# Opinion of a new Resin Pen Please...



## MesquiteMan (Sep 15, 2006)

I have been playing around with casting resins with my cactus pens and decided to try a straight resin blank.  Here is the results of something I came up with.  In person it looks AWESOME but the pics don't do it much justice.  It is gold with a LOT of depth and glimmer.  What do you think?  I have never bought and turned any plastic blanks.  Is there anything available out there that looks like this?  If not, I might be able to have my arm twisted to show how it was made!  EXTREMELY easy!

Anyway, here is the pen...







And here is a close up


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## gerryr (Sep 15, 2006)

That looks really cool.  Could you do the same thing with silver? or copper?


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## Ron Mc (Sep 15, 2006)

The resin looks fantastic! Am I right to assume that you will be bringing one to SWAT to show? I would love to see this in person.
You know what....I would also recommend that you supply each teacher of the pen turning classes with a blank![]


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## Jim15 (Sep 15, 2006)

Excellent pen, great work.


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## clewless (Sep 15, 2006)

Looks great, consider your arm twisted...howdya do dat?[?][]


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## PenTurnerJohn (Sep 15, 2006)

What awesome color in your resin.  Now I'm twisting the other arm. []


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## alamocdc (Sep 16, 2006)

That looks very burl-like, Curtis. I like it... and I haven't seen anything like it.


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## Thumbs (Sep 16, 2006)

Twist! Twist![}]


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## OKLAHOMAN (Sep 16, 2006)

What Bob said[]


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## Marc Phillips (Sep 16, 2006)

That is very cool looking indeed... Unique!

Has your arm fallen off yet from all the twisting? []


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## terry q (Sep 16, 2006)

Curtis
WOW that is wild and wonderful.  I am not interested in learning how to make my own but I would like to buy a couple of blanks from you.
Terry


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## Kaspar (Sep 16, 2006)

> Is there anything available out there that looks like this?



There was but they don't make it anymore.  I still have a few of them left.  They make a pen like this.  The silver version of that stuff looked like this, which is what I suspect a silver version of your stuff would look like.  I have a few left of that stuff, as well.

I'm not set up for casting either, and don't really want to get in to that yet.  But I'd purchase a blank from you as well. Just to see it in person.


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## redfishsc (Sep 16, 2006)

Hmmmmm, a polyester burl! I like it! 

Tutorial? Pretty please!


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## MesquiteMan (Sep 16, 2006)

Thanks RedfishSC but it is NOT polyester.  I refuse to use PR because I value my health and hate a stinky shop!


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## Blind_Squirrel (Sep 16, 2006)

> _Originally posted by MesquiteMan_
> <br />What do you think?



[]


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## emackrell (Sep 16, 2006)

Curtis, if the pictures really "don't do it much justice," then I sure hope you are planning on making a LOT of it, and selling it here, becuase the pictures are drop-dead gorgeous and I think there will be lots of us who would love to try it out. That really looks great! 

cheers  Eileen  [8D]


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## gerryr (Sep 16, 2006)

I've looked at this several times trying to come up with what it might be.  First I think the resin is epoxy since that what Curtis used on the cactus blanks.  The color looks like Testor's gold pigment.  That's a pretty wild guess, but it's the only thing I have ever seen that looks like that.


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## MesquiteMan (Sep 16, 2006)

gerryr,

I no longer use epoxy, even for my cactus.  It just did not get hard enough.  I am using something MUCH better now!


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## Blind_Squirrel (Sep 17, 2006)

> _Originally posted by MesquiteMan_
> <br />gerryr,
> 
> I no longer use epoxy, even for my cactus.  It just did not get hard enough.  I am using something MUCH better now!



Is it plexiglass?


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## alamocdc (Sep 17, 2006)

Alright already! Come on, Curtis, out with it. []


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## btboone (Sep 17, 2006)

I'd be interested in some 1" diameter if the material is pretty tough.


