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Scratchbuilders!
Built a model or part from your own materials lately?
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Casting advice needed!
spoons
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England - East Anglia, United Kingdom
Member Since: January 09, 2008
entire network: 527 Posts
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Posted: Monday, May 24, 2010 - 07:43 AM UTC
hello eveyone
got tired of wasting so much resin in casting process would like to make jump to PRO-AM ,but im a bit confused witch way to go advice ive got sofar's conflicting.
do i go for pressure casting or vacuum casting? any advice and or web address appreciated.......also know its gonna cost an arm and a leg! ofcourse these are my own masters.
matt
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New York, United States
Member Since: February 28, 2002
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Posted: Monday, May 24, 2010 - 09:52 AM UTC
pressure casting is cheaper IF you already have an air compressor I use a paint tank do do it myself. You can probably pick one up used.

New: http://www.harborfreight.com/2-1-2-half-gallon-pressure-paint-tank-66839.html
pbhawkin
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New South Wales, Australia
Member Since: November 23, 2009
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Posted: Wednesday, May 26, 2010 - 06:54 PM UTC
Hi,
Take a look here:
http://www.kampfgruppe144.com/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=19&t=116

for both my way of doing resin castings as well as links to some Youtube stuff.

Ignore the fact this is a 1/144 scale forum as the techniques are still applicable.
jasmils
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Queensland, Australia
Member Since: December 23, 2003
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Posted: Wednesday, May 26, 2010 - 08:15 PM UTC
G'day Stephen,
Your right, it will cost an arm and a leg to set it up.
I have spent over 20K in the last few years on my setup and still spend a hell of a lot of money and time on improving my casting technique and knowledge.
To be honest, if I had known it would be as hard as this I would have outsourced the job to begin with.
If you just want to do a few pours and sell them to your mates, then stick with drop pouring. Then after a while the money you make can then go into the machines need.
Problem is, at times, pressure casting can actually use more resin then drop pouring.
However if you want to go the full hog, you will need a vac chamber for the rubber and pressure for the resin.
A decent vac chamber and pump will set you back a couple of grand. The pump is the big thing. To low a cfm pump and the rubber is will not “soufflé” (spelling?) correctly or will if your using a quick cure rubber the rubber will go off before it soufflé’s. The pressure pot and compressor you can get away with as little as $500ish. In this case, the pot is the key as most cheap compressors will do up to 100psi. To low a pressure and the resin will contain bubbles. To high a pressure in a low pressure pot and there will be an “Earth Shattering Kaboom!!!!”.
Still interested?

Cheers Jason The Casturbater

PS This advice is exactly that, advice. It is not the only way that casting can be done. Just the way it has worked for me.
matt
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New York, United States
Member Since: February 28, 2002
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Posted: Thursday, May 27, 2010 - 12:02 AM UTC
I actually pressurize my molds too. I use a paint tank like the one I linked. Pressureizing the molds to about 50/60psi and the actual castings to about 35/40 psi.

Take your time mixing the rubber and resin as to keep out as many bubbles as possible.
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