# Opinoin, on some new Resins..& Casting PR



## PenWorks (Jan 8, 2005)

Here are some new resins I cut, would greatly appreciate your commments on them. Good, bad & indiferent...........[]  Thanks,      Anthony

Purple Passion Pearl,  Pretty Pink Pearl,  Black Bronze


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## Fred in NC (Jan 8, 2005)

Anthony, the Black Bronze would be my favorite.  Now, really, Anthony, do you think I would carry a pink or purple pen in my pocket? (No bias here, just a matter of identity!) Actually, it looks richer, more elegant, and probably higher priced.  

It is a matter of what the buyer likes.  They are all very nice.


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## dougle40 (Jan 8, 2005)

Anthony,
The only thing I can say is WOW !!!
The Black Bronze makes a great "Mans" pen and I think most of the "Ladies" would go GAGA over the Pretty Pink and the Purple Passion especially in the smaller pen in the middle (I don't know what pen kit that is), they have to be 2 of the most beautiful colors that I've seen .


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## bajacrazy (Jan 8, 2005)

Nice looking pen's, Anthony. Love the black bronze, I have to agree with other on the pink and purple (ladies pens)[]


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## PenWorks (Jan 8, 2005)

Thanks, so far so good, the girly looking colors are for just that. about 40% of my clientel are women, so I do not discriminate about the selection I offer them.  

So Fred that shade of pink is not your cup of tee. LOL

Anthony


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## Old Griz (Jan 8, 2005)

<b>AHHH COME ON FRED</b>... I think that pink pen would look just stunning with a good old flannel shirt... LOL.. not even to mention how it would set off your eyes after a night of good old Kentucky Bourbon... LOL.. BTW Fred did you get my email that I sent through the group to you
Anthony, those pens are real neat... where did you get the acrylics.. a lot of my customers are women also and those would be great colors... do they also have a real nice red in that effect... I am getting orders from the Red Hat group.. so I also need a good red and a good purple (something darker than the one shown).. The black bronze looks like a really rich color combo..


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## woodpens (Jan 8, 2005)

I have been thinking that I need something that would appeal more to women. I think you have found it! Very nice job, Anthony. I was talking with my wife yesterday about coming up with a new name for the Junior Gentleman pens. People just don't tend to buy something with a name like that for a woman. Any suggestions?


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## Old Griz (Jan 8, 2005)

How about something like <b>_The Madonna</b>_... nice rich sounding and elegent..


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## Tom McMillan (Jan 8, 2005)

Yup, Fred said it!!  Pretty distinct---I like the top darker one myself---but, sure do see the others as "great" pens for the ladies!!!!  Nice work Anthony as always!!!


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## btboone (Jan 8, 2005)

Tom, I'm not sure about calling them Madonna.  They don't have pointy tips. []

Great acrylics.  Very nice pens!


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## woodpens (Jan 8, 2005)

Anthony,
That picture you just uploaded showing the black bronze pen next to the bottle on top of writing paper is awesome! You need to be teaching us photography. [] I REALLY need to get that good.


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## woodpens (Jan 8, 2005)

Fred,
That sounds like a good suggestion to me (The Madonna), but given my wife's distaste for Madonna, I doubt we will end up using that one. []  You got me thinking though. That is definitely the right direction. "Lady Patricia" is another good name, but that one is alrady taken. []


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## Guest (Jan 8, 2005)

I haven't had any luck with plastic pens,but I still like the looks of them myself.
I guess it is because there are too many mass produced pens out there.
Any store I go in carries plastic pens.Even stores like Staples an Office Depot around here carry them and display them behind a locked display case
I love the black bronze one also.I imagine it goes back to what sells in a given area based on what people want and are willing to pay.


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## PenWorks (Jan 8, 2005)

Jim, I don't have any Gent Jr's in resin, most are all  "Lady Exec's" Thanks for the compliments on the photo, It is very tiime consuming as well. But worth it sometimes taking the time throwing in the props, flash sells.

I thought Madona was a good Catholic girl ? LOL 

Your right Eagle, It's whatever sells in your area. & most fine pen companies make resins.

I'll tell youw where I bought the resins later.

