Make A Silicone Pen Blank Mold for Resin Casting | Alumilite High Strength 1

In this video I go through the steps and how I made this silicone mold for pen blanks from start to finish and show some blanks I made with it at the end. Silicone mold making is not difficult, so I hope this video will give you the confidence to try it out =D
I've wanted to make a silicone single pen blank mold for quite some time, and I finally got to it! The mold will make 4 single size pen blanks, and it is made using Alumilite High Strength 1 silicone. Overall I was really happy with the silicone, and the mold works great!
The mold dimensions are 7.5 x 7.5 x 2 inches overall. Each individual blank slot measures 1.5" tall by 1" wide by 5.5" long. You can make them any size you want, but make sure that the overall mold will fit into the pressure pot you are using if you will be casting under pressure.
Alumilite sent me the High Strength 1 silicone to test out for this video. You can purchase it from the Alumilite website: www.alumilite....
NV Woodwerks Pen Blank Store: nvwoodwerks.com...
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Music:
Funk Game Loop by Kevin MacLeod is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution license (creativecommon...)
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[@robinsvuba782]

Do you make custom molds for other. I don't really want to make my own but would like one.I am new ant the resin pouring and would like a mold more suited for my use.

[@grantliddiard7742]

Hi Zac, to de-gas the silicone mix could it be put in a pressure pot while it is curing or does it have to go into a vacuum type thing that you used. Cheers mate.

[@trynforpar]

Hi Zac. What do you use to clean the mixing items in between pours.

[@jessicamabbitt5733]

where did you get the lid to turn your pressure pot into a vacuum pot?

[@tonyj2216]

Zac, could you take some time and explain the difference in using liquid dye vs powder to color alulilite resin? Great build video by the way.

[@MrTomarkins]

How do you de-gas the silocon please, beginner.

[@SaintBigAl]

Hi Zac, could one use a dye or powder to colour the silicone molds?

[@73cruiser]

Have you made a mold for tube in blanks?

[@LockPickingCoalMiner]

Thanks for the video awesome job!

[@wadewaldron695]

What is MDF He talks about? :(

[@lonewolfcry]

Good Morning Zac how long do you degas for

[@ZacHiggins]

It's not too long, once it stops bubbling you can take it out. Probably only took about 3-5 minutes with the Alumilite silicone, I didn't actually time it though

[@DavZell]

In this video you were excited that you had broken 10K subscribers. 4 years later you're at 61K and just launched a redone website with a resin-themed name. Great job Zac!

[@gabrielleconti]

Hi Zac. Can you re use those pieces of silicone? I mean, put them in a container for a new mold and then add more liquid silicone to fill the empty spaces between the pieces. Is that possible? Thanks for the video! I found it very useful.

[@diydadworkshop6123]

Awesome video!!! Just subscribed! I don’t have a pressure pot😞 any chance u would want to make/sell me a pen blank mold?

[@entornopipero1984]

I have seen your channel for 2 weeks and everything you do is incredible. A video of blanks for pipe stems would be great. I am a Pipemaker and I buy AA blanks, I think it is acetal acrylic. I do not know if this is made of resin, nor is it another resin that is suitable for that use. greetings from Mexico I hope you can answer me

[@petestacy8349]

Did you need to do any conditioning of the mold before you started casting with it? I noticed in the instructions that come with Alumilite clear that they say new tin base silicone molds should be conditioned prior to use. I only ask because I just did a mold with a different Alumilite product (Amazing Mold Rubber) and my first castings came out kind of funky on the surface that was in contact with the mold.

[@mvecellio1]

The mold is working great. However I noticed that after spending 48 hours in the pressure pot the 5 sides of the blank that are in contact with the mold are tacky when removed from the mold. After a couple of days on the bench the tackiness goes away and the blanks turn fine. Have you encountered this and do you have a solution? Could it be the mold release? Thanks. Mike.

