5 Best Tips For Using Alumilite Casting Resin

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[@SalviMithrin]

Great video. You are very precise and strong communicator. Thanks for sharing your knowledge.

[@nerisw2728]

Salvi Caracuel Agree! Very concise information and his work is beautiful 👍

[@mpktrucker]

Casey , could you do a video on the rack you use in your pressure pot ... Thanks buddy , and I find your videos very helpful ....

[@CaseyMartin707]

mpktrucker I did end up making one! So glad you like the videos!

[@charlesswift2497]

Hi Casey, your tips were very helpful. I'm just getting into casting, in fact I haven't tried it yet. I'm trying to get all the knowledge I can before I start, I want to gain interest and not fail.

[@CaseyMartin707]

Good luck Charles that's a great plan! I'm sure it'll go great

[@billk8579]

Casey, Great video with good tips. Grandson and I are new to wood turning. He wants to get into the casting also. This was very helpful.

[@JOTZdesigns]

Great tips! Thanks so much for sharing!

[@charliegr202]

Thank you for your time making this video. It was very informative.

[@garyderuiter950]

Would love to get into it sometime really late be the pine cone blanks they are awsome

[@acemaker2002]

Great tips Casey, thanks so much.

[@geoffspierling3206]

Please bring on all the Tips, as I need all the help I can get. Thanks for a great video I will look forward to the next one.

[@BlackCat_2]

I have heard that plastic milk jugs are HDPE and that you can melt it down to make your own HDPE blocks. I may try that but will have to save up the milk jugs first instead of taking them to be recycled. For clear I don't use alumilite so I hope any resin doesn't stick to HDPE. :) - Heidi

[@CaseyMartin707]

You're right Heidi they are! So are a lot of condiment containers like the yellow mustard containers. I'm pretty sure all resins don't stick to HDPE. I could be wrong but I bet you'll be fine.

[@BlackCat_2]

Yes and also just found out that the plastic coffee cans I have been saving for ages are HDPE as well as a couple Hershey chocolate syrup plastic jugs I have. :) That syrup is great on ice cream. :) Good thing I have plenty of extra coffee cans so I don't have to empty the ones I have in use as storage containers. I get one new one a week gifted to me since I don't drink coffee anymore.

[@jaybird8621]

You'll get tired of that real quick and just decide to spend $12 on the sheets of HDPE like me. You're gonna need...........ALOT to melt down and make a competent form. ALOT.

[@gaylanlee6447]

What is a good alternative for alumilite when doing larger single poor clear hybrid castings? {when some moisture may be an issue).

[@CaseyMartin707]

How large? I’m not sure honestly. Maybe ecopoxy or some other long cure time epoxy

[@gaylanlee6447]

I want to turn some hybrid bowls that will fit in my pressure pot, up to 12”. I was wondering what alternatives there are to alumilite? Want to do sone embedding as well such as dried flowers etc. It may be that alumilite is the way I want to go. I see individuals in Australia and UK using epoxies they get in their region that work great but Not available in US that I know of. Haven’t done any casting yet-have only done some inlay projects. Saw your videos explaining moisture so understand that. Resin is so expensive just trying to make a good novice purchase.

[@CaseyMartin707]

I would recommend normal Alumilite and just out the flowers in a toaster oven for 10-15 minutes before you cast. I’ve cast dried flowers with Alumilite no problem and done 60+ ounce pours with normal set no problem

[@brynphipps8374]

Hey Casey thanks for the tips. Very helpful 👍

[@Lee-qp6gf]

Hey Casey, good talk and thanks for the tips. Just wondering, do you ever color just with the powder? I have always added it to dye but never used it alone. Thanks for your time, Lee

[@CaseyMartin707]

Lee Waterman Hey Lee, I have. The problem with doing just powders is that it will usually leave the resin slightly transparent. Which is fine for bottle stoppers and stuff like that, but you can usually see the tubes of a pen when it is transparent.

[@evanfinger3791]

all I know is you make some great blanks! I suggest placing some of your products in the background, show them off a bit! cheers brother!

[@CaseyMartin707]

Evan Finger Yeah that would've been a good idea! Thanks man!

[@saasikas]

Thanks for the tips...

[@PeterAgostiniJdcap26]

Great tips Casey 👍🏻got tips from Zac as well an his sticker On my C.A. tank .though I don’t do pens I may try blanks in the future.

[@acemaker2002]

So Casey, just which powder colors do you like best?

[@CaseyMartin707]

Great question Stephen. So I really like "Interference Blue" a lot. And the interference red, green, and violet. It's super cool it basically makes a color shifting version of whatever color it is. So like for blue it basically makes it shift between different shades of blue. I like blue russet, green apple, bright yellow, and micro pearl. Those are just my main ones I frequently use but I like a lot of them

[@CaptMike]

What type of resin is Alumilite? Is it Epoxy, Polyurethane or Polyester (probably not Polyester)?