Anthony


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## WoodChucker (Jan 8, 2005)

Anthony, all three look great, and I agree with the others that there should be a good market for the pink and purple with the Lady's. That top one is my favorite, but there all beautiful, nice work!

R.T.


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## C_Ludwigsen (Jan 8, 2005)

Considering we are about a month away from Valentine's day, you picked a perfect time to add these to your offering.  I think after Mother's day, they may fade out till this time next year.


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## Guest (Jan 8, 2005)

the Pink and purple shold do well in Fire Island, San Francisco,Key west,Uhhhh not very well versed on the subject.
( walking away whistling quietly with hands in pockets looking innocent)


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## cjthomas (Jan 8, 2005)

Anthony,

I did a Satin Ni European at Thanksgiving with the Purple Passion.  It was what my wife picked out for her pen.  So I would  say that it appeals to women.  I love the way that it finishes.  It's almost as though you can't ever see the bottom.


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## DCBluesman (Jan 8, 2005)

Later?  Later??





> _Originally posted by penworks_
> <br />I'll tell youw where I bought the resins later.
> 
> Anthony


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## penhead (Jan 8, 2005)

Fantastic craftsmanship Anthony, the pens look great. Betting the ladies will love them.

Instead of junior gent...how about junior lady...or is that taken already..?

JohnPayton


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## Gary Max (Jan 8, 2005)

I think you done a great job Anthony. I bet the pink one is the first to sell. Margie (wife) picked it out as the best of the bunch--and she aint ever wrong.


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## PenWorks (Jan 8, 2005)

Gary, I feel relieved then, especially since you let her pick the weed pots too, now I know I'll get the good ones!


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## Rudy Vey (Jan 8, 2005)

Where did you get the blanks from?? A lot of my customers are ladies and they like these colors.
Rudy


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## wayneis (Jan 8, 2005)

Anthony are those blanks some of the Inlace Pen Blanks from Craft Supply?  They look really good no matter where you got them.

Eagle get your hand out of your pockets, didn't your momn tell you that you would go blind walking around like that :~)

Wayne


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## PenWorks (Jan 8, 2005)

Rudy, let me look for the invoice, I have it around somewhere. 

I wonder where Chris got his?

Anthony


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## PenWorks (Jan 8, 2005)

This has gotten a little out of hand [] I don't know who is jiving who anymore [^]

The polyester resin blanks are from the Cave Creek Casting Co. I cast them this week in my shop. []

After throwing away about 10 rattle snake skin blanks I was trying to cast in clear resin, I turned my attention to something a little easier and mixed my own resin blanks. I was reaaly happy with the way they came out, I put in another order for more colors & dyes.

Thanks for the responses.          Anthony


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## DCBluesman (Jan 8, 2005)

Very nice job, Anthony.  Looks like there's a new sheriff in Resin Blank Gulch!


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## Fred in NC (Jan 8, 2005)

Good going, Anthony!   Now I understand why you were asking opinions on these blanks.  Your own brand of pen blanks !!!!
Are you going to call them "4C" by any chance ? 

By the way, are you using the vertical copper molds for these ? 
I hope to be experimenting a little as soon as I get a chance.
For right now, I have to make a few more pens that will be needed in about 2 weeks.  The Arts Council people are having an exhibit of <b>local artists</b>, but they want some of <b>my stuff </b>too... [8D]


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## Gregory Huey (Jan 8, 2005)

Nice cast job and you just might be onto something for Valentines day.


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## PenWorks (Jan 8, 2005)

Fred, I don't even want to go there about my other experiment. Two of the copper molds are in the trash, next to the bad blanks. I tried another method and the casting came out good, I had them all turned looking good and when I was doing the wet sanding, the mud got between the clear resin and the skin. Just enogh to dirty it. Now how can that happen?  So my next go around before I sand, I will seal the rims and not use so much water when sanding to keep the mud down. It wss almost a really nice snake pen.

I was going to cast some more resins, but I have to wait for some good weather. Has been a touch cool and rainy. I casted a couple of days in the shop which is down stairs in the garage. But my two sons happen to live down stairs as well and the fumes are a little to much and they got all pissy. We all have gas masks for when the BIG ONE comes, and I told them to put em on! It would be a good practice drill! Well that didn't go over to big.  

