Turning resin

[cinqster]

Anyone tried it yet? The stuff machines beatifully! I managed to get a wheel centre down to 0.5mm thick today with very little surface flexing. If you get the cut right you get a foot high ribbon of resin swarf dancing across the lathe - quite a sight to behold!

If you don't need a metalic surface finish and are making masters for casting, resin really is the way to go. No chatter, smooth finish, easy cutting, very little tool wear and no nasty metallic swarf to gum up the latheways.

[008]

Yep I do it all the time. Whenever I have extra resin I pour it into a small "sample" shampoo bottle. When the bottle is filled I split the bottle open and I have resin stock. The split is taped back up for the next batch. Using the small stock glued onto a larger bottle then creating a mold in RTV I have created large diameter stock, around 2.5", that has a 1" shank to easily chuck into the mini lathe.

If you plan on casting it make sure it is primed and smoothed or use lots of release. Previously-cured resin does not seem to release from RTV too well. I've had molds I had to tear off because it stuck to the resin so well.

[cinqster]

Originally Posted by 008

Yep I do it all the time. Whenever I have extra resin I pour it into a small "sample" shampoo bottle. When the bottle is filled I split the bottle open and I have resin stock. The split is taped back up for the next batch. Using the small stock glued onto a larger bottle then creating a mold in RTV I have created large diameter stock, around 2.5", that has a 1" shank to easily chuck into the mini lathe.

If you plan on casting it make sure it is primed and smoothed or use lots of release. Previously-cured resin does not seem to release from RTV too well. I've had molds I had to tear off because it stuck to the resin so well.

Will do - didn't know about the resin/RTV issue.

I've got into pouring into tubs too. Bodyshop bodybutter pots are the perfect size for 1/8th wheels - couldn't face the idea of turning a block of alloy that big! Good pots for smaller size stock (though tapered) are PVC film cannisters. I use them for mixing small batches. Equal amounts in each pot, decant into another, top on, shake - hey presto! The cured resin releases from them really easily with a tap.