ve never seen that, but it sounds like a good idea.
Straight to the point! BAM! Thank you for great information!
Great tips! Thanks bub!
your channel is excellent, so much valuable insight and useful information - superb.
Thanks. Glad you think so!
Great tips as usual, Robert - good to see you back on YT. For paper, I settled on red rosin paper from the big box stores. Not quite waterproof, but plenty good for paint/resin spills. I can get a couple more uses out of it than thinner kraft type paper I used previously.
Yeah that stuff works well too.
Great video and advice.
i use my crocpot mostly, but i also have a small depilatory wax heater for melting small amounts or heating at a specific temperature ( from 50 to 200 degrees C)
👍👍😎👍👍 - this summary is fantastic. thank you
Happy new year sir thank you for these valuable tips you’re awesome
Glad to see you back after your break! Wondering if you have any plans on showing different resin fillers to bulk out or strengthen resins? And rubbers?
I have used polyethylene mini fiber as a thickener on the channel. I use fillers very rarely in my studio although they can be very useful for modifying properties of a resin.
You're back...it's awesome.
Quick question is it possible to cast a wooden sculpture whitout ruining it? I can't find such video in your channel
Welcome back, Robert! :)
Thank you !
Welcome back Robert, hope your brake was restful. Hey, I wasn't sure if this was an idea for a video, but what do you do about the shelf life of your rubbers and resign. Is there any way to extend the life of a some rubber? I find myself either not having enough rubber/resin, or I just I just don't do enough and my rubber goes bad.
Thanks!
Great video! Thank you for all the effort you put into this channel. You mentioned atmospheric moisture when opening up your resin bottles, and I know you've mentioned a aerosol inert gas product to lay on the top of the resin after opening, but would it be useful to have a siphon pump to draw from the bottom of the jug without opening the top all the time? Or do you think it would be wasteful/pointless/more trouble than it's worth?
Thank you!
I don’t honestly know if there is a stratification of moisture within a jug. Doesn’t really matter because part B you are usually instructed to shake or mix vigorously. I have used inert gas, especially in large containers like 5 or 55 gallon buckets. But since I use pressure pods I usually don’t even bother.
@@RobertTolone Thank you Robert!
I picked up the paper habit after watching an Adam Savage video. He started with it when he was at ILM. Not only does it keep the work surface clean, but makes a good starting point for the project. A clean, ready-to-use surface is very inviting.
What kind of paper do you use? It looked like kraft paper. I've been using that but find that it tears too easily; I'm moving up to heavier butcher paper when the current roll runs out.
It is a fairly lightweight kraft paper. I find it works well for the kind of projects I do but for bigger, heavier projects it’s too light.
Great tips Robert! Ever use latex rubber ? I’m doing a large mould to cast concrete … and I been adapting your techniques to work for me
I played with it early in my career but settled on silicone as the best material for my needs. For your use a brush-on latex mold might be just the thing.
@@RobertTolone silicone is far superior for so many reasons … but it’s just the cheapness and although more time consuming find it a great material.. your tips techniques have been very helpful…
Your pressure pots are sooooooo cool
Hi Robert, would you have a tip on how to get hold of an affordable, yet capable vacuum pump and tank? Those seem incredibly expensive :(
Another idea on preventing resins from drawing moisture would be using these gas sprays that form kind of a protective layer above the resin in the jug. Idk if it would work, but I used them on photo developing chemicals back in the days...
Aside from building your own vacuum system, the cheapest ones I know about on Amazon are in the $140-200 range.
Inert gas works well to displace oxygen in resin jugs. I made a video about that here: th-cam.com/video/FBC9xQ6H4oc/w-d-xo.html
Lovely sum up. The first thing I got when I started watching your videos was a roll of paper. :D
Another question: I want to cast about 10 pieces from a mold and would like to get the same color in each one.
Would you recommend to put color in the complete a side and use it up over a couple of days (I just have a very little pressure pot and can just cast one or two pieces per day).
Or can that cause problems, so I better measure up my color for each casting at the moment that I pour it?
Great video, Robert - now I know what to add to my birthday present list in a couple of months' time :)
I've still never quite understood why silicone is degassed with low pressure and resin is (sorta) degassed by _high_ pressure, though... Why do you "suck out" the air with silicone, but compress it down with resin?
Because if you put foam in a vacuum all you get is more foam. Also, the resin that I use sets up in a few minutes and is cured in about 20. That isn’t enough time to allow for vacuum degassing anyway.
Yeah! Welcome back!
I had a wonderful vacation but I’m happy to be back!
