# How to cast?



## APBcustoms

I really want to get into casting resin and wood can anybody help me out with what I need to buy and how I will use it to cast


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## ripjack13

In the classroom area there's a bunch of topics. Check em out here....

http://woodbarter.com/forums/the-class-room.68/


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## APBcustoms

Awesome thank you


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## ripjack13

No problem bro....


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## APBcustoms

So from what I see I just pour magic into a box with wood and wait?

Reactions: Funny 1


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## hobbit-hut

APBcustoms said:


> So from what I see I just pour magic into a box with wood and wait?


I'm gona write that recipe down. 1) poor magic in box, 2) wait
Help - Help - Mr. Wizard

Reactions: Like 3


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## Blueglass

What I've seen has been either under pressure or vacuum to fill voids.


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## APBcustoms

Hmmmmmm any suggestions @lathemaster 
@BangleGuy


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## Blueglass

Have you hit youtube. I watched a fair amount of stuff on casting and stabilization because of my own curiosity.

Reactions: Like 1


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## APBcustoms

I haven't had much luck maybe I just am not looking hard enough


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## Blueglass

In a while I 'll see if I can find you links. I think the casting stuff was called Alumalite and it looked like a woodcraft seminar. If that helps.

Reactions: Thank You! 1


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## hobbit-hut

The answer you are looking for can be quite detailed or simple depending on how much time and effort someone wants to put into the information. If you can view some u tube and get an idea then it would be much easer to provide information to address specific information. It's kind of shotgun or 22 ?
Are you just going to cast or stabilize also ? Anyone can use your current recipe but will the result be what you want or can market ? Not likely IMO.

Reactions: Informative 1


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## APBcustoms

I'm wanting to take worthless wood and cast resin with it preferably the luminescent kind and I'll be turning with them also if someone just wants to cast the stuff I have for me that would be even better


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## Blueglass




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## Blueglass



Reactions: Like 1


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## Blueglass

Hope I didn't break rules my first post with the Alumalite Bamksia pods disappeared. Anyway Austin you can find it there. The guy explains the pressure and such.


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## hobbit-hut

I seen your offer on casting. I thought someone might take you up on it. The reason they might not be interested is because there is no shortage of cut offs in most shops that could be cast. They have to buy the resin ( that's not cheep ) and the color dye and additives. Compound that with the experience of what it takes to get a result you might like and the risk is higher. No one wants to disappoint another. I might like something and the same thing you might not care for at all. I did some casting for Manbuckwal PM him and ask him what he thought about what he received. Maybe I could do some for you if no one else is interested.


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## APBcustoms

thanks man i decided to post a thread and trade some wood for service


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## APBcustoms

man im into any casting thats not just like a flat color i prefer alumilite when it looks like it glows in the light i would like ones like this but even non luminescent if its multi colored

Reactions: EyeCandy! 1


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## Blueglass

Think that is pearlesent powder that brings that out?


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## APBcustoms

Just wanted to let you know I'm posting a thread in services wanted about needing resin casting service I have some wood I'll be putting up for trade some that needs casting some that won't

Reactions: Like 1


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## lathemaster

Just got back online and started reading these two threads. I believe that @hobbit-hut said it best. The answer is both simple and yet complicated. For the simple part here is a list of the minimum supplies needed to cast with Alumilite. 

Alumilite Resin - I use Water Clear because I like the result and can live with the longer mold time (2 gals $160.00 plus shipping )
Pearlescent Powder - ( 1 oz - $8.50 )
Molds 
DIY using poly cutting boards - Curtis from TurnTex has instructions on his website http://bit.ly/1gqvh3L
DIY Silicon molds
Purchase Silicone molds - mostly for pens and blocks - $25 - $60 depending
DIY Tube molds from PVC Pipe

Misc tools - Digital scale, Spatula (silicone), Mold Release, Plastic cups for mixing
Pressure Pot
Mine is DIY from HF paint pressure pot ($99)
DIY Rack to hold molds in pressure pot

Air compressor with sufficient volume to take pressure pot to require pressure
Patience and a willingness to fail
And I am sure I have forgotten something.
Also Alumilite has videos featuring Curtis from TurnTex
Be careful of what you add to Alumilite - I experimented with some other coloring agents and "sparkles" and actually turned an Alumilite cast into styrofoam.​Some woods need to be stabilized before casting. Casting does not stabilize just fills voids and encapsulates. I have cast some Buckeye Burl then when I created the knife scales I still had to deal with "soft" wood in the finishing process.

