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Post by beintemase on Feb 26, 2021 11:22:33 GMT -5
I've been experimenting with the use of natural wood and resin to turn bowls and bottle opener handles. I have a problem with bubbles and "frothing" within the casting. The frothing occurs around the wood surfaces and also at the top of the pour. I end up losing the top inch or so...and never get a clean transition between wood and resin. They both occur with or without the use of a pressure pot. I have been using Aluminite Clear Slow. Should I be using a different type...deep pour, etc..? Any help/guidance would be appreciated!
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Post by notoes on Mar 6, 2021 7:41:21 GMT -5
We have a few people who work with wood here, can we have them chime in with some advice?
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Post by Jim N on Mar 6, 2022 16:38:11 GMT -5
I recently switched from regular epoxy to Aluminite Clear Slow and have had no problems at all. I usually use a pressure spot but recently turned a large plate and while it did froth a little on top this came off anyway during the turning and was likely because I did not take the time to heat and dry the wood properly. Otherwise the project so far looks great. My projects with Aluminite have been excellent with wood or not. They come out very clear and bubble free but you do have to pay attention to the tips about pouring, mixing and drying the wood properly. Other epoxy products I have used do not give you the stunning effect you get when you add collars.
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Post by boundarywaterz on May 21, 2022 7:30:03 GMT -5
I, too have had serious problems with alumilite clear slow, both with casting and also with pouring on a wood product. I have never had a totally clear pour. I know all the lectures I will hear about too much part A but I have (2) gram scales that match and are very accurate …….. no question. So on my latest project I anticipated some white on the surface but I didnt expect the whole 1/4” pour to be solid white.
Here’s the details:
Humidity in the house 50%….(I don’t live in Arizona)
Temperature 70 degrees
Exactly 20 grams each of part A and part B (20 tare 20)
Mix for 2 minutes
Pressure tank at 70 PSI
Let sit overnight
Results…..solid white disaster
My gripe is that I think Alumilite needs to be very specific to the exact process as to the how and whys of how to get a perfect pour from their product. I know it is a beautiful resin in the right hands but to the non pros we need to be able to get answers from the chemists and engineers that have developed this resin.
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Post by notoes on May 25, 2022 7:28:44 GMT -5
Call Alumilite's tech department at (269) 488-4000 and they should be able to nail down what happened. All the tips should be on the data sheets but they might need to update them a little so you calling them for help might be what is needed for them to look back over the data sheets and be sure it's all there.
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Post by TheRealLawnBoy on Feb 22, 2023 22:35:59 GMT -5
Try sealing the wood with a clear coat first. Polyurethane or epoxy work well but let it fully cure before casting.
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Post by rgreen on Apr 4, 2023 15:00:26 GMT -5
Came here to ask about 'frothing', and have gathered some insights. To wit: frothing has occurred in the last two pieces I have tried. The latest this AM in an inlay type piece. No pieces previously, several in lays and turnings, have done so. I seal inlay pieces with epoxy sealer and stableize turnings with Cactus juice in a vacuum pot. Specifically, this AM the frothing occurred in exactly the areas that were too tight to get into with the sealer (meaning I didn't try hard enough). From what I have gathered, moisture could be the issue, in spite of the inlay being in kiln dried wood (sapele). Confirmation, or other possibilities?
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Post by notoes on Apr 7, 2023 8:21:46 GMT -5
From what I've heard about cactus juice, I'm thinking it might be the cactus juice coming in contact with resin causing the frothing. Are you using as a sealer? If it's a spray then try a brush on sealer.
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Post by rgreen on Apr 8, 2023 9:38:37 GMT -5
No, I only use Cactus juice with turning projects-->items that will fit in my vacuum pot and then the pressure pot. I've had no issues with bubbles or frothing after the CJ. I'll be repeating the above failed project--hopefully without the 'failed' part. I use a 'penetrating epoxy sealer' that has never left me with frothing issues on 'inlay' projects. Next time I will be more thorough in applying the sealer and will also dry the piece first; which is a step I skipped last time. Brilliant scientific discovery: kiln dried wood isn't necessarily still dry.
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Post by notoes on Apr 27, 2023 10:45:18 GMT -5
Sounds like you have things under control then. Hopefully it will turn out better.
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bill
New Member
Posts: 18 
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Post by bill on Jun 14, 2023 13:22:25 GMT -5
![]()  For larger castings this is 41 inches in length added to a Sears 3 gallon paint pot. It takes a few seconds longer to add compression but works well. Good for 60psi. |
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Post by erik h. on Jun 14, 2023 15:34:11 GMT -5
I, too, ve had a lot of trouble with frothing using Clear Slow. I'm working on two fairly large slices of a tree trunk (red oak, 26" in diameter, approximately, 2 1/2 - 3" thick, with cracks all the way through) so vacuum and pressure are out (or at least way out of my price range). I never did measure the moisture of the slices, although they had been sitting around for about 2 years after being cut. Would moisture in the wood cause the frothing?
I've also had leftover mix froth up on me overnight, especially when I've used a dye (it was really bad with Mixol, and kinda' bad with Alumilite's own black dye). No wood contact here, and so that's not the only issue. My shop is in my basement ... about 60F ambient. It's a very dry basement as basements go, but the relative humidity is probably at least 35-40%. Would this be a source of the frothing? I have put an electric heater near the wood and have warmed up parts A and B before mixing ... that hasn't really helped. I've tried running a hair dryer over the pour; this hasn't worked all that well, either.
I'm new to epoxy pours and to Alumilite, and any and all suggestions would be appreciated.
Thanks,
-Erik
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Patrick4antiques@gmail.com
Guest
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Post by Patrick4antiques@gmail.com on Jun 23, 2023 11:02:01 GMT -5
I recently bought some 2 pack putty and made some small molds to repair a picture frame. I also bought the 2 pack resin.
At first everything was fine but now every time I pour the 2 part resin together I find the end product has a lot of bubbles
I tried your telephone but no one answered on line 2 and eventually the line went dead
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