7
votes
Accepted
How do you open Castin’ Craft resin cans?
Prying with a narrow screwdriver is a good start. It appears in the photo that you have a bit of a start at the near edge of the top.
This particular seal is a throw-away and you can indeed stab it. ...
- 7,231
7
votes
Accepted
Eliminating or mending breakage when working with jeweler's wax
As I recall there are grades of microcrystalline wax available in different hardnesses and melting temperatures, so do try others.
I have always used a moldable base to support detailed work. Pitch ...
- 351
6
votes
Accepted
Does boat polyester resin works well for insect/flower encapsulating?
Disclaimer: I have no first-hand experience with industrial resins (like boat resin), but I used craft resin (like crystal epoxy resin) several times.
There are 2 aspects to keep in mind when ...
Elmy♦
- 12.6k
6
votes
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Some guidelines to create a silicone mold of this flower pot object
Alternative to a silicone mold
You could just as well print the pot twice in different sizes and use those prints as a mold. You'll probably need to print both sizes at the same time because you ...
Elmy♦
- 12.6k
6
votes
Cheapest casting material for a single use of wet-forming leather?
Based on your clarifications in the comments, if the idea is to quickly create the mold from clay, the casting material would need to be something workable at room temperature. You could use cement, ...
- 11.5k
5
votes
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Replicating a silicone object
I agree with #torjek that a separator (mold-release) spray or liquid would make it possible to caste a silicone object with silicone as the mold making material. The benefit of getting good at this ...
- 3,235
5
votes
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What is a castable gold-coloured metal that is less expensive than gold?
There is no other easily available alloy than Copper based ones that are gold colored.
Brass is the most readily available that will have a gold color.
There is also a very wide variety of bronzes ...
- 256
5
votes
Will two-part epoxy casting resin melt Lego?
Lego is ABS, which can have a range of melting points melts up to 200°C*. We should consider the lower end of the range just in case, which is often quoted as 105°C. Your resin shouldn't get that hot ...
- 6,594
5
votes
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Is water resistant PVA (type 3) a good option for sealing indoor kitchen concrete countertop with a sink?
The short answer is no. Countertops near a sink often have water puddles sitting on them for awhile, and a sink is submerged in water. You really need a surface that is at least waterproof, not just ...
- 11.5k
4
votes
What materials can I use to make a cast for melting lead?
Most household pans work fine for melting lead. Make sure they are thick enough, don't have plastic parts, and don't have Teflon or similar coatings (Teflon and lead share their melting points, ...
- 10.4k
4
votes
Accepted
Can two-part epoxy casting resin be diluted?
The miniature sealed inside implies you want clear resin so you can see the miniature (not a secret miniature that someone would take your word is in there). For this requirement, there really isn't ...
- 11.5k
4
votes
What is a castable gold-coloured metal that is less expensive than gold?
Maybe you could use epoxy resin instead of metal. It's not exactly cheap and you'd have to do some research as to which resin is best suited for your purpose (or suited at all), but there are tons of ...
Elmy♦
- 12.6k
4
votes
How to make chewable silicone beads?
I've used a food grade silicone in the past that has the consistency of pudding. It is rather soft and very weak and would not hold up in the example you provide. I have used a more expensive silicone,...
- 7,231
4
votes
Replicating a silicone object
If you're using a two-part pourable silicone, you can make a mold of the item with a reusable gelatin-glycerin mold material you can make at home. There are a lot of variations on the formula ...
- 11.5k
4
votes
Eliminating or mending breakage when working with jeweler's wax
Is this to make a pattern for investment casting? If so, any wax or plastic (with no filler like Fiberglass) can be used.
When I worked in the industry they made patterns of paraffin wax and used ...
- 1,245
4
votes
Some guidelines to create a silicone mold of this flower pot object
I won't duplicate all the good information in Elmy's answer; this will be supplementary ideas.
If concrete is the material you want to cast, here are some considerations.
Just to clarify terminology,...
- 11.5k
4
votes
Cheapest casting material for a single use of wet-forming leather?
One material to consider, in quite good supply, with substantial strength and fast working time is HDPE. It is recycling symbol 2 and is used to make various bottles and other products. Durability is ...
- 7,231
4
votes
Is it possible to cast a pine branch in epoxy resin
Is it possible? Yes. Is it easy? Not quite.
First of all, if there are any more branches left, grab a few, just to have some extra in case something goes wrong.
The first problem to tackle is the ...
Elmy♦
- 12.6k
4
votes
Accepted
Is gold casting under pressure or not?
From a purely physical point of view, being "under pressure" means having a force applied to you. Our atmosphere is constantly applying a force on us from all sides, so objectively speaking ...
Elmy♦
- 12.6k
3
votes
Replicating a silicone object
You can use a silicone to make a mold in this case too. I've done it in the past. You just have to spray the original silicone piece with the separation spray before you pour the silicone into it like ...
- 31
3
votes
How to cast beads using DIY casein plastic?
I actually did this six months ago, and the shape that I cast is still solid, virtually indestructible and mold-free, so I am speaking from experience here.
The instructions I wrote down here for
...
- 2,812
3
votes
Accepted
Use laser toner for embossing powder?
You should not handle toner powder at all without a high quality filter mask and potentially safety glasses. Loose toner is a health risk for the respiratory system due to it's particle size. It's not ...
Elmy♦
- 12.6k
3
votes
How best to thin Silicone for Roto Casting
There are various common solvents, like mineral spirits, that will thin silicone. However, the solvent becomes part of the volume. Once the silicone cures, the solvent will leach out and evaporate, ...
- 11.5k
3
votes
Accepted
Easy shaping material to use as blank/base/reference for silicone casting/molding
There are still a couple of ambiguities in the description, so I'll try to cover a few variations on what you've described, including a possible alternate approach.
Resin casting as the "finished&...
- 11.5k
3
votes
Easy shaping material to use as blank/base/reference for silicone casting/molding
The terminology varies from "industry" to "industry" but the concepts are the same. I watched years ago a video teaching creation of molds from fiberglass cloth. The original was ...
- 7,231
3
votes
What else can be used as flux instead of borax for silver casting?
I would suggest charcoal and no flux. Keep molten time to a minimum. Charcoal is used on molten lead for long periods to reduce oxidation. For many copper alloys , hydrogen absorption is a problem ; ...
- 1,245
3
votes
Casting foam inlay for briefcases
Casting foam inlays isn't all that different from creating a silicone mold, except the mold is mostly pressure-sealed; the foam creates a lot of pressure, so the mold needs to be strong enough to ...
- 11.5k
3
votes
Is there a good low toxicity / food safety clear casting material?
There are other resins (mostly 2 part epoxy resins) that can be food safe. Can be means that :
It has to say "food safe" on the packaging, and
You have to measure the components and mix ...
Elmy♦
- 12.6k
3
votes
Is there a good low toxicity / food safety clear casting material?
You can find many epoxies and some other resins that are certified food safe. Casting resins are often used for items that will be in contact with the body or food. The US and EU (and I assume other ...
- 11.5k
3
votes
Accepted
How to fill gaps in spherical resin molding
Use a clear two part epoxy resin to fill the gouges.
You can get one with a short drying time (5 minute epoxy) at most hardware stores or even the dollar store.
Ensure if its a two part mold, not ...
- 178
Only top scored, non community-wiki answers of a minimum length are eligible