[@petrusscott3038]

Zac, the de-gassing pot that you used, do you use it for stabilizing wood as well? If yes, were did you buy it? Thanks, Peter

[@ahisupermonster]

Do you have a video on your vacuum chamber build? Could you use the same Harbor Freight pot for pressure and vacuum if you made a lid for vacuum?

[@brianfoster7064]

Great and informative video, Zack. Would like to know how much silicon you ended up using to make this mold. Thanks!

[@mvecellio1]

I followed your video and the mold came out great. I should have made the cavities 7/8 inch deep instead of 3/4 so I wouldn't have to fill them up to the very top. Live and learn. Thanks for the instructional video.

[@stevedodd7883]

hi , how would you make a reverse mold of a spade handle. would i have to make it in 2 halves because of the middle of the handle

[@davidendres7808]

Hey mate thanks for the video just a couple of questions what pressure in the pot and for how long thanks from Bear down under

[@phillipchristy7792]

Great video Zac. Since I don't have a vacuum system to degas the silicone is there another silicon I can use

[@cigarsmoka9741]

Hi Zac. I'm going to be making my own molds since you can get different effects that aren't possible with vertical pvc molds. This video is exactly what I needed, so thanks for this and all your other great vids. My question is, can you just pour the silicone then put it in a pressure pot to cure? I have a vacuum setup also but it will be stabiliizing things while I'm making the molds. Thanks again!

[@ZacHiggins]

Glad it was helpful =) Pressure doesn't work for silicone, any trapped air bubbles will just expand again once you release the pressure. You'll definitely want to degas it with vacuum before pouring the silicone if you plan to pressurize the mold when your casting with it. The problem is if any bubbles get trapped inside the silicone when it cures, they will collapse with the pressure and the mold could deform a bit and transfer that to the casting. I'd suggest waiting until the vacuum chamber is free before pouring the silicone molds if possible

[@cigarsmoka9741]

Thanks for a quick reply. You probably saved me a lot of wasted time and money. You rock man!

[@ZacHiggins]

No problem, glad you asked about it. Silicone and resin ain't cheap, =D

[@hacklabdesign]

Great video. I’m my making a mouth guard, any recommendations for food safe silicone

[@ZacHiggins]

That's a cool project! I would probably recommend contacting manufacturers directly before choosing. Let them know what you plan to use it for and they'll tell you what product they recommend. I just don't have enough knowledge about it to give you a reliable recommendation myself. Alumilite has a bunch of different silicones that are rated FDA compliant, they will be able to tell you which would work best and safest for that application

[@jameshollister8366]

Smooth Sil 40 from Smooth On. Food grade silicone, clear 40d

[@MapleCrossingWoodworks]

great video, thanks for this! do you clean your mixing cups between pours, or just use a new cup?

[@ZacHiggins]

Thanks!! Glad it is helpful. I used different cups for each pour. You might be able to just reuse the same cup, but I figured I'd just grab a fresh one to make sure it didn't throw off the ratio or anything. It's much easier to wait until the silicone sets up to clean it out of the cups, most of it just pulls right out, and then I wipe them out with some acetone

[@SterlingsWoodcrafts]

appreciate you skills, you do some awesome stuff

[@ZacHiggins]

Thanks Sterling! I appreciate it man!

[@jaybird8621]

Hi Zac, love the videos!!! Awesome. I have a question....the necessity of using a pressure pot. If we don't have one and use a slow-curing (ala 24+ hours) epoxy resin like Enviro Tex Lite, is a PP really needed? It's my understanding the PP is for getting bubbles out? I would have thought a propane torch every so often would work

[@ZacHiggins]

Hey Jay, you're correct that a pressure pot isn't necessary as long as the resin has enough time to allow air bubbles to free themselves and there are no obstructions in the way of the bubbles. Pressure will give you a little insurance that the blanks are absolutely bubble free, I pressurize everything I cast

[@Mitermikeswoodshop]

very cool information you give. congrats on the milestone. keep it up.