Anthony


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## btboone (Jan 9, 2005)

The wife loves the purple one!  I gotta figure out how that's done.


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## PenWorks (Jan 9, 2005)

Why try and figure it out Bruce? What's her name and e mail so I can sell it to her []  Sent you an e mail on the casting.  Anthony


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## btboone (Jan 9, 2005)

That would be Trish.  When I first made acrylester inlays for my rings, she had to have a purple pearl inlay.  She gets comments from complete strangers on it all the time.

I appreciate you sending instructions.  Hmm... I wonder what the possibilities are of having a pen made out of aluminum or titanium or even corian and doing inlays in it with a contrasting color with the pourable resin?  I imagine it would be easy to sand back to flush on a tougher base material.  It probably runs like syrup though, so might be limited to one side of the pen only.


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## WoodChucker (Jan 9, 2005)

Anthony, I didn't even give it a thought that you might have made them yourself. I'm very impressed to say the least, nice work!

Boy, if you could start making your own pen kits, just think of the business you would do, of course you wouldn't have time for turning pens anymore, but heck you could look at ours anytime.[] 

When will we see these for sale? Or is it too much trouble? Anyway, thanks for sharing and hope you do some more! 

R.T.


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## jkirkb94 (Jan 9, 2005)

I agree that the women would go crazy for the pink and the purple.  Where did you get them?  Kirk[8D]


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## btboone (Jan 9, 2005)

Another thought of what's possible with casting your own; you could turn a pen from wood, leaving it about .015" oversize.  Carve out a cool pattern with a laser, drills, Dremel, or by hand into the wood.  Cast the acrylic around the whole pen and turn it to size.  If it works correctly, only the carved out areas will have acrylic left in them.  It should produce some dramatic results.


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## Vern (Jan 9, 2005)

Anthony, you're starting to **** me off [] Just what I need... another "project" to further clutter my already bombed out shop.

Seriously though, those are some nice looking castings! You anywhere close to having the article done so we can all start chasing the kids off with toxic fumes?

Vern


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## Bev Polmanteer (Jan 9, 2005)

Chuck, Us ladies like pink and purple pens all year so there are birthdays and anniversaries and just 'I love you' days! 
Anthony, they are really beautiful. I too would like to know their source.


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## btboone (Jan 9, 2005)

Anthony, I just did an experiment with the process I described above.  Since I don't yet have the good resin, I tried with CA and some dye.  Even though the experiment was crude, I was pleased with the results.  This means that the concept should work well with the good resins.  I didn't make this part oversized to begin with, I just used a piece I had worked on earlier and returned it to the same diameter, so the discoloration in the wood should go away when I turn it .015" smaller than the original.


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## PenWorks (Jan 9, 2005)

KIrk, I got the blanks from downstairs in my shop []

RT. Not for sale. I can see how they could be to inconsistant to make and sell. I put all the right ingrediants in, but had no clue what they would look like. Plus they didn't look like anything until I cut them, and to stinky to do all the time.  But, I don't think I will be buying any resins for some time []

Sorry Vern, whats another project anyway, I'm still about 25 projects behind schedule.

Bruce, great idea, my problem has been putting my finished barrel or blank and casting it in the resin. None of my molds seem to work out right. I would think on Jim's inlay pens, you could spread the resin in on one side and do the other side the next day.

Definately having that laser engraver, you could come up with some real wild ideas and patterns.

Anthony


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## btboone (Jan 9, 2005)

Anthony, another possibility might be a mold made from a tube of paper or cardboard.  It could just be turned off when turning the pen back down to size.


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## Gregory Huey (Jan 9, 2005)

Anthony
Well you have pushed me into trying to make a resin pen or two. Off to the craft store I went and found the clear resin & catlyst. OK here comes the questions, what can be used to dye the clear. Also would pvc type conduit work as a mold. Have some 3/4' left over from adding new outlets to the shop.  Thanks for your advice in advance.


