I'd like to do some resin casting to make some small fairly simple custom parts (lights, rolls of hose etc), I don't know much about it, or even brands to look for / avoid. A local store carries alumilite (or something like that) a beginners kit for $30 and a larger kit for $60 (this looks like the better bargain since it has much more than twice the stuff). This alumilite looks like my best option since it will be easy to get but if there is something better online or if the alumilite is not a good product for this I'm open to suggestions. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks

i have used the alumite. their rtv rubber, you have to mix at a 10:1 ration which is easy to mess up. the resin is a 1:1 mix, but i found that it is very oily, and if you don't used it all soon after opening , the 'a' part gets kind of clumpy.
i prefer the micromark rtv and resin. the rtv rubber uses a 1:1 mix ratio, and you get more of it. their resin is also a 1:1 mix, and they sell color dyes for it too (although i haven't tried them). their rtv also sets up in about 4 hours time too. they sell a complete starter set for $69.95. you get the rtv rubber, the casting resin, rubber to rubber mold release, clay, mixing cups, and the rubber to resin mold release. www.micromark.com
shipping is quick too

I guess it all depends on what you want, but Alpine Imports has just about any size for any application you want, starting with the 8 ounce for $7.59, and they have the rubber mold material, if you need it, plus the coloring, and the 32 ounce for $20.49, and they are good to deal with, I have bought from them a couple times now, they have an address on the home page here to click on to go to their site, and just mention Armorama sent you, and you get 10% off. Hope this helps

Kerry

The alumilite starter kits are good. Bare Metal Foil makes one too.

I have just started using MicroMarks stuff and have gotten the hang of it - if you go this route - one recommendation - shake the resin really well first. Then when you mix A and B together mix a lot!!

It produces good reproductions and the resin is easy to work with. The molds are decent and with ractice they'll only get better.

Decent quantity for the money.

I like and use Smooth-On products. They are easy to use and not exspensive. http://www.smooth-on.com/products.htm

Another vote to recommend Smooth-On products. I started out with Alumalite product too, but it can get tricky to produce consistently good results. Sometimes the items do come out oily/greasy as well. I changed over the Smooth-On and have been happier.

Gunnie

I guess we get very different products in different countries. Here we consider French made RTV 573 as the best rubber.(actually most amateurs buy another brand, as they believe it is difficult to use) It is very soft, capture every detail and very durable.

We don't really pay attention to the brands,as there are so many of them. But the easiest one to use here is a Japanese one, #3017.

Just a note here, any resin will "expired" very soon once you open the container. How long it will last depends on temperature and humidity. The secret is that many of them can be "re-vitalized" by vaccum. But you need expensive equipment to do it.

Gunnie, if you got that stick, oliy thing, cover the mold after you pour the resin. That usually caused by too much contact with air.

Unless you have some kind of vacuum chamber (this hobby gets more expensive all the time!) you will always have trouble with air bubbles, and they always seem to occur in the corners, nooks, and crannies of your casting. They can be filled with putty. You can also mix a very small amount of resin and using a toothpick or needle, guide the resin into all the corners. Then mix a second batch of resin and fill up the remainder of the mold.