[@CaseyMartin707]

Polyurethane

[@CaptMike]

Thanks for the prompt reply!

[@agovernale]

Great tips!

[@shednut2666]

Thanks for sharing do you use mold release stay safe during this pandemic

[@CaseyMartin707]

When my molds get older I do!

[@1180gecko]

Hi Casey I really like your videos. One question have you thought about making a floating wine bottle holder with your casting. I would really love to see that

[@DavidCathers42]

Thanks Casey this was helpful. I sent you an email with a couple questions as I'm just starting to use the resin product.

[@laneiam]

Your video was just fine. You spoke clearly which is a problem most vidioer's have and it annoying, so you did real good there. You spoke just loud enough and you were very nice to look at. So you did real well for your first video which I was surprised to hear since it was so good. Small tip and more tip would be fine. I am trying to cover a decoupaged tray which I used napkins with the double layer removed so essentially I used very thin tissue. I used a decoupage glue which is all the bottle says. I am going to go over some of the embellishment products with hot glue from you tips. I have been wanting to use the Amazing casting material for a while but am very reluctant for fear of screwing up. My part B is yellow but I think that's okay.. I cant figure out how much I should measure out so that is a problem. I know to mix 1:1 but how much 1:1 I would need to finish the tray I can't figure out. It's 45 cubic inches but I don't understand the "my part" part. Thanks for the video Lainie

[@rogerfortier6934]

Hi Casey Really like your vids, keep them coming I am a new turner so I need to learn as muck as possible I enjoy listening and learning from guys like you, you save us so much time because of your trial and efforts,,,,,Thanks Again Roger from Canada

[@lazaromarcel36]

WHERE DO YOU BUY YOURS LITTLE SPOON

[@CaseyMartin707]

Haha I get them from the dollar store! When I saw them I thought they were perfect. They're called "appetizer spoons".

[@DjGlenJon]

hi you mention the percentage of wood humidity in this vidoe, is there such a thing as an ok ammount of humidity or is it a case of ....get as most as u can out cheers bud

[@khyrulalom9402]

all the time i was intend to make rock solid epoxy casting its become rubber. i am very much upset about the output. my cast is not being rock solid whether i want to make table top with resin or anything i want to convert it to. give me solution what should i do???

[@JohnMark61355]

Thanks for the video. What are your thoughts about using water-based wipe on poly to keep wood from degassing. I do use a pressure pot but have still had bubbles with deep cast slow curing resin. if I used Alumilite Slow with a pressure pot, would it harden quick enough to avoid bubbles? Thank you.

[@CaseyMartin707]

If you use alumilite slow with a pressure pot you’ll never have to worry about bubbles. If there’s moisture in the wood, that’s what is causing bubbles. It’s not that it’s “degassing”. So if you just put the wood in an oven for like 20-30 mins first at 200 F you’ll be fine. I have a video on moisture problems

[@JohnMark61355]

Thank you!

[@sapphodesigns2377]

Thanks Casey..really well explained..look forward to more videos..

[@tomzahlman1156]

Have you had any issues with Stoner mold release? On my first 3 castings it seemed to crystallize and spiderweb my blanks and ruined a silicone coaster mold.

[@CaseyMartin707]

No I never have. I use stoner all the time. Are you using the type designed for polyurethanes? It’s a purple colored can

[@tomzahlman1156]

Yes and alumalite clear in pvc tubes maybe I just got an old can.

[@fefabre]

Casey do you measure the temperature of your resin when pouring? If so how long do you let it sit before pouring?

[@DKWalser]

Thank you for the videos. They're well done. A suggestion for getting hot glue to release: Use denatured alcohol. The glue will release almost on contact.

[@Harrylbeverley]

Loved the video. I have some of your blanks. I love truning then. Great job.

[@Karen-lf9do]

I think you have done a very good job and these have been some good tips . Thank you , young man.

[@xuasmerdel9237]

Thanks for the tips I am just getting started with resin and my shop is cold no heat right know will it be a problem with the resin ?

[@shanatrahan9239]

Awesome tips....wish I would've watched before I completely destroyed my table....(moisture.....lots n lots of foaming bubbles 🙄)

[@WigWagWorkshop]

What thickness is your HDPE sheets you use for making Molds? Thank You for the useful tips.

[@CaseyMartin707]

They are .5 inches I believe!

[@fefabre]

I like your tip on on swirling because I’ve had problems getting good swirls in a single pen blank mold.

[@waynew7175]

Great tips!! What type of screws do you use for the HDPE pieces?

[@pamcarr4003]

Nice video, thank you for sharing this! Pam

[@melissabarron1574]

Good job on the video. I’m glad it popped up on my feed. I like your honesty about products It good for a beginner because your not spending money in the wrong places. Thank you!

