Resin Casting kit

[mredzadventure]

I would like to try my hand at casting some parts .Nothing fancy ,not for profit just for fun. I saw the Alumilite kit for $70.00. That's is a hunk of money. Is it worth the expense? I would like to cast engine parts,suspension parts maybe some interior stuff nothing real complicated. I'm getting back into the groove after a 15 year break. any help s appreciated.

[Fernando Roman]

I would like to try my hand at casting some parts .Nothing fancy ,not for profit just for fun. I saw the Alumilite kit for $70.00. That's is a hunk of money. Is it worth the expense? I would like to cast engine parts,suspension parts maybe some interior stuff nothing real complicated. I'm getting back into the groove after a 15 year break. any help s appreciated.

Check Smooth-On. http://www.smooth-on.com/index.php?cPath=1217. I have used their products and they are great. Also, check their video tutorials. Have fun!

[Smart-Resins]

I also use smooth on. Much prefered!! If you callt hem, they can lead you in the right direction. Great customer care there! You might not get your popsicle sticks and cups there, but you can certainly find them other places for dirt cheap! I think I bought 500 sticks at the local craft store for $5! I cut mine in half, so it ends up being 1,000 for me! As for the cups, micro mark or others sell them as well. Once you get your casting stuff, I know I would be willing to help in any way that I can as others have done for me in the past. Thank you. Jody

[Olle F]

I haven't done much resin casting at all, but I did try the Alumilite kit a while ago. One thing I learned is that resin and rubber has a limited shelf life even in unopened containers, and that special and expensive products like this can sit in the hobby store for a looooong time. The rubber was pretty much useless and it took a long argument with "Ms. Blank Stare" at Hobby Lobby to explain this and that they needed to replace it with a fresh kit. I also pointed out that they had some other kits that had been sitting there for two, three years (their price tags have the delivery date on them) and that they probably needed to be discarded. She said that she would do that, but a week later I found them in their bargain bin... Long story short: Buy from someone who sells a lot of it and doesn't let it sit and go bad, or at least from someone who can guarantee that you'll get fresh stuff.

In any case, it seemed to be very easy to work with and I got some pretty good results despite the fact that I hadn't worked with resin in 15 years or so. Just a few weeks ago, I won a Smooth-On kit at the model show in Cookeville, so it will be interesting to see if there is a difference. One thing I still have to figure out is how to make bubble-free molds and castings without vacuum or pressure...

Edited April 3, 2009 by Olle F

[george 53]

At our last club meeting, Jeff Ballard,(Motor City Resin Casters) And Rick Schwarts (Scale Dreams) both commented on how good the Smooth-On product worked. We had been disscusing it ourselves.I had an old Micro-Mark casting kit,it's about 8 years old, and I mentioned on how it had lil flakes floatin in it,They said it was too old.

[mredzadventure]

Thanks for the replies this helps a lot.

[PlasticWagens]

I have only ever used the Alumilite brand with nothing but outstanding results. Great customer support via phone.

[FujimiLover]

I haven't done much resin casting at all, but I did try the Alumilite kit a while ago. One thing I learned is that resin and rubber has a limited shelf life even in unopened containers, and that special and expensive products like this can sit in the hobby store for a looooong time. The rubber was pretty much useless and it took a long argument with "Ms. Blank Stare" at Hobby Lobby to explain this and that they needed to replace it with a fresh kit. I also pointed out that they had some other kits that had been sitting there for two, three years (their price tags have the delivery date on them) and that they probably needed to be discarded. She said that she would do that, but a week later I found them in their bargain bin... Long story short: Buy from someone who sells a lot of it and doesn't let it sit and go bad, or at least from someone who can guarantee that you'll get fresh stuff.

In any case, it seemed to be very easy to work with and I got some pretty good results despite the fact that I hadn't worked with resin in 15 years or so. Just a few weeks ago, I won a Smooth-On kit at the model show in Cookeville, so it will be interesting to see if there is a difference. One thing I still have to figure out is how to make bubble-free molds and castings without vacuum or pressure...

Same goes for Bondo. I recently purchased Automotive Bondo from PepBoyz and wish I didn't. They had two can's left, both dented. When I got home with one, the gray bondo was all gunky and bad, and the red hardner was all watery. Needless to say I won't be useing that on my Veil!