# Casting Cholla bark



## Nubsnstubs (Jul 18, 2021)

Yesterday I started my casting of some Cholla bark to see what it might look like. Was going to add a little Bronze powder with blue dye. Instead of getting a pop sickle stick and dipping out some powder, I just tipped the container a little, and tapped it with my finger to knock out what I thought was appropriate. Wholly Cowpies, the entire contents fell into my 24 ounce mix. It's a good thing that stuff floats otherwise I would not have been able to retrieve any of it. I managed to remove at least two thirds of it. The mix was pretty dark without any dye yet. I went ahead and put in about 3 times the amount of dye that I would normally use for that small amount and made my pour. Sometime today I'll remove it from the pressure pot to see if I not only screwed up with the powder, but also to see if pressurizing Deep Pour Alumilite has any adverse reaction to pressure. 

Lesson learned; Used a pop sickle stick to add powder................ Jerry (in Tucson)

Reactions: Like 2 | Agree 1


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## Nature Man (Jul 18, 2021)

Nubsnstubs said:


> Yesterday I started my casting of some Cholla bark to see what it might look like. Was going to add a little Bronze powder with blue dye. Instead of getting a pop sickle stick and dipping out some powder, I just tipped the container a little, and tapped it with my finger to knock out what I thought was appropriate. Wholly Cowpies, the entire contents fell into my 24 ounce mix. It's a good thing that stuff floats otherwise I would not have been able to retrieve any of it. I managed to remove at least two thirds of it. The mix was pretty dark without any dye yet. I went ahead and put in about 3 times the amount of dye that I would normally use for that small amount and made my pour. Sometime today I'll remove it from the pressure pot to see if I not only screwed up with the powder, but also to see if pressurizing Deep Pour Alumilite has any adverse reaction to pressure.
> 
> Lesson learned; Used a pop sickle stick to add powder................ Jerry (in Tucson)


Desperately need pictures! Chuck

Reactions: Agree 2 | Funny 1


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## 2feathers Creative Making (Jul 31, 2021)

How did the cholla bark turn out?


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## Nubsnstubs (Jul 31, 2021)

2feathers Creative Making said:


> How did the cholla bark turn out?


After under pressure for 3 days, I opened the tank and retrieved the casting. It was nice and hard. No bubbles to be seen through the bottle is was cast in. *Butt,* I should have had a 36 ounce mix rather than the 24 ounce mix I got from WC. 

"No problemo", the old guys to himself. I have the 3 gallon set I'm going to make an Urn with and have plenty to complete this and the Urn. So, I got my graduated container out, poured in 8 ounces of part A, and then 4 ounces of part B. Added a bit of bronze powder, some blue dye and did my mix. Poured it in the container, and put it under pressure. Three days later, I released the pressure, opened the tank, and I could see a lot of still bubbling bubbles. 

I called Alumilite, and was informed I should give it a few more days. 

In the meantime, I decided to give it a try with just a 3 ounce mix, no color and no powder. it cured in 3 days sitting out on a shelf with no pressure. 

It's now 13 days from the start with the first pour curing in 3 days. The second pour was started 10 days ago, and as of 2 minutes ago, it's still liquid. 

One good thing about this is the first 24 ounces can be cut just below the liquid line and possibly get a decent casting turned.... 

I think I'll do another 3 ounce test with color and powder just to know that my resin is good before I cast the Urn I'm going to make.......... 

This picture depicts both pours. Below the powder line you can see the deformed bottle when the casting cured. Above the line is the fresh 12 ounce pour.



Hopefully a good closeup of the two pours. Looking at this picture what looks like bubble are actually pieces of bark that's touching the bottle side.