[@aceman7899]

question is it possible to make a good blank without a pressure pot

[@johnmontano3251]

Thank you. I just finished my first casting and had issues with wood floating. Thanks foe the tip!

[@Daniel-wn4yj]

Hi..can you give me the link to buy the pen kit?

[@outdoorsnewbie9644]

Great video. solid tips for sure.

[@DLee1923]

This was pretty interesting, and I was happy to write down tips you shared. I haven't started resin casting yet, but I'll hopefully be as prepared as I can be when I do. Thank you for the video ! 👍😊

[@MrWecantstophere]

Did you mention any inks/dyes to use as a good starter set or just the powders from Jacquard? Are their alcohol inks/dyes any good to use with Alumilite?

[@CaseyMartin707]

I only use Alumilite dyes to color Alumilite and that’s what I recommend. For powders you can really use any type of brand, they all behave the same. I use dyes and powders together quite frequently

[@MrWecantstophere]

@@CaseyMartin707 Thanks. Any particular reasoning behind using only alumilite vs just any other alcohol ink or random dyes? Any videos that you've made going through this at all? Been going through some of your videos. Good stuff:-)

[@CaseyMartin707]

Alcohol inks can work, I’ve never tried them. Simple reason for using Alumilite dyes is that they are obviously specifically formulated for Alumilite. Alumilite is very sensitive to moisture, and basically any dye that has any form of water in it won’t work. Some dyes that work for epoxy or polyester resin don’t work for Alumilite. However, all Alumilite dyes work for any resin. So I use them when I’ve done large epoxy pours too. They also have every color so I’d rather just stick with a brand I know will work for everything. Also alcohol dyes will almost never make resin opaque from what I’ve seen. Alumilite dyes you can do that by varying the amount used, or adding a little white dye to the mixture

[@MrWecantstophere]

Casey Martin Awesome appreciate it!

[@andrewmurphy3739]

Thanks for the tips!!!

[@clintongallagher]

Just to be picky HDPE ( High-density polyethylene ) is not plastic. Look for the number 2 in a triangle on your "plastic" containers. Type 2 is the type of HDPE that is easier to metl and form. The other types are brittle and not really that workable. The caps on plastic milk containers are Type 2 HDPE. The white bottles Walgreens sells their vitamins in is Type 2 HDPE. The containers coffee is sold in these days in Type 2 HDEP.

[@CaseyMartin707]

I am fully aware of what HDPE is and it is absolutely a plastic. It is "is a polyethylene thermoplastic made from petroleum. It is sometimes called "alkathene" or "polythene" when used for pipes".

[@charruauno386]

Thank you for sharing, good tips. Is there any way that I can send you some pictures of my results, so maybe you can give me some pointers. I was working with some lazer inlays for some presents for my family and they all got waisted. I hope you can help me, have a good day.

[@CaseyMartin707]

Yes of course! Email is in the description

[@jimrollins1501]

Thanks for the info and tips>

[@Aintright1965]

Thanks Casey Do I have to keep my material in the stablizer for 24 hrs or can I go straight to the oven from the stablizer? Thx again for the help. You need an apprentice ? 😂

[@CaseyMartin707]

If you have bought cactus juice you should get an instructions set. You need to let the blanks soak for at minimum twice as long as they were under vacuum for. If you don’t, they won’t soak up any of the stabilizing resin and curing them in the oven would be pointless.

[@timblack-drilling3657]

You are a good communicator. My mom and my son's are new to turning and I am planning on expanding into casting. I am not sure as to PR or Alumilite. I did HVAC, and have a vac pump and now I have a pressure pot, and with your information on HDPE I will make some molds. But I do have a couple of question: 1) which do you prefer and why Alumilite or PR? 2) what is your thoughts on the silicone pen molds for the larger pens or even the slime line. I have seen a video where they they used a mold cut to size of the pen blanks with silicone stoppers/plugs in the ends (tight fit on the ends), used weight to hold it down (not to float). please and thank you

[@CaseyMartin707]

I prefer Alumilite because it is much higher quality than PR for not much more of a price. The main reason is that PR is more brittle than Alumilite, so it is much harder to turn. Instead of getting smooth ribbons while turning like alumilite does, you will get chips flying everywhere a lot of the time. It is also not as strong as Alumilite. Silicone molds work great. I have some single pen blank silicone molds and I like them a lot. I use the HDPE mainly because I almost always do color swirl blanks and its easy to swirl colors with those.

