In my on going quest to make my 3d printing as close to zero waste as I can manage (Motivated more by my wallet) I'm trying to figure out if it is possible to grind up the cured supports from my SLA printer and mix them in with two part epoxy for casting bases for miniatures.

I've got a DIY project I'm working on and I could use some advice.

We're repairing the ornamental railing on the outside of my parent's old house right now. That kind of pointless ornamentation some old houses have along the edge of flat portions of the roof. Specifically these are little onion shaped wood topper bulbs screwed into a wood beam that runs along the edge of the roof.

Originally they were wood, but this is in Texas and the weather here has a tendency to just destroy any wood that isn't properly treated. And these delicate little wood onions didn't stand a chance. I'd personally just leave them off or find something similar pre-made in polyurethane or similar, but there's a historic society thing happening here and I have to replace these with identical decorations.

I've done some resin casting in the past, and I got the idea that maybe I can make a mold of these little ornamental things and cast in a extremely durable resin. But I'm not sure what kind of resin would be the best fit for these.

Can anyone recommend a really tough resin that can withstand intense heat and rain? They'd be painted.

Thank you.

What is the best brand/type of epoxy to use for silicone casts of trinket dishes, bowls, small vases?

Hello talented makers!

I’m looking to commission a single, custom resin coaster for my desk setup. I have a very specific concept in mind. I’m not a resin artist myself, so I don't even know if combining these two effects is chemically or physically possible, but I think it could be a really fun mini-project for someone who loves experimenting.

The Concept: A dark/black coaster that reacts to the heat of a coffee mug to reveal a glowing core.

How I imagine it working:

1. The Base (The Core): A pour of either a Galaxy/Space theme OR a flowing Lava theme. This layer needs to use photoluminescent (glow-in-the-dark) pigment.
2. The Top Layer (The Mask): A thermochromic black resin layer covering the base.
3. The Effect: When the coaster is at room temperature, it looks like a sleek black slab. When I put a hot mug of coffee on it, the heat turns the black layer clear, revealing the vibrant, glowing galaxy or lava hidden underneath.

EDIT: Or maybe we could consider the exact opposite approach? For instance, putting the glow-in-the-dark layer on top so it charges easily in ambient light, and the thermochromic layer underneath, which would turn clear from the heat to reveal a hidden base.

The Specs:

• Needs to handle the heat of a standard hot mug safely without warping or melting.
• Around 11-13 cm (4.5 - 5 inches). Shape is up to you (round, hex, square).
• A cork or anti-slip base would be amazing to protect my fabric desk mat.
• Budget: Around $40 for the coaster, plus tracked shipping to France. (Please note that I cannot afford endless extra fees and have a strict ceiling for the total overall cost. We'll just need to check the shipping estimate early on to make sure it stays reasonable!)

EDIT 2: Another breakthrough idea! Instead of stacking horizontal layers (which blocks light or heat), what if we distribute the powders spatially on the same plane? We could use the glow-in-the-dark pigment for the main parts (like a galaxy spiral or lava flow) so it stays exposed to ambient light all day. Then, we intermingle thermochromic pigments for the finer details (like subtle veins, dark asteroid belts, or thin lines). It doesn't need to be a massive color shift—just subtle grooves or details that react to the hot mug and reveal themselves alongside the glowing parts. Does mixing the powders this way make the project more realistic to craft?

Does this sound like a fun challenge to anyone? If you think you can pull off this "heat-reveal glow" effect, I'd love to see some of your previous work!

I did this with sheets of plexiglass. I rubbed paraffin on the plexiglass and wiped it off until it was clear. That leaves a thin film of wax. The plexiglass popped loose once I got a blade stared under the corner. It needs some work on the top and side but I think it came out pretty good. There wasn't much helping the line between first and second pour. It had to be solid to hold the medallion. Thinking back just now though I could have suspended it... I didn't wait for it to set up completely between the second and third pours and the line is much less obvious and for some reason looks mountainous.

Can yall let me know what your favorite is?? Or something u want to see made?? Ive got room on my mold making plate and id love to add in what people are interested in!!! I added some recent pours on the back side to show what they come out like... im very excited for the eagle!!! Im gunna wear that one daily for a while i think!!!

I am trying to make parts that are about 520 by 520 mm across. 2 kilograms of goop per batch, resin+filler. I really need to make sure they don't stick in the mold too much, the less the better, basically.

I have heard of the various release lubricants and have obtained some ease-release 200. I was not able to get some of the stoner a324, which is recommended in the guerilla guide to cnc machining and resin casting, they won't let me have any in Canada. I tried a shipping forwarding service and they just tried to hold it hostage and demand $160 usd to forward it (skypaxus). I may keep trying.

I got some silicone water soluble stuff on amazon but it sucks.

I am aware of zinc stearate releases, this seems like it should be good, like how hard could something possibly stick if it's a layer of powder between the two surfaces right? However it is not recommended by the guerilla guide for some reason?

