Resin Casting

Martin 3,2,1!!

After 4-5 years of playing around with the regular hobby resin casting stuff, I've settled for several years now using the mold making RTVs and resins from what is now Miapoxy, which is really the non-industrial outlet from Freeman Mfg. & Supply Co. I've found that the stuff from Bradgon, MicroMark, and Alumalite simply are not as user friendly, lack good reasonable working times, and in some cases they are also overpriced vs. the amounts available from Miapoxy/Freemans. 

Miapoxy (Freemans) -- usually the Bluestar V-340 Silicone Rubber --> https://www.miapoxy.com/c-3-mo...silicone-rubber.aspx

Usually the Freeman 1085 Urethane Casting Resin --> https://www.miapoxy.com/c-4-ur...-casting-resins.aspx

They have nice learning center as well: https://www.miapoxy.com/t-learningcenter.aspx

I started with the Bragdon products based upon the guy that got me started.  I thought I'd test other products and I literally just bought and  played with making stuff using Bragdon, and the other I listed above. 

I stumbled into Freemans and after a few years that became their subsidiary, Miapoxy.  If I find another brand worth testing out, I'll go try it, but I have yet to have a reason to bother..........yet.

I've made a lot of parts and details, done a good bit of custom work for others, and 2 kits as well,  both of which may get re-issued this year.  I have a couple of pounds of resin in the shop right now and have 2 commissions to deal with so it may be time to pull out the molds and get pouring!  Let it snow!!!!

Hi Folks,

    I have used the Amazing Mold Putty and Super Casting Resin by Alumilite, and I liked it.  I needed a 2 part mold and this video was very helpful:

Aside from making some molds with Sculpey polymer clay (for use with polymer clay as the casting medium), the Alumilite line is the only product I have experience with for the whole process, silicon mold making to resin casting.  Got it at Hobby Lobby, with a coupon.

Hope this helps!

Take care, Joe.

I want to create my own butter dish tanker cars- Just the butter dish section, but a little longer then the one Lionel did for Borden's a while back. I want them to fit on a standard repainted Menards flat car. I would love to build 10 or 15 of them, for a Rieck-McJunkin milk train I want to construct. I think it would be a fun unusual build.

Website added to Scenery Sourcelist under How to section. Thanks Martin

I will not comment on the brands of casting resin my artist daughter uses until i ask her, but I will comment on her molds.  She uses Lego bricks from the thrift store on a Lego base to build up her mold forms any size and shape she needs.  no mold material leaks through.  I will report back on resins after I ask.  You will probably paint the model, but she has experimented with various dyes as well.

If I had a good clean cast in white, that is the color I need...

http://www.smooth-on.com/

I've been using products from Smooth-On to make everything from motorcycle seats to cold metal casts to model castings.  They have it all along with good tech support.

Dave

Very doable as a 2 piece mold or even a "squish" mold, if you create a good master to use from the beginning.

If you want it to come out white, use Testors Gloss white spray paint as your mold release and the resin will come out primed with that paint bound to it, although it loses the gloss.  I use Gloss Grey as a rule since I paint over that easily.

Yes, Legos are known to be a good means to build mold boxes.  I have not used them as I have plenty of other suitable containers available to me for making molds.  Usually if I have to make a mold box, it will have a glass base (smooth, flat, and clean) and I'll build the surroundings out off styrene making sure to seal the corner joints.  Nothing like leaking RTV to make a good mess......

Alumilite, "period".

We (LHS) sell only their RTV + resin products...by demand.  Gradually we find our customers are into far more applications than this hobby.

Reason?: Carol, at Alumilite.  ALWAYS available to discuss best products for different situations, concerns, problems, etc..  PLUS, from time to time she'll visit our store to put on a demo of basics + new products....a good traffic draw.

Of course, being a MEESHIGAN company, it helps!...We're all bobbing about in the same economic lifeboat around here.  Someday we'll enjoy the resounding rebound success of the other 49 states!

I suppose it's like so many other WB? (What's Best?) inquiries...TEHO.  I've found several recommendations for other products, other recommendations for different problems to be simply awful.  Some very good, too! 

Hey, there's always Alka-Seltzer...STIYLI Link 

KD

Which is usually because they have never heard of any other brand and that's what everyone around them is using for that same reason.  People use what they read about and what their associates use and then what's available w/o having to place an order.

The LHS here only carried Alumilite which is where I got my supply from when I was testing their products. 

That LHS dried up and blew away ~6-7 years ago.

When I find a reason to test other brands, I'll do just that.  I just found the Alumilite resins to be far to limiting in their properties and more than a bit pricy which really surprised me.

Roger,

I started the milk car many moons ago but it got pushed back a little. I have the tank completed and was going to cast it. When I get home today I will post a photo of the tank.

Malcolm

Smooth On is what my daughter uses.  As soon as I saw Dave's post, I knew that was it.

I've bookmarked Smooth-on. One of these days, I'm going to add resin casting to my repertoire. Like building in brass, resin casting is worse to think about than do.

 I tried a brand posted here and although it was good, the part had flaws. I tried three different types of their resins. I have flaws in their molding rubber too. I may be to blame. I just gave up. One of the resins is just plain junk for me. I can't even get a decent part from it.

 I would like to try a different brand after reading these posts to see if it was my fault, or something like a stale product, etc. It's hard to try again after spending well over a hundred or  maybe two hundred dollars on mediocre results.