[@leonardmandeville2062]

Is pearl ex powder transparent. How much pearl ex powder to a cup of clear resin for transparency, say to make a blue ocean effect but be able to see through it. Roughly

[@CaseyMartin707]

It all depends on the amount of resin in a cup. Also some pearl ex powders are more opaque than others. Not by much, but there is some variance. Honestly trial and error is the best approach. Add a little, mix and check, and add more as you see appropriate

[@kaiserhoff1086]

Great info Casey. You are a natural born teacher. I'm a newbie. Two questions. 1. I work mostly with wood (1/2 inch pine). Would painting with latex or acrylic solve the moisture problem? Heating to any extent might warp or crack the stuff. 2. What are the realistic options for getting bubbles out? Thanks.

[@waynew7175]

Use a Pressure pot.

[@michaelh.6020]

Great video! Thank you!!!

[@sigguy1361]

Hey good deal, thanks!

[@wakelywanderer12]

Good information. Thank you. Do you also use mold release with the HDPE? My first batch of slow is in transit so this is timely. What do you find its working time to be?

[@CaseyMartin707]

wakely wanderer I don't use mold release with my HDPE. Using it will make the mold pretty much slide out when you flip it over, but I don't use it and a little hit on the floor will have it pop out just as easily. I forgot the working time exactly with slow set but it should say it on the bottle or the instructions sheet. I want to say it's 12 minutes, but I don't remember exactly.

[@Aintright1965]

Thanks Casey You are the Man the tips I can really use. One question is do I need to sand off the cactus juice on my material before I start to add resin?

[@CaseyMartin707]

Nope you don’t! It will bond just fine to the CJ. However I’d recommend it if there’s a ton of bleed out, so the finished product doesn’t have the Golden CJ where the resin meets the wood. It’s all up to you

[@bestkarterever]

Hi, just bought some of the alimilite clear, im coing to use it for carbon fibre wet laying or laminating, do you think the product is good for this?

[@CaseyMartin707]

I think it will work fine as long as you plan on using a pressure pot. Otherwise it won’t work well because you will get lots of bubbles

[@someguyontheinternet-]

Thank you!

[@sniperwolfjs]

Hey Casey can you tell me what type scale I need to start casting with alumilite

[@CaseyMartin707]

+sniperwolfjs Any scale that can measure to a tenth of a gram (0.1) is fine. The one I have is literally like $6 or $7 on Amazon but has great reviews, and it actually does work great!

[@mictaylor9531]

Thanks for this video Casey, really helpful and useful stuff 👍🏻

[@CaseyMartin707]

Glad I could help!

[@DaviddoesStuff]

Casey, have you tried making a lid that fits inside your casting box? If you make it a slightly loose fit and use HDPE it would be easy to remove and it would control your floaters without any glue. You might need a little weight on top of the lid.

[@CaseyMartin707]

No I haven't tried that method, although a friend of mine Zac Higgins has used that method when casting coffee beans. I think it would be tough to do in my situation because the grapevine varies in size. So a lid pushing down one piece from floating might not be pushing down the others. It is something I have considered though.

[@DaviddoesStuff]

Casey Martin if they are all glued to the bottom or all against the top wouldn't the casting end up completely covered in Alumilite? Just seems it would be easier on the mold cleanup. :)

[@CaseyMartin707]

My pen blanks are cut to .75 inches thick and tall, and a lot of grapevine pieces are thicker than that. So if the top is being pushed down on one of the pieces that is thicker than .75 inches, and the thinner pieces float to the top, when the resin cures, a lot of the thinner pieces would be off of the bottom of the mold. And I would end up cutting off a lot of the grapevine when on the table saw. When they are all glued to the bottom, then I know I will have as much grapevine as possible in the finished cut pen blanks. Any excess cut off will mostly be resin, and not grapevine. Does that make sense? It's not a bad idea, but for casting uneven pieces of wood, a lid won't really work.

[@DaviddoesStuff]

Casey Martin ok, just an idea. :) All even with the top or all even with the bottom. I guess it would waste more resin to fill it up enough to cover all the grape vine.

[@Ln6Ec]

Thanks for the video! Where do you get your burl wood?

[@CaseyMartin707]

I buy most of it online. Like 90% of it. Australiaburls.com as well as the guys at Oregonburls.com have tons of great stuff I buy regularly

[@nomoremuda]

Very curious about how you built your HDPE molds, can you review them? did you buy raw HDPE or recycle it?

[@CaseyMartin707]

I built them. Zac Higgins has a great video on making them. I used HDPE sheets I bought off amazon

[@nomoremuda]

awesome, thanks.

[@jaybird8621]

Casey....can you just use a torch to eliminate bubbles from Alumilite in lieu of spending money on a pressure pot?

[@CaseyMartin707]

Most likely not, as the working time is only 7 minutes. I doubt you’d be able to get all of them out. People that do that are almost always using some type of epoxy or polyester resin that takes awhile to cure, and so they have time to heat it long enough to make all the bubbles come up. A pressure pot from harbor freight with the 20% coupon is only $80. Worth the investment in my opinion!

[@jaybird8621]

Casey Martin understood. Thanks for taking the time to explain. New subscriber