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Post by maverick31 on Dec 1, 2009 23:35:13 GMT -6
have any of you guys tried the cast a blank kits to make your own pen blank. I am thinking about making a pen with my sons picture in it for my wife to use while at work. just wondering what the positives/negatives are for using these kits.
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Post by sachbvn on Dec 1, 2009 23:38:19 GMT -6
The kits I've seen seem really cool - AND they seem like they'd work pretty well... kinda pricey though. something like 40 bucks for enough stuff to cast two pens.... I'm not sure if there is an easier way.... clear epoxy? Not sure - really. But - I bet you could do some really awesome stuff with 'em.
Zac
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Post by maverick31 on Dec 2, 2009 6:39:15 GMT -6
yeah, I was thinking they were pricey. Kit i was looking at says it will do 10-15 blanks.
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rhull
WoW Member
Posts: 422
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Post by rhull on Dec 2, 2009 6:58:40 GMT -6
The kit I got...don't remember which one it was, though I could check...the casting liquids smelled REALLY badly. I won't cast again unless I can do it outside and leave the blank outside to cure for a couple days. My basement smelled like chemicals for a week.  Aside from the smell, it worked really well.  |
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Post by TDHofstetter on Dec 2, 2009 9:16:04 GMT -6
Heck, this part is EASY.
Drop by your local hobby shop. Pick up some latex casting resin (to make the mold) and some quite ordinary polyester resin & hardner. You can get the poly resin at auto-parts places - it's sold for fiberglass repair.
Turn a wooden "blank" form, oversized, and tapered a little so the mold can be removed after it's set up. Wax the CRAP out of it, then brush on the latex resin & let it set up. Chances are good you'll want eight or ten coats to make for a good stiff mold. When it's all set up, peel it off your wooden form. Now you can insert a brass tube into your form along with whatever you want to cast in, mix up the polyester resin & pour that in, too - SLOWLY. Tap it & shake it around a little to release the tiny bubbles that'll form if you poured too quickly. Fill it right to the top & set it aside to cure.
When it's cured, trim the top end back to the tube & turn it.
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Post by maverick31 on Dec 2, 2009 9:54:04 GMT -6
thanks for the info. this will be a lot easier and cheaper than buying the cast a kit.
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Post by maverick31 on Dec 2, 2009 9:56:37 GMT -6
The kit I got...don't remember which one it was, though I could check...the casting liquids smelled REALLY badly. I won't cast again unless I can do it outside and leave the blank outside to cure for a couple days. My basement smelled like chemicals for a week. Aside from the smell, it worked really well. not worried about fumes or smell My shop behind my house has double swing open doors and 3 windows in it. |
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Post by maxwellsmart007 on Dec 2, 2009 10:04:02 GMT -6
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Post by TDHofstetter on Dec 2, 2009 10:25:43 GMT -6
Interesting! Castable polyurethane!
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Joe Lyddon
WoW Member
Banned.
Sam Maloof & I Dec. 2, 2005
Posts: 2,507
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Post by Joe Lyddon on Dec 2, 2009 13:18:13 GMT -6
Very interesting! I wonder how it would work... taking some Crystal Clear stuff, mixing up some Pine Cone pieces or Planer Chips, pour into molds, & proceed from there??? This could get really exciting! I would definitely make my own molds... |
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rhull
WoW Member
Posts: 422
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Post by rhull on Dec 2, 2009 13:20:30 GMT -6
I think that might be the stuff I got - the Crystal Clear from Alumilite.
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Post by maverick31 on Dec 2, 2009 19:31:18 GMT -6
great info, thanks for posting. I think this is the way to go. 13 bucks for the small clear version. cheap enough to do some experimenting without the boss getting pissed. |
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Post by maxwellsmart007 on Dec 2, 2009 22:49:09 GMT -6
make sure you get a scale too - I think it has to be mixed by weight rather than by volume...
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Aside from the smell, it worked really well. 