Thanks for the great tips! Just getting started and LOVE your videos. I'm curious if using an argon or other heavier than air gas to displace the atmospheric moisture would help to preserve the longevity of the rubber. As a woodworker I always have had trouble with my 1 gallon cans of polyurethane skinning over because of exposure to the air. I was thrilled to learn there are argon gas cans available and you just spray it in with a tube and it prevents the skinning. Might work for rubber too. Have you tried that or do people do that?
I did a video on the subject:
th-cam.com/video/FBC9xQ6H4oc/w-d-xo.html
I suppose you could use any inert gas; read the comments on this video too.
Thanks for watching my channel!
Useful Useful Useful 👍
can you cast small batches of resin even without a pressure pot? how about making a few small silicone molds? i feel like the cost of a pressure pot and a vacuum pump would be too much for a little need.
The only things I would ad are a small vise and/or clamps, rubber bands, and paper towels.
The rest is all small stuff.
You need respirator mask, gloves and ventilated area. And why you dont using these?
I have actually answered that question a bunch of times in my videos because it is probably my most-asked question. I very much appreciate that everyone is concerned about safety because it is such an important issue. So much so that I am producing a video devoted solely to the subject. It’s hard to fully explain it in a TH-cam comment. But briefly, I don’t wear gloves because I NEVER get anything on my hands. I don’t allow it.
I don’t use a respirator because my exposure to resin is tiny compared to the level of exposure that requires masks by organizations such as OSHA. And yes, I have had OSHA inspections of my shop. OSHA inspectors have given me guidelines as to occupational exposure.
And my workshop is large and extremely well ventilated. I am on TH-cam, so the ventilation system is turned off while the camera is turned on. That’s why you don’t hear the fans. Also, remember that you are only seen what I show on screen.
I thank you very much for your comment and for your concern about safety.
Add in a good VOC respirator and gloves. A lot of these resins are pretty caustic in the long run.
Absolutely. I didn’t cover safety items in this video. Those are a list all unto themselves.
hands down what is the best resin for casting figures? and what is the best rubber for making molds?
There’s no such thing. You pick the materials to match the project. In my shop I use primarily tin-based silicone rubber and urethane resin to cast my sculptures and toy prototypes. Specifically, I use a Econosil-25 rubber and FastCast urethane resin from www.silpak.com.
I have an old 1980s retro computer that doesn't work and one that does. Commodore 128s to be exact. I kept the one that doesn't work around because some day, I'd like to build a mold of the case and cast it in cleared resin dyed with transparent florescent green resin dye. I have built molds and cast items but this is something not only large, but very thin. I was thinking of using firm silicone and maybe back it up with fiberglass or plaster of Paris. Could you please do an instructional video of how you would go about tackling a project like this? I cannot find anything like this on TH-cam or anywhere online. Thank you.
It is extremely difficult to cast parts like these because, as you note, they are large and very thin. Also, they have stand offs and sharp corners, etc that makes them very difficult to cast. You also must account for the shrinkage in cast resin parts. You may find that even if you can solve the technical problems of casting them, they will have shrunk enough so that they don’t fit with the mechanical parts of the computer.
Thank you for replying. I thought it might be too difficult and I was holding off for that reason. I think I'll go with my 2nd plan of just giving it a nice paint job. Thanks again and I enjoy your channel.
Hey Rob, I've got a question I hope you find interesting. Would it be possible to take say a spherical mold, and use pressure to force the resin into the shape of the mold? Meaning you'd fill the mold with X amount of resin, and place it in a pressure pot under X pressure.
I've heard of it being d ok ne with melted plastic, basically forcing air into the cavity to force the plastic against the mold walls.
What you are describing is blow molding. That is when a sheet of melted plastic is blown into a cavity and pressed against the walls with air pressure. If you were to try that with resin casting all you would accomplish is to push all of the resin into a mass at the bottom of the mold.
Do you use the hot box to preserve the quality of the resins/rubbers during winter, or do you use it to have them warm and workable before use? I'm curious about this because my workshop gets really cold during winter and was wondering if the cold damages the materials if I store them cold during the cold months.
I’m not sure because I live in a mild climate. I would ask your material supplier about recommended storage temperatures. But would certainly keep your materials from freezing.
👍👍👍
So I'd like to mold and make some custom gameboy game shells but I dont want to invest in both a vacuum chamber or a pressure pot (I have nowhere to store them and no money to afford them). Do people have any small scale, household, alternatives?
People modify spray paint pots to use as pressure pots. You could buy a small vacuum pump and hook it up to a cooking pot to make a vacuum chamber. You can buy them fairly cheap online.
@@RobertTolone thanks for the advice Robert :) I appreciate your videos despite having never cast an object in my life haha
What weight of craft paper do you prefer? Do you get the waxed or sealed wrapping paper (it looks like regular 20-30# craft paper, but I gave seen other people use other types)
It’s light weight and not waxed or sealed. I don’t remember the weight but it’s just regular craft paper.