Resin casting: not only for modeling purposes...

Tonino

Well-Known Member
I wasn't sure about where to post this thread. It isn't actually a modeling thread.
This is a story that demonstrates how our modeling skills, so much deprecated by our wives, sometimes are useful for purposes they couldn't never imagine!!!

First the story:
some weeks ago my wife returned home with only half of her garage door remote controller. The upper half of its plastic shell was lost somewhere in the outer world. No chance to find it again.
We bought another remote but the old one was perfectly functional, it only lacked part of the shell and the buttons. I didn't want to trash it. So the idea was to duplicate the existing parts from my own remote to replicate the lost one...

Resin casting is a useful technique - for us modelers - to replicate many identical parts from one master.
@Bill Nelson gave us a very good example in this thread.
But you can also use it to double any complex shape if you figure out a way to extract your master from the silicon cast...

The only thing you have to avoid are passing holes because they can block your master inside the silicon. Putting a piece of adesive tape over any hole will result at the end in a thin resin foil that you can easily cut out from your casted piece.

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These are my original remote pieces.

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And there are the silicon casts obtained from them

DSC07643.JPG
They contains an exact template of the shells...

DSC07644.JPG
...and of the buttons.
 
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Tonino

Well-Known Member
After some tries...(the difficult part is to avoid air bubbles when you cast the liquid resin) there are the best pieces I was able to obtain

DSC07639.JPG

And, after some painting, here are my new remote (on the left), next to his original counterpart (on the right)...
DSC07645.JPG

DSC07641.JPG
And it's not only a 1:1 reproduction: it's fully functional!
:D


Here are the silicon and resin products I used. They are produced by Prochima, an italian company, but, I think, they are comparable to any similar product you can find near you...
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Ron Caudillo

Creative Advisory Consultant
Staff member
Moderator
GREAT idea! Good reproduction too!

My wife supports my designing and modelling habit because I make her things for women's retreats, conferences, etc that our church organizes. I have also designed and built several items used at a wedding receptions (including my daughter).

Bottom line, include projects that they need/are interested in and NEVER neglect them (or friends and family). Moderation is the key.

Best Regards,
 

zathros

*****SENIOR ADMINISTRATOR*****
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That looks professional grade to me. Excellent job! I had an antique generator, and somehow, I had cracked the housing for the governor, which looked like a distributor cap, of sorts. The parts inside reacted to a flywheel with weights that in turned pulled a lever o raise the speed of the engine when a load was put on it. I used J.B. Weld, and a sheet of aluminum. I put Vaseline on the aluminum which I had wrapped around the housing, even crimping the edges till it fit tight. The aluminum was easy to form on the cap's mount to the engine. The J.B.Weld got rock hard, and the aluminum seperated and I had a perfect fix. In fact, the J.B. Weld patch was stronger than the Bakelite that is was bonded too.

I also just made a forum and molded a lens for my 2004 Honda Accord fog lamp, which costs $349 to replace. It was cheaper to use Butyl Rubber and some Lexan. It works perfectly.

I have a project that I am working on and will be using composites for the prototype. This forum isn't an appropriate place to post what I am designing, not yet anyways. :)
 

Tonino

Well-Known Member
Thank you all for your appreciation.
Wow! I'm deeply honoured to have gained your attention, Ron!
I feel like a young fan receiving an autograph from his idol! Your Enterprise deck is one of my favourite cardmodel of all times... (I swear!)

... NEVER neglect them (or friends and family). Moderation is the key.

Yes I agree. Obviously I was jocking when I said my wife hates my hobby, it isn't real hate, perhaps just a little jealousy... ;) ...even if I ever try to not disappear too often and not for too much time. The funny thing is that, when I didn't have a place where to build my models I had a lot of time to do it. Now that I own a big house and a special room dedicated to my hobby I have also a wonderful family who asks for much, much time so ... I can spend only a little time into that room. But that's OK ! ! ! :D

I have a project that I am working on and will be using composites for the prototype. This forum isn't an appropriate place to post what I am designing, not yet anyways. :)

I think I know what you are talking about ;) and I want to wish you all the best with your project!
 

Ron Caudillo

Creative Advisory Consultant
Staff member
Moderator
Thank you for the kind words, Tonino!

I am humbled that you appreciate my designs. I (like most of the others) have to thank those who we took inspiration, help, encouragement, and friendship; too many to list, but I hope you know who you are.

I appreciate good work, skill, ideas, and the courage to try things. Keep up the good work!

Best Regards,
 

zathros

*****SENIOR ADMINISTRATOR*****
Staff member
Administrator
Moderator
Tonino, I share the experience. My house is tiny, but my apartment was tinier. I rebuilt engines in that apartment, and made many many models, of all sorts. I even made out with a few models there! (Nyuk Nyuk). Now, I have a Barn, heated, with a machine shop in it, and I can barely ever get back there, and my wife hates even seeing a wrench or socket in the house. The Barn being over 100 feet away doesn't help. Especially in the Winter. To heat it for a paper model, would be to build a $500 dollar, if not more, paper model, not including build time, by the time the Barn got tolerably warm! ;)

I corrected my horrid spelling.....zathros
 
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zathros

*****SENIOR ADMINISTRATOR*****
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You live in a postcard paradise. Is that place real? I cannot imagine living in a place such as you do. I live where the oldest thing for 100's of miles are the trees, and stones, which have not moved for so long, have thick moss now on them. I pick up rocks that no human has ever touched. Surrounded by people who never have touched another person or allowed themselves to be touched. Peoples who's Hearts would be great for transplantation, as they are so cold, they need no refrigeration, and have hardly been used. There should be a culling, however, being outnumbered, I would be the one culled, and probably rendered into soap. Ironically, a fitting end. A cleansing product. :)


Soap Me.jpg
 
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