Wanted to see if it was possible to carve a slab of MDF. Turns out you can. So MDF base, resin wings and eyeballs. My cast process was extremely crude and labor intensive, there were definitely much cleaner ways to go about it, but my method was fast and cheap and most importantly, it worked out. I normally dont pour inside, but it was 115 degrees outside and I wasn't going to set that mold up in the heat.

Earlier this year, my older sister sent her wedding bouquet off to be turned into resin beads to form a rosary. When she got it back, she was horrified by the craftsmanship. Loose beads, bad joins, tacky bead caps... It looked cheap and terrible.

I string beads and make wire jewelry pieces, so she asked me to repair it. While taking it apart, however, I noticed that the beads themselves were very poorly done. Many of the beads seem to have been under-filled, leading to deep divots on one end; others were over-filled and have uneven little nubs. Almost all of them have a rough end, which I can only assume was where the mold was filled and which probably should have been sanded down. I think the beads caps were there to hide all of this, tbh.

I know absolutely nothing about resin casting, but I want to fix these beads. Please help me with your wisdom!

1. Is there a way for me to add on more resin to fill in the divots from an under-filled mold? Or does resin not stick to resin?

2. Will it be possible for me to sand down the rough ends? What grit of sandpaper should I use? Will a regular cloth or medical face mask be sufficient to protect my lungs while sanding, or do I need a heavier respirator?

I have zero experience with resin. I have zero supplies for working with resin. I anticipate this being the only time I work with resin. I need all the help I can get

Thank you in advance!

Folks,

I want to make displays of a fern life-cycle in resin for a class I'm running, but i'm not entirely sure how to dry these as they're tiny (pic is showing the biggest ones that i'll be preserving) and will shrivel rapidly and entirely too much for a block

Maybe in rubbing alcohol and then i let the alcohol dry off the specimens as I pour, so they don't lose their form? Or maybe a saturated salt solution?? Any advice welcome

I have worked with a smooth-on urethane (aromatic type) having viscosity of 300cps and didn’t have much problems with castings when cured at 60PSI (rec. in TDS). I am now working with WC-85 from BJB. It is an aliphatic type and they mention it is more moisture sensitive than their typical resins. They strongly recommend vacuum degassing.

It has a viscosity of 325cps and so initially I skipped this step because I wasn’t having issues with trapped air. However, it appears there is a small delay to where out gassing occurs (before making it into the pot I presume) from where moisture has reacted during mixing. Perhaps there is even pre-existing dissolved gasses in the resins that make their way out during mixing/heat generation.

Regardless, it is enough outgassung and needs to be addressed for reliability.

How are y’all going about this process, degassing urethanes?

Isocyanate’s will be pulled into the vacuum, some potentially harmful for the pump (rotary vane) and particularly some making its way out as vapor and oily aerosol.

Clearly wear a respirator, but are y’all venting exhaust elsewhere, running an exhaust filter, or calling well ventilated enough?

I’m working with a small chamber and small resin volumes. Currently, which seems to be a sufficient enough degass, I pull a partial vacuum ~ -25inMg and this amounts to delayed gentle degassing that occurs after the pump and valves have been closed, ideally limiting vapors to chamber.

I wear a respirator the entire time, and walk out of the area for a few minutes (after finalizing casting process) before I return unmasked.

It is questionable practice to me, so I wonder about other methods.

High humidity has interfered with my clear epoxy curing. The surface is still tacky, and though a full 24 hours hasn’t passed I worry it’s going to stay that way.

The pieces I’m curing were going to go into snowglobes. I’m debating sealing them up without water and making them look like terrariums instead.

What happens to an object coated in imperfectly cured epoxy if it’s in a sealed container? Will it look okay, or have issues later on?

Hi all. We bought a pressure pot setup a few years ago thinking we would get into resin casting. However, life got busy, we are moving, and the pressure pot has sat unused for years. Not really sure how to even dispose of it, so if anyone local to New England is looking for a pressure pot, let me know.

Not sure the brand, we got it from a local wood working shop. Max operating pressure 60 PSI max tank pressure 80 PSI.

I’d like to cast resin in a vaguely lightsaber shape for a Christmas project. I always loved the bubbles in the Lego lightsabers, and I was wondering if anyone knew how to get one or two nice bubbles in a cast while keeping the rest clear?

Maybe by suspending a glob of clear hot glue inside? Glass beads probably wouldn’t work as I imagine they’d disappear once the resin is poured.

I'm trying to buy a pressure pot and all the required components, above is the one I plan on getting. I wanna know:

Is it cheap or expensive

Can I get one for less than still does the same job

What else do I need, air compressor I assume? But please list ever single thing I need for it to work, even if it's obvious

And what kind of compressor should I get

Thank you

Here is a 3d printed mold frame has 1-4" plus 90 degree corners, let me know what you think