[@ZacHiggins]

Thanks Mike! I can't believe I hit 10K, who would've thunk it!! It snuck up on me, time to setup a giveaway and celebrate =D

[@jameskemp8139]

Zac, Really helpful. I enjoy following your channel & all your projects. How's the ease of use compared to your plastic cutting board molds?

[@ZacHiggins]

Thanks James, glad that the videos are helpful. I'd say the silicone molds are just as easy to use as the HDPE ones. Possibly a tiny bit easier since you would never have to unscrew one end of it. I prefer the larger molds for my color swirl blanks, but I've really wanted a silicone single blank mold for a long time to do specific things with. Both work pretty good =D

[@TheSafecrkr1]

Congrats on 10K subscribers, Zac. It's always great to watch you work. I use that silicone's baby brother, I get it from Hobby Lobby. It's a great product. By the way, did you stabilize that wood with color ?

[@ZacHiggins]

Thanks Jim! Yeah that is some of the double dye stabilized wood from my video on the process. Still slowly using it up =D

[@mamabearssheshedtracykeato6941]

Now I have seen people cast these in half inch, three-quarter inch and even 1 inch PVC pipe. Standing them up straight and making 60 half inch blanks out of one run of the pressure pot. Would you recommend this?

[@ZacHiggins]

Sure! PVC pipes work great too, especially if you are only pouring resin. It's typically easier to do embedding in a square open top mold, but some embedding works great in PVC too. You'd have to use a slow setting resin if you plan to do a really large batch so you can get them all poured before the resin sets up, but it's a great way to make blanks. I have a video about casting in PVC pipes that has some tips you you might find useful too: kzbin.info/www/bejne/bICZfp6mjqtjhc0

[@brickmonkey]

Found your channel, and now feel the addiction setting in even before I have cast my first piece. I saw a trick for figuring volume by using rice. Pour it into your area to mold, then back into a graduated measuring cup to get the volume of silicone needed. Think that would work? Love your channel. Thanks for sharing your knowlwdge. Subscribed.

[@ZacHiggins]

Awesome! Welcome aboard =D Yep, the rice trick works great for figuring out the volumes of odd shapes

[@robertevans6481]

Thanks for sharing this info, those blanks look great, esp the darker one's...Congrats on 10k Zac well done...

[@ZacHiggins]

Thanks Robert!! Couldn't have hit 10K without you =D Need to setup a giveaway celebration, it snuck up on me!!

[@lonewolfcry]

Hey Zack I have a question about your molds if I want to use this product and I'm only making a mold that is 2 inches by 2 inches by 6 inches long could I use the 1 lb version or do I have to go with the 5 lb I know it's a crazy question but I figured maybe you would know this better than I would i have never made molds before thanks for your time and patience with me

[@ZacHiggins]

I just use the material volume calculator on Alumilite's website. You just enter in the dimensions of the mold and the master part that you will be pouring the silicone around, and it tells you how much silicone you need: www.alumilite.com/store/pg/12-Volume-Calculator.aspx

[@leapinglemurcraftworks6426]

MAJOR tip on the degassing - glad I watched this and thanks for making the video. I really need to get some resin, cactus juice and silicone and get started making blanks. Thanks again, Scott

[@ZacHiggins]

Glad it was helpful Scott! Hope you get everything set up and start making blanks soon. It's awesome being able to cast your own blanks =D

[@scottie1769]

Great info Zac. I make the same blanks with a silicone mold but would like it a lot bigger like the one you just made. Over to Alumilite I go. Thanx for sharing! Scott

[@ZacHiggins]

It's a great mold to use for holding things in place, wish I had made one of those a long time ago! I was really pleased with how easy the Alumilite silicone is to stir up, should be a breeze to crank one out

[@ron2382]

Thanks for that video. I was curious about making silicone molds. I'm just getting into turning. I make knives mostly, but have been interested in casting for handle materials and now hopefully for turning as I learn more

[@ZacHiggins]

Hey Ron, thanks for checking out the video. Great to hear that you're thinking about jumping into resin casting, I think you'll really enjoy being able to make your own custom handles and turning blanks. Sky's the limit once you get set up, and the silicone molds are really pretty easy to make too. I was a little intimidated the first time I tried using silicone, but I'm glad I did!