Stabilizing requires a different setup including a vacuum chamber, vacuum pump ( mine does double duty on the lathe with my vacuum chuck),
stabilizing resin such as Cactus Juice ( appx. $90/gallon plus shipping ), a non-food oven for curing the resin and drying the wood prior to stabilizing (mine is a toaster oven I got from Goodwill for $7), vessels to soak blanks in after running through the vacuum chamber ( overnight soak not required but helps yield the best results - IMO)

I stabilize wood for pen blanks, knife scales and such as a service and my price is $0.50 - $0.63 per ounce after stabilizing. 
Details on my website - http://bit.ly/1jETcBZ

I will do casting as a service but right now I am pricing each opportunity. Haven't figured out a good generic formula yet. I have in the past done casting for trade but I currently have more cutoffs than time to cast.

Hope this helps
Mike
​

Reactions: Like 1 | Way Cool 1 | Informative 1


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## APBcustoms

lathemaster said:


> Just got back online and started reading these two threads. I believe that @hobbit-hut said it best. The answer is both simple and yet complicated. For the simple part here is a list of the minimum supplies needed to cast with Alumilite.
> 
> Alumilite Resin - I use Water Clear because I like the result and can live with the longer mold time (2 gals $160.00 plus shipping )
> Pearlescent Powder - ( 1 oz - $8.50 )
> Molds
> DIY using poly cutting boards - Curtis from TurnTex has instructions on his website http://bit.ly/1gqvh3L
> DIY Silicon molds
> Purchase Silicone molds - mostly for pens and blocks - $25 - $60 depending
> DIY Tube molds from PVC Pipe
> 
> Misc tools - Digital scale, Spatula (silicone), Mold Release, Plastic cups for mixing
> Pressure Pot
> Mine is DIY from HF paint pressure pot ($99)
> DIY Rack to hold molds in pressure pot
> 
> Air compressor with sufficient volume to take pressure pot to require pressure
> Patience and a willingness to fail
> And I am sure I have forgotten something.
> Also Alumilite has videos featuring Curtis from TurnTex
> Be careful of what you add to Alumilite - I experimented with some other coloring agents and "sparkles" and actually turned an Alumilite cast into styrofoam.​Some woods need to be stabilized before casting. Casting does not stabilize just fills voids and encapsulates. I have cast some Buckeye Burl then when I created the knife scales I still had to deal with "soft" wood in the finishing process.
> 
> Stabilizing requires a different setup including a vacuum chamber, vacuum pump ( mine does double duty on the lathe with my vacuum chuck),
> stabilizing resin such as Cactus Juice ( appx. $90/gallon plus shipping ), a non-food oven for curing the resin and drying the wood prior to stabilizing (mine is a toaster oven I got from Goodwill for $7), vessels to soak blanks in after running through the vacuum chamber ( overnight soak not required but helps yield the best results - IMO)
> 
> I stabilize wood for pen blanks, knife scales and such as a service and my price is $0.50 - $0.63 per ounce after stabilizing.
> Details on my website - http://bit.ly/1jETcBZ
> 
> I will do casting as a service but right now I am pricing each opportunity. Haven't figured out a good generic formula yet. I have in the past done casting for trade but I currently have more cutoffs than time to cast.
> 
> Hope this helps
> Mike
> ​



wow that's exactly what I was looking for. Thank you very much and man that's pricy I now understand why it's expensive to get stuff casted. I can't afford to start casting but I have stuff that needs to be casted if you're interested


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## BangleGuy

Mike nailed it on why those of us who cast do it somewhat sparingly. I am getting better, but I have to recast (or trash) about 25% of my pieces due to voids or other resin flow issues (I also use a HF 45 psi pressure pot). Then I trim all of the excess resin off to expose the wood surfaces, and vacuum stabilize. I stabilize all resin cast blanks because of wood movement. I have seen some blanks where the resin separated from the wood due to growth from humidity absorption.

It is a lengthy process, and a little labor intensive. This is why cast blanks can be expensive, especially if the caster has some skill and a keen eye for color combinations or how to make resin flow patterns appear in the final blank.

Reactions: Informative 1


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