Hey y’all, I was checking out Micromark.com and seen their "complete resin Casting Starter Set (#82698) for $76.75.
What’s your opinion on this set? Pros & cons, etc Any good?
Thanks,
Eddie
It depends entirely on you, the caster.
The Micro-Mark set is perfect if you’re doing simple, open faced or two-part molds.
If you think that you can produce your own 1/32 resin aircraft kit from this set, you’ll be disappointed.
This set is perfect for someone who’s starting out, or needs to cast small parts.
Typically, you can make about 5 or 6 baseball-sized, 2-part molds from the components included.
If you’re doing simple open-faced molds, you’ll get alot more mileage out of it.
Just remember, that the RTV rubber has a limited shelf life (in the jar). I bought a set of rubber bottles recently and one of the parts (the blue half) was already a solid when I opened it.
I say go for it…
Jeff
I used that very kit for my Baton Rouge. I really liked the results. Here is my finished kit made using the MicroMark resin & molds. The mold shown is the bottom side of the two part saucer mold.
Thanks Jeff for your insight on this. I’ll be starting out with casting small bits like O2 tanks, bulkheads,etc. And once I get started on my PT Boat, I’ll have to convert an a/c motor over to marine use then cast 3 of them from the master. [:O] oh what fun that’ll be…
Woody, your starship looks great! I like the looks of the mold too.[:D] Thanks fellas, I appreciate the input on this.
What issue of FSM was the mold making /Resin Casting in?? I was looking for it recently.
Ed, You might like to check out these how-to articles on resin casting.
Thanks again Woody. Those are some good articles. Very informative[:D] I’ve got them bookmarked for future references. (I found the May 2005 issue of FSM this evening too)
Boy, I sure learned a lesson the hard way with regard to resin casting: ALWAYS use fresh materials!! I cast a 1:72 Kriegsfischkutter hull in resin (with plastic keel and frames) whose age was questionable. I went ahead and cast the hull, and completed the entire scratchbuilt vessel…only to find after a few months that the old resin had not fully cured and would continue to bubble and leak through the sides of my boat. As far as I know, there’s nothing that can be done about this problem (unless someone out there has an idea)…the moral of the story is to use premium materials and don’t try to skimp - it’ll only result in heartache.
Bare Metal Foil http://www.bare-metal.com/ also sells casting resins and supplies. There is a lot of useful information on mold making and casting on their site. They are also very helpful over the phone. I’ve been very happy with their products and technical assistance. I have not compared prices recently, but they may be a more economical choice, especially if you plan to do a significant amount of casting.
For casting small parts I use a product called Smooth-cast 300 by Smooth-on… its a white liquid plastic instead of a resin… dries much more quickly and is nice to work with…
Sounds interesting. Who sells it and what does it cost?
Delbert, This is interesting, do you have a link to share with us? what is the pros & cons of this?
the company that makes it is called smooth on http://www.smooth-on.com sooth cast chart http://www.smooth-on.com/liqplas.htm the company describes it as this “The Smooth Cast 300 Series of liquid plastics are ultra-low viscosity casting resins that yield castings that are bright white and virtually bubble free. Vacuum degassing is not necessary. They offer the convenience of a one to one mix ratio (one part A to one part B by volume). The differences between them are pot life and demold time.” Smooth Cast 300 is a 1 to 1 ratio mix pot life is 3 min and demolds in around 10 minutes or so the pint bottles on their site are listed at $22. I got mine locally at a Dick Blick’s Art stores I have used the micro mark set also, and of the 2 I perfer the smooth on because I get less bubbles and faster cure times. though with the lower working time you have to be organized and set up and ready when you mix it. also I stoped using the micro mark set because after a year on the shelf the stuff I had left went bad and wouldn’t mix right. (and it was sealed tight in a temp controled room) Just for the record I’m not a “casting expert” Just someone who likes to make extra parts for my projects and the above is my personal preference.
Thanks Delbert for the link. Seems there’s quite a bit there to choose from.
Being fairly new to resin & casting parts myself, I dunno if I like being “pressed” for time. I have a pretty good idea of the process of pouring moulds since my stepmom use to make her own ceramics & I helped alot with that. Same principle right?
Mold making is pretty similar, and no, you don’t want to be pressed for time as a beginner. Although resins are expensive, it pays to buy extra—so you can throw out your mistakes.
Also, if you have a compressor and can find something to use as an airtight chamber that you can hook to the intake, you can de-air both the mold material and the resin. Some of these materials really need that (the manufacturer will usually say so in the instructions.)
There was also a very good article on mold making in FSM awhile back, but since I’m about two years behind in my reading, I can’t recall where.
Thanks Ross, I appreciate the feedback on the similarities. I do have 2 compressors. 1 is for the a/b the other is a twin tank “contractor’s grade” type which I use for airing up tires & running air tools. I’ve read somewhere about the process you described for “de-airing”. I’ll have to do my homework on that before actually trying it.