[@george21170]

Hello , you have taught me so much watching your videos has got me into casting and stabilizing and dying maple burl. I have been turning wood for about 4 years, resin and wood mixed is awesome. Thanks again have a great day.

[@ZacHiggins]

Hey George, glad that the videos have been helpful for you! It's my pleasure to make them, thanks for watching =D

[@tomgonzalez5014]

Can you tell me why the alumilite shrinks in my HDPE mold after taking it out of the pressure pot?

[@ZacHiggins]

Hey Tom, good question! It doesn't actually shrink, it just migrates away from the corners. The resin will tend to migrate to the warmest part, which is the center of the mold. If you heat up the molds, that problem should be minimized if not go away. I toss them in a little toaster oven at 200 degrees for about 10-15 minutes then pour the resin in

[@techedfireman4981]

Great one Zac, just curious could you fill the master mold with the silicone and put it in the pressure pot to cure? Assuming it will fit (since you had to cut cured mold).

[@ZacHiggins]

Thanks!! I'm not sure that pressure works very well in this instance, I think vacuum is the best method for removing the air completely

[@coscazalet]

Hi Zac, I'm just getting into this stuff myself right now and this video really hit the mark. I'm hitting the massive amount of options that are available for everything and this narrowed it down to something that works well. Thanks for that!

[@ZacHiggins]

Hey Andy, glad that it was helpful!! I know how overwhelming it is with all the different products and techniques out there, my main goal is to help people get over that initial learning curve so you can get to the fun part! Hope you have fun mold making and casting =D

[@thomashilditch759]

Could u degas the silicone moulder by using the pressure pot instead of vacuum chamber ?

[@ZacHiggins]

Great question! No, that doesn't work unfortunately because once you release the pressure the bubbles will come right back in softer materials like silicone

[@markr.1584]

I love your videos. The only thing I would say is, the bill on your hat goes in the front !! I am an Old guy. Thanks for your videos. I truly appreciate them.

[@ZacHiggins]

Thanks Mark! I hear ya on the hat, don't usually wear a hat that way but if I wear it normal, I get a massive dark area on my face since most of the lighting in the shop is above me. Just started wearing it backwards when I did videos and it stuck now 😀

[@pegbird]

Great. Thanks. Had just demolded my. First right before email about this

[@ZacHiggins]

Awesome! Lots of blanks will be made soon =D

[@metalhead0731]

Zac - Thanks for your insightful videos! I was curious - what vacuum lid do you use on your pots to degas the silicone?

[@bradgiez6192]

if you look below he answered that, the lids from Best Value Vacs

[@walltownpens7563]

Thanks for the video. I'd like to know where you got the vacuum lid for the pressure pot?

[@ZacHiggins]

Thanks for watching =D I picked that up from Best Value Vacs. They have a couple different models and sizes

[@timbroderickjr]

Well done! Man, Alumilite is a one -stop shop ain't it? Very cool project. Keep us updated on how the mold holds up.

[@ZacHiggins]

Thanks Tim! Yeah, they have lots of great stuff. I always seem to find new goodies and uses for their products when I search around on it

[@lonewolfcry]

Amazing Mold Rubber 3/4 lb. would this be ok to use in a pressure pot its from alumilite

[@ZacHiggins]

I'm not familiar with the specs on that product. Depends on how rigid the material is and how high the pressure is going to be. Also, you need to make sure that you've degassed the silicone. If there are air bubbles in the silcone after it has cured, they will shrink when you pressurize it and could deform your mold.

[@PaulLockwood]

I would guess that if you don't have a vac pot that using a pressure pot would help to reduce any bubbles.