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## PenWorks (Jan 9, 2005)

Okay, if any or you guys our members of Yahoo penturners, go to their files and find the one from Jay Pickens, that has all the info on how I made my resins. 

Greg Scratch the tube molds! I used a poly casting mold that was 2x3x1 1/8 Got it from 
www.misterart.com type in 4292869 in the search window and it will bring you to the little molds. After I poped them out of the mold, just cut them on the band saw.

Next go to www.artstuf.com  what a great site, I spent two days looking and buying! The luster powder is what you want to buy, that is the real nice pearl stuff, all sorts of colors, I bought some concentrated poly resin dyes as well. I got my clear cast there too, a gallon for 25.00
Use a mixture of 7 drops catalyst for 1 OZ resin casting. 

Read that article, and if you have questions, email me. Ware a gas mask!   Anthony


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## DCBluesman (Jan 9, 2005)

If someone finds Jay's how-to post, please add a link or the post number here.  Thanks!


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## btboone (Jan 9, 2005)

Anthony, is that polyester resin? (the stuff used for fiberglass?) Home Depot and auto parts stores should have some if that's the case.


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## btboone (Jan 9, 2005)

erased double post.


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## PenWorks (Jan 9, 2005)

Bruce, yes, clear polyester resin, I think they have a gallon for 25.00 on throw in the catlyst. Can you get to artstuf.com  It is only 1  "f" I can not access from home. Don't know why, I am getting a redirect.

Anthony


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## Gregory Huey (Jan 9, 2005)

Anthony 
Thanks for the heads up already been to jays site and seen how he dose the block mold. I was thinging of the tube type mold for snake skin or other material wraped around the brass. Or will the brass stay where you put in the sheet mold (like the center)


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## btboone (Jan 9, 2005)

I saw artstuf, but the site is a bit confusing as to what they actually sell.  It may have been a redirect to places that sell any kind of craft stuff under the sun.  I found the file from Jay at the other forum, but my computer's not opening the .pdf.  I need to remember how to associate extensions to be opened by certain programs.  I must have .pdf's trying to open from the wrong program.

I used to get clear polyester resins gallons from Home Depot.  They sold it under the Bondo brand name.  What is the pearlizing stuff?  Is that glass beads or something?


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## PenWorks (Jan 9, 2005)

If I cannot get to their site tomarrow, I am going to call them. The pearl dyes are called luster pigments, they are powder dyes which give the nice pearl effect.


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## jwoodwright (Jan 10, 2005)

I'm always amazed at your pens.  Have a Guy Customer that loves pens and anything Purple.  []


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## Fred in NC (Jan 10, 2005)

The Douglas and Sturgess site, www.artstuf.com, is back on line!


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## PenWorks (Jan 10, 2005)

Shopping Fred ??  []  This is bizzare, I can access it from my office system, but not from my home. [V]


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## Gary (Jan 10, 2005)

Link doesn't work for me...says page cannot be found.


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## wdcav1952 (Jan 10, 2005)

> _Originally posted by Eaglesc_
> <br />the Pink and purple shold do well in Fire Island, San Francisco,Key west,Uhhhh not very well versed on the subject.
> ( walking away whistling quietly with hands in pockets looking innocent)



Somehow Eagle, I just can't picture you looking innocent!  LOL


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## btboone (Jan 10, 2005)

I can now access it, but it doesn't find the shopping cart page when I try to add something.


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## Gregory Huey (Jan 10, 2005)

Has any one tried to suspend glitter in clear resin or will it sink to the bottom.


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## cjthomas (Jan 11, 2005)

I found my purple pen blank at my local Woodcraft store.  It was also called Purple Passion.  This is an amazingly close match to the coloring that I found.


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## btboone (Jan 11, 2005)

Anthony, for your blanks, did you just use the luster pigments as they came in some clear casting resin, or did you add the pearl white or other dyes as well?


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## PenWorks (Jan 11, 2005)

Both ways, some straight powders, some powder mixed with dyes............Anthony


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## vick (Jan 12, 2005)

Posted - Jan 10 2005 :  10:24:58 PM US Eastern Time          
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Douglas and Sturgess site, www.artstuf.com, is back on line!



