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Post by markjohn on Feb 17, 2019 23:01:12 GMT -5
I am casting small parts using clear cast resin, mixing 10 ml of each A & B and heating in microwave 8 seconds to aid in mixing; mixing well for 3 minutes and letting set for another 8 minutes. Pouring slowly, the results are a hazy and not a clear finish. No air bubbles are noted. I have also mixed w/o heating as well however similar results. Any suggestions would be welcome. A "frosted glass" result would be better description of the results. Attachments:
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Post by notoes on Feb 18, 2019 21:29:01 GMT -5
If there are no bubbles then I'm not completely sure what it might be but I do have a couple things I can suggest you try. You mention heating the resin to aid in mixing - are you heating part A and part B separately before mixing or mixing then heating the mix? Normally I only heat the resin when part A is slow and I only put it in very warm water (be sure the cap is on tight) for a minute or two to make it pour out of the bottle easier. I've never used the microwave to warm the resin and I usually get clear results. Heating the resin after mixing usually just speeds up the cure.
Also are you "warming" the mold before pouring the resin in it? For small parts, a warm mold helps - it's not absolutely necessary but does help. I zap mine in the microwave for 1 minute on high BEFORE pouring the resin in (don't use the microwave if you already have the resin in the mold). Sometimes this helps and sometimes it doesn't seem to do much good. You can also warm it in the oven (without resin) or on a not-for-food griddle (can have resin in on the griddle). If you use the griddle, you can also leave it on there after you pour the resin in.
Another thing you can check is the "texture" on the mold surface. Resin will usually pick up the texture that the mold has - meaning if you made a mold of a glass smooth item then you should get a glass smooth copy. I've made molds from items with a slight texture and the mold picks that up and will transfer it to the resin castings. It's something to be aware of when using the clear resins.
I hope these help some.
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Post by cobra7447 on Feb 20, 2019 0:00:06 GMT -5
I am casting small parts using clear cast resin, mixing 10 ml of each A & B and heating in microwave 8 seconds to aid in mixing; mixing well for 3 minutes and letting set for another 8 minutes. Pouring slowly, the results are a hazy and not a clear finish. No air bubbles are noted. I have also mixed w/o heating as well however similar results. Any suggestions would be welcome. A "frosted glass" result would be better description of the results. What type of mold rubber are you using? If it was me I would use Platinum Silicone. Something in the 10A range. this will give you more flexibility and make casting Your Parts easier. It is also possible that the material you are using has contamination. What kind of alumilite clear are you using? How old is the material you were using? I'm thinking something either in your process or perhaps the material itself is causing you this problem. Are you using fresh cups and fresh stir sticks? I'm just throwing this stuff out there because sometimes even cups and stir sticks can become contaminated.
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