Winters are long in NY Options

[Unobtanium-inc]

@ Unobtanium-inc

I have been casting plastic on a professional level for over 50 years and I will suggest how on how you could do this.

I use a combination of 3 different casting techniques one is just in the air with no vacuum or no pressure like you are doing now or another is to use a vacuum chamber to remove the bubbles introduced while mixing the plastic but you may still trap some bubbles. You also have to have extra room in the mold to deal with the rise in the volume of plastic as you are de-airing. You could mix first and de-air the mix and pour and you will get less bubbles but with your set up, as it is very cold and need for heat, I would do this.

I think you would be well served with a pressure cast setup which is just a paint pressure pot. I use 5 gallon paint pot you can just get it on Amazon.com new for not too much, you only really need about 20 lbs of pressure. If you can run an airline from the shop out there that will work perfect and keeping it close to the fireplace and will warm up the paint pot and it will make your stuff cast faster all you have to do is keep the pressure on it until it sets up and the bubbles disappear because they get so tiny once they have 20 to 30lbs of pressure on them they disappear. I would be a little concern on the flammability of your plastic that you're using and the open flame but you're a big boy you need to figure that stuff out

Pictures showing my set up

Best Bob B







Old stuff Note the Pelican was cast in this process in a 2-part urethane material. The finish was as good as the mold

That's some seriously impressive work! My problem is time. I take the winters to make all the little cars and keychains to give away throughout the year at events. But with a limited amount of time I have to gang run about 20-30 a night, far more than I can fit into a vac pot. Not to mention since I give them away I have to do them on the cheap. If I was selling them or making larger ones I think I would upgrade but the costs are already up there with the price of resin and mold making stuff.
But thanks for showing me what perfection looks like, like I said very impressive work!

[technicalninja]

Of all of the cool shops/owners that are displayed on this forum your shop and Mepstein's are the ones I'd like to visit...

I can imagine spending an hour just checking out what is hanging from the roof
in your shop!

Yep, it's not as clean as AA or others...

The patina and old school look adds so much "Oh, I'm in the RIGHT place" that you blow them away!

Your shop sets the "cool stuff everywhere" bar HIGH!

The fact that you make little display sculptures to give away only adds to your "Bad Ass" factor!

I'd keep a car sculpture from you in the shop forever!

As well as being a neat piece it would have a great backstory as well!

[r_towle]

904 on a waterfall….looks very cool
Paint it up, a great book shelf item