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## Thumbs (Sep 17, 2006)

I guess we're all gonna have to do some "real" arm twisting, huh?[!][}][]


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## redfishsc (Sep 17, 2006)

If you want tough, you won't get any tougher than West System #105 Epoxy with slow hardener. 


But c'mon... you're killing us (and likely enjoying it, aren't you?)!

Whattizzit?


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## PenWorks (Sep 18, 2006)

Super cast, I really like that one ! Great job.  []


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## chigdon (Sep 18, 2006)

I love the look and am extremely curious to hear how you made it.  I don't want to get into PR for the same reasons mentioned.  I would also be interested in purchasing of you decide to manufacture them [].


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## Dario (Sep 18, 2006)

Awesome!  I am also interested to hear how this is done.


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## redfishsc (Sep 18, 2006)

I don't know how it could be plexiglass, it would take way too long for it to solidify for the pigments to stay curly and burly. 

Personally I'm gonna guess it's that two-part bar-top epoxy resin. That stuff sets quick enough to hold the pigments in place. 


I'd still encourage ya to check out west-system's #105 Epoxy. Yes, it's like $80 a gallon, but it's the most unbelievable stuff I've ever seen in my life. Hard and slick as glass. I have a small "hockey puck" I made with it with some gold pearl-ex pigment I'm going to turn into a desk slimline pen holder out of. Can't wait to see how it machines.


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## MesquiteMan (Sep 18, 2006)

It is definately not plexiglass or ANY kind of epoxy.  The resin is Allumilite Clear, which is a urethane casting resin.  It sets in 8 minutes or so.  

West Systems epoxy is great as an expoxy but is not that great for turning.  It is much more brittle once cured than Alumilite.  As for hardness, both are about the same.  West has a Shore D hardness of 82 while Alumilite is 80.  Epoxies are not intended to be used in thick castings like Alumilite or PR.  They are mainly made for laying up and thin applications.  They easily overheat while curing.

I experimented with a buch of different epoxies, including West System with 105 as well as System Three with all of their different hardeners when I was perfecting the cactus pen process.  Epoxies were ok if pressure cast but tended to shatter while turning unless you were VERY careful.

As for the colorant, I beleive I will keep that confidential for the time being.  I may want to make some of them to sell and don't want someone beating me to the punch just yet!  For anyone who wants to try it for their own use, send me a PM and I will share with you.  I just don't want to post it on a public forum.


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## alamocdc (Sep 19, 2006)

Dang, that stuff is spendy, Curtis.[:0]


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## MesquiteMan (Sep 19, 2006)

Compared to what?  PR, yes, good quality epoxy, no.  It works out to $80 per gallon if you buy the gallon kit which is 1 gallon of A and 1 gallon of B.  I am happy to pay more for a product that has A LOT LESS health risks than PR, does not stink up my shop, and one that is more consistent in the results wether I cast one ounce or 15.  I don't need to guess on the number of drops to add and don't have to do it all while wearing full protective gear!  

I can also pull it out of the pressure pot in 15 minutes, completely set and if I drop a large casting on the floor, I don't have to worry about it cracking or breaking.  Add to that a product that turns wonderfully and is very hard and you have a winner in my book that is worth the extra money!


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## redfishsc (Sep 19, 2006)

$80 for two gallons, while still a lot of money, is only a bit more expensive than PR unless y'all know of something I don't. 

Mesquite Man, good job experimenting. Did the West System 105 vary in it's properties depending on the hardener used?


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## Thumbs (Sep 19, 2006)

Wait a minute! You said $80 a gallon, does that mean $80 for a gallon of part A and $80 for a gallon of part B? Whew!  You'd have to spend $160 to start. 

Or $80 for a half gallon of each to make up a gallon of mixed product? Does it come in smaller quantities, meaning the half gallon container? Or does it only come in gallon or larger quantities?