[@ZacHiggins]

Actually, pressure doesn't work too well with silicone. When you release the pressure, the air bubbles will just come right back. You want to remove the air before you pour, and then pour it in carefully in the master mold to eliminate bubbles

[@melberry5929]

Zac Higgins so - no vacuum, no mould making?

[@Unclebuddy01]

How much volume do you loose in the de-gassing?

[@ZacHiggins]

I'm not really sure Michael, I wasn't paying that close attention to it. Realistically you shouldn't lose that much compared to the initial pour of the silicone. It's mixing it up that introduces the air

[@slindsley1951]

Well done Zac. Thanks for sharing.

[@ZacHiggins]

Thanks Steve! Hope it is helpful =D

[@Sweepy372]

These would make excellent knife handle blanks also. Great video!

[@ZacHiggins]

Heck yeah!! I'd like to make a knife one of these days, they always look so cool with the custom handles!

[@MrDaytrack]

Howdy, Zac Love your work. Question, if I may! What is the pressure pot that you use? Thank you.

[@ZacHiggins]

Thank you! I appreciate it. I use C.A. Technologies brand pots. Love them!! I have links to where I get them on my "tools I use" page on my website if you are interested in checking them out: nvwoodwerks.com/tools/

[@gagecolson]

Awesome video and mold Zac! How long does silicone take to de-gas?

[@ZacHiggins]

Thanks Gage! It only took a few minutes to pull all the air out. That silicone is pretty thin, makes it pretty easy

[@stevebrown1132]

Those are really cool! Thanks for what you do and for sharing it with us.

[@ZacHiggins]

Thanks Steve! I appreciate you letting me know, great to know that the videos are reaching those who enjoy it =D

[@Lee-qp6gf]

Congrats on the count and thanks for getting me started. I'm going to make a mold for my mills. I'm into some real high-bred mills now. Lee

[@ZacHiggins]

My pleasure Lee!! Glad that it has helped out, and great to hear that you're getting into new territory with the mills. We still use the one you sent us daily! Works so good =D

[@emilykrastev3879]

Hi Zack, I would like to thank you for the excellent videos you post! They have been very helpful to me! I recently started making knife scales out of Alumilite. Right now I am using a mold I made out of HDPE but I would really like to make a silicone mold. Would you recommend anything else for building the mold box other than corrugated plastic and foam core? Would it work if I used only corrugated plastic or only foam core? I am planning on using Alumilite High Strength 3. Thank you again for posting so many helpful tips!

[@ZacHiggins]

Hey Emily, I'd probably just go with foam core only. That seemed to be the best way to go

[@emilykrastev3879]

Thank you! I just got my foam board so I'm ready to roll :)

[@treatsrule]

Have you tried using your drill with a mixer attachment to speed up the mixing? I took a beater off of my kitchen hand mixer and attached it to my drill. It does a more thorough job of mixing than I can get hand mixing and saves my arm.

[@ZacHiggins]

I haven't tried that out yet, but I've heard a few people using a drill and something like a beater in the chuck. I haven't really run into a situation where the regular stir sticks won't work fast enough, but I'll have to give it a try someday. Thanks for the tip =D

[@treatsrule]

No problem and thank you! I'm really enjoying watching your videos and picking up lots of tips.

[@lonewolfcry]

Thank you sir

[@sigguy1361]

Hey Zac, thanks for the tip on off-gassing the silicone as you go. Never would have thought of that, but all that stirring does make for some bubbles in the mix. Nice work as always! Cheers!

[@ZacHiggins]

Glad to pass on what I can, I learned all I know about mold making from Punished Props =D They've got even more videos on it and Bill and Britt do a great job with their vids. Here's their molding and casting playlist: kzbin.info/aero/PL6q0fd3ileWLwTQ6pOUb8isS4BYLjkNhH

[@sigguy1361]

You are a very humble guy, and props to you for both sharing your knowledge and recognizing those from whom you learned. ;o)

[@ronaustin7090]

What appears to be the correct humidity and temperature?

