vikingBerserker
Lieutenant General
Lone Star Models are selling some of their masters and molds and there is one I am seriously considering buying for a side business. How difficult is it to pour and work with resin?
Working with Resin
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fubar57
General
From what I've read in Fine Scale Modeling, the biggest pain is creating the molds. Then it's down to using the correct formulas and making sure air bubbles aren't formed. Probably more involved than that but if you go for it, I wish you well in the venture David. Checking the site, I notice there are a few items that look interesting to me.
Geo
Geo
I have had great success with allumilite in the past. As long as it was "fresh". I used to remove bubbles with centrifugal force. A coffee can on the end of string with the freshly poured mold inside. Had some success with smaller parts as well, but bigger parts had a higher success rate. Really want to try the products in the micromark line and see how they work. Oh one last thing. With allumilite at least the 50/50 mixture was critical.
fubar57
General
One of the articles in FSM mentioned the coffee can method and issued a warning about ensuring the rope was tied VERY securely to the coffee can as he was very surprised at how far a coffee can can be launched.
Geo
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- #5
vikingBerserker
Lieutenant General
Thanks fellas!
N4521U
Colonel
The pros method, or if you have the money to make or buy a chamber......
After mold material is mixed it is subjected to a vacuum chamber to remove bubbles. Then poured around the model.
Resin is done much the same before pouring into the mold.
I have to tap the container on the table several hundred times to get the bubble to the surface. A bit of filling to do in the little pits.
Vacuum pumps are not cheap. But did you know your refrigerator works by a pump? And that these pumps have been used for Silent pumps?
Just sayin.
After mold material is mixed it is subjected to a vacuum chamber to remove bubbles. Then poured around the model.
Resin is done much the same before pouring into the mold.
I have to tap the container on the table several hundred times to get the bubble to the surface. A bit of filling to do in the little pits.
Vacuum pumps are not cheap. But did you know your refrigerator works by a pump? And that these pumps have been used for Silent pumps?
Just sayin.
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- #7
vikingBerserker
Lieutenant General
Excellent, thanks!
Worked with a guy here who was casting resin to make......dinosaur skeletons.
He had a vacuum chamber made from a steel beer barrel with the top cut off. Thick plexiglass top on a lip sealed with plenty of silicon grease. Used an industrial vacuum cleaner to pull the air out, which pulled the lid airtight down onto the grease. Worked well.
He had a vacuum chamber made from a steel beer barrel with the top cut off. Thick plexiglass top on a lip sealed with plenty of silicon grease. Used an industrial vacuum cleaner to pull the air out, which pulled the lid airtight down onto the grease. Worked well.
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- #9
vikingBerserker
Lieutenant General
Another great tip, thanks!
The best way is to use flexible moulds. And use fresh resin. The guys at my local Modelling club make moulds and pour resin from time to time. for complicated shapes they use a vacu chamber as well.
Though stirring in the resin once poured in the mould with a small toothpick will bring out the air. So you end up with less air bubbles.
Though a bit of health hazzard risk has to be considered. Best wear goggles, a small mouth mask and latex gloves. And work in a well ventilated room.
Also when sanding resin always wear mouth protection. You don't want the resin dust to end up in your lungs. I usually avoid to much resin as for instance the Verlinden resin gives me grave headache. Where the CMK resin parts don't...
Though stirring in the resin once poured in the mould with a small toothpick will bring out the air. So you end up with less air bubbles.
Though a bit of health hazzard risk has to be considered. Best wear goggles, a small mouth mask and latex gloves. And work in a well ventilated room.
Also when sanding resin always wear mouth protection. You don't want the resin dust to end up in your lungs. I usually avoid to much resin as for instance the Verlinden resin gives me grave headache. Where the CMK resin parts don't...
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- #11
vikingBerserker
Lieutenant General
Thank you, I appreciate the input.
So? What's the mold?
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- #13
vikingBerserker
Lieutenant General
Their B-10 in 1/48 of course! 
I decided to pass on it due to my lack of experience in Resin and the number of kits/time I'd have to sell to break even and it would cut into my time with my other project.
I decided to pass on it due to my lack of experience in Resin and the number of kits/time I'd have to sell to break even and it would cut into my time with my other project.
I know that was heart breaking for you my B-10 crazed friend. What is the "other project"? A full size B-10?
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- #15
vikingBerserker
Lieutenant General
Coming to a book store near you soon!
(But I like your idea of a full sized one!)
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Dude! I will buy the first one! But you must autograph it for me. Something like: "To my good friend Jim, without whom this work would not be possible!" You know...lie.
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- #17
vikingBerserker
Lieutenant General
DEAL!
Dave do we know when yet?
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- #20
vikingBerserker
Lieutenant General
Thanks fellas, hopefully mid year. I am waiting on 16 color profiles right now, and a few more chapters.