Seems awfully expensive to me, but it's been years since I've used any resin.  I may be in for sticker shock in any case.

Phooey!  Lets go back to twisting his arm![}]


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## bonefish (Sep 19, 2006)

How many blanks can you get from a gallon?

If you can get 20, and I would guess a lot more, that is only about $4.00 each, about the cost as buying the store bought stuff.

To me, $4.00 for an attractive and durable blank is a bargain. 

Bonefish


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## ctEaglesc (Sep 19, 2006)

Though I care not to turn cast acrylic blanks I do like to see them.
This one is extremely nice looking with almost a "natural or organic" appearance or organic almost like a burl.
Whatever it is, it looks great.


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## Blind_Squirrel (Sep 19, 2006)

> _Originally posted by MesquiteMan_
> <br />I may want to make some of them to sell



If the price is competitive with other fine resins, I would be willing to buy at least a dozen of them. []


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## its_virgil (Sep 19, 2006)

I purchase polyester resin for $28 per gallon plus shipping. It is somewhere around $35 per gallon on my doorstep in 4-5 days. I have good results with PR...love the way it turns. But, to each his own. We use what we like and are happy with. I'm turning one of Curtis's cactus blanks today and I'm excited.
Do a good turn daily!
Don

PS: Curtis: are you coming to SWAT? I have something for you. Should I mail it or bring it wiht me next Friday? I hope it hasn't slithered off? Also, I really like your new resin color. It looks rich and elegant and exquisite. Nice job on the casting.



> _Originally posted by redfishsc_
> <br />$80 for two gallons, while still a lot of money, is only a bit more expensive than PR unless y'all know of something I don't.
> 
> Mesquite Man, good job experimenting. Did the West System 105 vary in it's properties depending on the hardener used?


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## Dario (Sep 19, 2006)

> _Originally posted by Thumbs_
> <br />Wait a minute! You said $80 a gallon, does that mean $80 for a gallon of part A and $80 for a gallon of part B? Whew!  You'd have to spend $160 to start.
> 
> Or $80 for a half gallon of each to make up a gallon of mixed product? Does it come in smaller quantities, meaning the half gallon container? Or does it only come in gallon or larger quantities?
> ...



Not sure but after checking around I was qouted $79.00/gal for the resin and $35.00/Qt for the hardener.  Pump kit is $20.00.  This is a local supplier so I have to pay taxes but no shipping.

I was told that all you need is a Qt of hardener for a gallon of resin.

One thing that concerns me is their label that <b>this product is NOT for clear coating/casting</b> (unless I am missing something).  It is apparently yellowish in color which is okay on some applications but not on others.

Hope this helps.


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## MesquiteMan (Sep 19, 2006)

Dario,

You are missing something.  ALL Alumilite resins are a 1:1 mix so whatever you got a quote on was either bad information or not Alumilite.  Also, there are a number of different formulations of Alumilite.  There is original which is yellowish and not even transluscent, they have white, black, and clear.  The clear is what I am using.  It is truely clear, even more so than PR.  Unfortunately, it is the most expensive.

Here is a link to the company website: http://alumilite.com/checkout/index.php?cPath=22for more information.  I buy direct from them and have been VERY pleased with their service and product.


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## Dario (Sep 19, 2006)

Curtis,

My bad.  

I assumed that you were talking about West System 105 as mentioned by redfishsc.


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## gerryr (Sep 19, 2006)

How many blanks do you think you could make with the 32oz kit?  It only costs $25 and might be good for trying out the stuff.


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## Blind_Squirrel (Sep 19, 2006)

Curtis,

Do you cast this under pressure or a vacuum, or just do a straight pour?


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## mrplace (Sep 19, 2006)

Is that Pearl-Ex gold pigment, or is it a mica pigment? Looks really good whatever it is.


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## woodmarc (Sep 19, 2006)

That is sweet!.  Another twist to divulge the secrets of your success.


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