# Silmar 41 v Liquid Diamonds



## socdad (Dec 9, 2020)

I need to pick up some resin for casting feathers & watch parts. So far  I have only used Simlar 41 & thinking of trying Liquid Diamonds. I have a pressuer pot and have no plans to  add color to casts. Any suggestions, pro or con, about LD?


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## EBorraga (Dec 9, 2020)

I use LD for watch parts. Drawbacks - Takes 24 hours in pressure pot. Epoxy resin that eats your molds over time, even using mold release. Tends to yellow a touch after prolonged uv exposure.

Pro's, comes out crystal clear. Takes a while to setup so no bubbles. No smell, so can cast indoors


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## eharri446 (Dec 9, 2020)

Temperature plays a big part in the curing of Liquid Diamond.  Other than that if you are not mixing in anything other that dye, there is no issues. If you wanted to add pearls etc.. then you have to wait for the combined resin mixture to reach around 90 degrees before adding what you want to add. The reason is, until it reaches that temperature, the mixture will let everything fall to the bottom. One big pro to LD is that there is almost no odor.


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## socdad (Dec 9, 2020)

EBorraga said:


> I use LD for watch parts. Drawbacks - Takes 24 hours in pressure pot. Epoxy resin that eats your molds over time, even using mold release. Tends to yellow a touch after prolonged uv exposure.
> 
> Pro's, comes out crystal clear. Takes a while to setup so no bubbles. No smell, so can cast indoors


Thanks for the reply. I cast in plastic tubes with a vertical cast system so I don't really have molds ... One reason to get away from PR is the oder.


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## socdad (Dec 9, 2020)

eharri446 said:


> Temperature plays a big part in the curing of Liquid Diamond.  Other than that if you are not mixing in anything other that dye, there is no issues. If you wanted to add pearls etc.. then you have to wait for the combined resin mixture to reach around 90 degrees before adding what you want to add. The reason is, until it reaches that temperature, the mixture will let everything fall to the bottom. One big pro to LD is that there is almost no odor.


Thanks for the info, not trying to add pigments ...


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## Kenny Durrant (Dec 9, 2020)

I like LD for the fact that there no or low odor. IMHO is between PR and the Alumilite Clear Slow. Keep in mind they are completely different resins but I’m talking differences in use. Alumilite is a stronger resin with no odor and a 4 hour pot time. It’s more heat tolerant and doesn’t yellow. 
PR has high odor with a 12 hour pit time. It’s more brittle than the others too. Doesn’t yellow and the heat tolerance is good. Comparable with all the common materials used to cast. 
Epoxy has no odor and is comparable with most materials. Plenty of mixing time followed by 24 pot time. I’ve use three different brands of resin and they all yellowed. I’ve never used dyes so not sure how it would do with that but you said you weren’t interested in that anyway. 
My point to all that is making it easy or different at the start might effect the product down the road. I use PR for snake skins and Alumilite for everything else. Good Luck


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## socdad (Dec 9, 2020)

Kenny Durrant said:


> I like LD for the fact that there no or low odor. IMHO is between PR and the Alumilite Clear Slow. Keep in mind they are completely different resins but I’m talking differences in use. Alumilite is a stronger resin with no odor and a 4 hour pot time. It’s more heat tolerant and doesn’t yellow.
> PR has high odor with a 12 hour pit time. It’s more brittle than the others too. Doesn’t yellow and the heat tolerance is good. Comparable with all the common materials used to cast.
> Epoxy has no odor and is comparable with most materials. Plenty of mixing time followed by 24 pot time. I’ve use three different brands of resin and they all yellowed. I’ve never used dyes so not sure how it would do with that but you said you weren’t interested in that anyway.
> My point to all that is making it easy or different at the start might effect the product down the road. I use PR for snake skins and Alumilite for everything else. Good Luck


Thanks Kenny, I'm afraid the yellowing would be a problem. I'm selling watch parts blanks & pens that are reasonably expensive.


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## jttheclockman (Dec 9, 2020)

I have been using LD for about 2 years now and not run into the yellowing thing. Epoxy resins will stick to just about anything and that is why I like it. I do not color it. If I do that then I use Silmar. I may have to do some experimenting to verify the yellow aspect over time.


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## Don Rabchenuk (Dec 10, 2020)

I have used all 3 and because of the yellowing will not use epoxy any longer.


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## socdad (Dec 10, 2020)

jttheclockman said:


> I have been using LD for about 2 years now and not run into the yellowing thing. Epoxy resins will stick to just about anything and that is why I like it. I do not color it. If I do that then I use Silmar. I may have to do some experimenting to verify the yellow aspect over time.


Thanks JT, I did a search on expo resins & they all talked about uv exposer will tint yellow to brown over time. Not sure that would be a problem with pens ...


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## socdad (Dec 10, 2020)

djrljr said:


> I have used all 3 and because of the yellowing will not use epoxy any longer.


Thanks Don, I've not tried epoxy & with the potential problems I'm unlikely to ...


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## bmachin (Dec 11, 2020)

Regarding epoxy yellowing: just posted this link in another thread:






Bill


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