[@ZacHiggins]

If you're asking what temperature and humidity range you can use the product in, I'm not entirely sure what the exact specifications are for it. I'd have to guess that you want to be over 50 degrees F, and it's probably better to be in a moderate humidity level. Nevada is typically pretty dry, and the shop stays above 67 F in the winter, and only gets up to about 80 F in the summer, so I don't usually have to worry too much about that myself. I'm sure the technical data is on the website though if you want to double check it at www.alumilite.com

[@dawnmason9558]

love watching your videos they are so easy to follow

[@ZacHiggins]

I'm glad that they are helpful Dawn, I always hope I'm getting the steps across in a simple manner. Thanks for checking it out =D

[@MrSteveieM]

Thanks Zac. Another great video

[@ZacHiggins]

Thanks for checking it out Steve! I appreciate it =D

[@sapphodesigns2377]

I love your projects..so fun to watch

[@ZacHiggins]

Thanks Fifi! I appreciate it, and I'm glad that you enjoy the videos. Got another one ready to rock for next weekend =D

[@fsbell1]

Love the vids!! Why not use the coroplast for the walls also? As for use of the mold...if I only use it for NON pressurized PR blanks, I do NOT need to degas it, correct?

[@ZacHiggins]

Glad to hear you're enjoying them! I'm not familiar with coroplast, I'll have to look into that. You're correct, if the mold isn't going to be pressurized, then you should be good to go without degassing the silicone. Still best to try not to trap air bubbles in there, but it's not really a big deal if it won't be pressurized

[@fsbell1]

Coroplast is corrugated plastic. I believe that's what you used for the base of the mold you made.

[@ZacHiggins]

Oh! Right, duh!! LOL I like the foam core better for the walls. I've had problems with silicone getting into the cells in the past, so I decided to stop using it

[@thefish5861]

Nuts! Just bought and modified a HF paint pot. Took days to get it airtight with all the fittings. Ready to make some silicone molds, and now I learn I need a vacuum chamber to de-gas my silicone!! How do you think a mold will work out without that step? Love your vids, by the way.

[@ZacHiggins]

Hey Fish! I would strongly recommend degassing the silicone if you plan to use the mold in a pressure pot or the air bubbles that get trapped in it will collapse when you pressurize the casting and deform the mold each time. It may not be the worst if you are just casting turning blanks that will be cut and shaped, but if you are going to be making replicas of something else, it's crucial to get all the air bubbles out

[@thefish5861]

Zac Higgins thx Zac. I'm just going to be molding pen blanks or small wood/resin boxes. I should be ok.

[@itslivthnx]

Bob Fisher thats because his video on modifying a HF paint pot is terrible.

[@greggmcdonald5431]

Great video Zac. I just got my pressure pot set up after watching your video and my son got me a vacuum pot/pump for Christmas. Your videos are spot on and very helpful. Still need to build my molds but got the pots modified and ready to go. Thanks

[@ZacHiggins]

Hey Gregg, glad to hear that you're up and running! I can't wait to see what you make. The fun's just beginning =D

[@greggmcdonald5431]

Well, I tested test out my pressure pot and need a higher relief valve.

[@ZacHiggins]

Luckily they're cheap =D Check out McMaster Carr, they have some good ASME rated ones at a really good price

[@r1johnny]

Great vid Zac. Much appreciated. Missed you over the past few weeks. Thanks bud.

[@ZacHiggins]

Thanks John! I just couldn't get enough time to get a video up, then I had to push this one back a bit. I already have a video ready to rock for next weekend too though, I'm on top of things this week =D

[@r1johnny]

Hey Zac. Just wanted to let you know that I just purchased the 5 lb High Strength so if they ever ask if your vids help sell their products, please tell them "YES". :)

[@ZacHiggins]

Will do John, thanks for letting me know! And have fun with that silicone =D

[@oldmanwoodcraft]

Great job . love playing with silicon .