Looking down into the bottle liquid bubbles are still there after 6 days 



Since the first pour was successful, I think I'm going to pour the liquid into another graduated mixing container. Put it aside and then cut just below the powdered line where I'll be able to turn my bark. 
Then I'll add half of part B and see if I had gotten an  moment and just used part A in pour #2. I hope that's what it is. I'll keep you posted............ Jerry (in Tucson)

Reactions: Like 1 | Thank You! 1


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## 2feathers Creative Making (Aug 1, 2021)

Can you not weigh your part a and b bottles and check that way? If part a bottle is twice weight of part b bottle then it's a no go. But if part a bottle is 4 ounces too light and part b bottle is 4 ounces too heavy... you will need to weight the reclaimed part a if that is what it turns out to be, because some of the jelly will remain stuck on the stuff from your first pour and your percentage will be off slightly on the remix


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## Nubsnstubs (Aug 1, 2021)

2feathers Creative Making said:


> Can you not weigh your part a and b bottles and check that way? If part a bottle is twice weight of part b bottle then it's a no go. But if part a bottle is 4 ounces too light and part b bottle is 4 ounces too heavy... you will need to weight the reclaimed part a if that is what it turns out to be, because some of the jelly will remain stuck on the stuff from your first pour and your percentage will be off slightly on the remix



I emptied the container this morning. Of the original 12 ounces on the second pour, I now have 10 ounces left. So 2 ounces saturated and coated the Cholla that didn't get covered on the first pour and. I need to find one of my many pieces I turned awhile back and find one that needs to be filled with resin and go ahead and cast it.

As far as weighing a gallon. I don't have a scale that would be accurate enough to show me that I was 4 ounces light. I will take a chance and make a pour that either works or doesn't work. 

The part that did cast properly is 5 3/4 tall, long and at least 4" OD. It's a 2 liter bottle for the mold. Next week I'll turn it because I want it to be fully acclimated. ............ Jerry (in Tucson)

Reactions: Like 2


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## Nubsnstubs (Aug 6, 2021)

Here are 4 pictures. I rough turned it, rough sanded to 120, then sprayed lacquer to see what it looks like. I'm impressed... Now, all I need to do is cast a good one.
















what do you all think about the look??......... Jerry (in Tucson)

Reactions: Like 1 | Way Cool 5


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## 2feathers Creative Making (Aug 6, 2021)

That looks great. Like marble almost.

Reactions: Agree 1


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## trc65 (Aug 6, 2021)

Great colors! Pleasing to the eye.

It's tough to tell from the picture, but some of the resin areas look almost black, if so, you might try lightening the dark color in the resin just slightly.

Reactions: Funny 1


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## Nubsnstubs (Aug 6, 2021)

trc65 said:


> Great colors! Pleasing to the eye.
> 
> It's tough to tell from the picture, but some of the resin areas look almost black, if so, you might try lightening the dark color in the resin just slightly.


Thank you Tim, and you're right. When I was dumping in the bronze powder, the whole contents fell into the resin. I was lucky to be able to dig out what I could. I didn't like the color that a little amount of blue showed with a lot of powder, so I gave it another couple short squirts of blue dye. It looks better in person than it does in the pictures. 

I am in the process of making an urn for my wife's ashes. It's an Oak limb section with a few burl eyes, but has several crevasse's in it where all the bark fell out. I'm going to fill them with some of the Cholla bark I have. I was also going to do this in red with bronze powder, but decided against it. Anyone care to guess why??........... Jerry (in Tucson)

Reactions: Like 1 | Sincere 1


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## Wildthings (Aug 7, 2021)

No


cuz I have no idea!


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## Nubsnstubs (Aug 7, 2021)

Wildthings said:


> No
> 
> 
> cuz I have no idea!


Well, @Wildthings since you have no idea, I'll try to give you a hint. Voids in the piece with red dye and bronze powder filling them look a little like charcoal or burning embers. Would you want any of your loved ones resting eternally in a situation like that? .............. Jerry (in Tucson)

Reactions: Like 1 | Funny 1


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## duncsuss (Aug 7, 2021)

Nubsnstubs said:


> Would you want any of your loved ones resting eternally in a situation like that?



Wow - something I would not have thought about (not even sure I would even after seeing it).

I believe you made the right decision to go with dark blue.

Reactions: Thank You! 1


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## Trob115 (Aug 7, 2021)

Nubsnstubs said:


> Here are 4 pictures. I rough turned it, rough sanded to 120, then sprayed lacquer to see what it looks like. I'm impressed... Now, all I need to do is cast a good one.
> View attachment 213764
> 
> View attachment 213765
> ...


Looks awesome Jerry.


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## Mr. Peet (Aug 7, 2021)

Pic 2 has animal faces....


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