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Fred in NC
My life is taking a new turn! 



You have a comma in the link posted if you google artstuf it comes up as the first link.


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## btboone (Jan 12, 2005)

I ordered my stuff from them last night.  The shopping cart's a little scary; I don't think it's secure, and there was no confirmation e-mail like most places will send.  I hope they (and only they) got it.


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## PenWorks (Jan 12, 2005)

Bruce, I agree, no confirmation, but my stuff arrived in a week. I am faxing my next order because I am not comfortable with the secure thing.  Anthony


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## bassman00 (Jan 12, 2005)

Wow.  That's a fine looking trio.  Beautiful pens.


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## elody21 (Jan 15, 2005)

Just found the pic of your pens. Very beautiful and as a woman I can say I love the pink and purple! The bronze is perfect for an executives pen. very distinguished! Where did you get the pink? I was hunting for a bright pink for a Christmas present for my niece. I never did find any.


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## PenWorks (Jan 15, 2005)

Alice, I just started to cast my own resins. That was a combo of white pearl & red dye. I bought all the stuff from www.artstuf.com

I am going to try and cast some Avonite next week. We'll see how it comes out.

Anthony


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## btboone (Jan 15, 2005)

Elody, read further up.  Anthony actually made those resin blanks himself from scratch!


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## Fred in NC (Jan 15, 2005)

Bruce, around here scratch is coarsely ground corn. Bad enough that we make corn cob pens, now you are insinuating that some of use use the CORN !  Or was it the CORN SYRUP that was used as a resin?


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## elody21 (Jan 15, 2005)

I just did my first cast resin blank this morning and the smell is so bad!!!!!!!!   I took care with a vapor mask and exaust ventalation and 2 carbon filters going. Seeing your blanks gives me hope that it might be all worth it. I bought some additive that was supposed to jell the mixture in 1-2 min so anything could be suspended in the compound. It did not work very well. I was wondering if it is the temp in my basement. I know things like corian glue and 2 part epoxy cure better in warmer surroundings.
Are you planning on useing Avonite adhesive to " cast Avonite?" I am intrigued !
Do you use the casting resin or casting epoxy? I believe the casting exopy is the one with 2 equal parts and is supposed to be low odor. I might go and get it and save the other for summer!
The one that I did today is black and black pearl with oyster and abolone shell.


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## elody21 (Jan 15, 2005)

Maybe you mean cast Avonite in Resin?  Yes it will work I have done something very similar with chunks of Avonite and a 2 part pour on finish. I just happened to have it on hand.


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## PenWorks (Jan 15, 2005)

Mine took about 20 minutes to gell, and then I let it set up overnight. I now about the smell, I haven't been able to cast any more, because I want to do it outside. Hopefully next week it will back in the 70's. I used the clear casting resin.

The Avonite, looked like polyester resin (PR) with rocks and quartz in it. So that is what I'm going to try and do. Use PR and I have some quartz & crystals to imbed in the mold. But I guess I will wait to it gells before I can imbed the rocks, because everthing floats around in that stuff.

Anthony


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## PenWorks (Jan 17, 2005)

Here is a picture of some of the molds from misterart I got, the link is below
 www.misterart.com/store/view/001/group_id/540/ENVIRONMENTAL-TECH-Resin-Molds.htm

You can cut them length wise or across. On the 4 oz mold I can get 4 blanks. You can cast the thickness from 1/2 to 1" 

There is a cross cut photo of the blanks, the color is real solid as I put in allot of luster powder with the dyes.

As stated above, all the casting material exept for the molds were from www.artstuf.com


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## elody21 (Jan 17, 2005)

very cool!


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## Jake Byrd (Jan 26, 2005)

ok, I have my resin and dyes...what next anthony?


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## PenWorks (Jan 26, 2005)

Jake, read my last post on this link, these instructions by Jay are the tell all. 

http://www.penturners.org/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=3252

Anthony


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## KKingery (Jan 26, 2005)

Well, I poured batch # 2 today, using the tips from Anthony. Just from the initial looks of things, it sure looks better than my first batch yesterday! Kind a reminds me of bein in grade school art class.......a long, long, long....time ago.


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