[@ZacHiggins]

Thanks Ahron! Yeah, I'm finding it to be pretty fun, lots of great applications for it

[@oldmanwoodcraft]

You can 3D print once make a mold and mold as many that you want .

[@ZacHiggins]

Yeah I know, it's a great thing! I'm playing around with that too

[@rockiesawchuk]

congratulations on 10000 👍

[@ZacHiggins]

Thanks Rockie! I'm blown away by it, never would have imagined my little KZbin channel would make it this far!!

[@jtbassgambler2594]

can you remelt the mold ???

[@ZacHiggins]

No, once it's cured it won't melt. Alumilite does have another product on their website that you can remelt though

[@chootrain57]

great info Zac thanks

[@ZacHiggins]

Thanks for checking it out Lionel =D

[@AaronSpielman]

Nice music, btw!

[@ZacHiggins]

Thanks Aaron! I try to find decent songs, think it's time to search for some new ones =D

[@KagedCreations08XX]

Great overview!

[@ZacHiggins]

Thanks Kage! Hope it was helpful, silicone is pretty fun to play with =D

[@Allannvsj]

Oh man that's skateboard deck is nice :)

[@ZacHiggins]

I adjusted the camera angle just a bit so I could get it in there! It's my favorite artwork =D

[@Allannvsj]

Zac Higgins looks awesome zac :)

[@ZacHiggins]

Took me a while to get it up, but I was waiting to find the perfect spot to show it off! You rock man! You should put a link to your stuff here so everyone can see more of your work

[@caryreprogle6445]

In the degassing the mold making process, are you using a pressure or a vacuum pot? thanks

[@chartle1]

vacuum

[@ZacHiggins]

Good question! You want to use vacuum for degassing silicone before you pour it. I got that lid from Best Value Vacs that fits on my pressure pot and converts it to a vacuum chamber, works great =D

[@chartle1]

I've seen this done a few times and I'm always surprised how much air comes out. It's like a souflet rising. :)

[@ZacHiggins]

It is!! LOL That's the perfect description of how it looks when it's degassing =D

[@chartle1]

I was checking the aluminite forums and they say it can expand 3 to 4 times. So for one quart you need a gallon container. I was just there ordering my first non PR resin with your code. Now just need to get the HF pressure pot on Monday with my 25% off coupon.

[@SpeedysWoodshop]

Awesome info!!!!!

[@ZacHiggins]

Thanks Tim! Great mold to have in the collection too, super useful. Wish I had made one a long time ago!

[@blackemmons]

Very interesting. Nice looking blanks Zac. Please tell me about the vacuum lid/top at 5:08 you used on the pressure pot. Will it work on a HF pot also? Thanks. JimE

[@damasydia]

blackemmons look at best value vacs they make vacuum sets for stabilizing

[@ZacHiggins]

Yep, Airborne Mike is right, picked it up at Best Value. I definitely prefer using those types of lids on the bigger pressure pot for degassing silicone, and they are handy for doing dye stabilizing too since you can put a bunch of smaller jars in the pot at once. Still prefer the TurnTex chambers for typical wood stabilizing though, they just work perfect! They have a couple sizes of those lids at Best Value, the smaller one should fit the HF pots perfect if I remember correctly

[@davidsanders5788]

Zac Higgins how thick is the plexi/lean?

[@davidsanders5788]

Great video as always and thanks for sharing you knowledge.

[@ZacHiggins]

I'm not sure exactly, probably around an inch or so

[@erikbullard2289]

Do find that a vacuum chamber will work as well as a pressure pot? Thank you, I am happy I found your videos, extremely helpful to a new maker. Appreciate the work you do.

[@ZacHiggins]

For casting, I recommend going with pressure since it doesn't cause the air bubbles to expand (causing a huge mess) and it works instantly to collapse the air bubbles. Vacuum works best for stabilizing and degassing silicone