clear casting resin ?

[Propman]

Anyone know of a clear casting resin that will cure clear, thank you, Keith

[Sean Hert]

The size of the part will dramatically effect what clear resin to use. Virtually all of them require either a pressure or vacuum setup to remove the air bubbles. Even then, casting clear parts usually has a high failure rate.

The best products I have used for hobby level, benchtop stuff, are the products from Environmental Technology Inc.

Give them a call, and they will help you figure out the best product for your application.

[Devin]

The guys over at Starship Modeler swear by Smooth On's Crystal Clear line. They do a lot of clear casting for lighting of model parts.

[Tom@JAG]

Although Smooth-on does have a good quality resin for casting small clear parts (Crystal Clear 202), it is somewhat viscous by comparison to Pour a Kasts clear casting resin. Anyway you look at it, clear casting resin in very expensive. The last time I priced a pint kit (1 pint of A and 1 pint of B) it was about $50 a kit. I tend to like the Pour a Kast because it has an extremely thin viscocity and works on a 1:1 by volume mixing basis. You will also need to procur a platinum based silicone rubber. Not tine based. Clear resins are aliphatic resins, not the aromatic types that most everyones resin ship kits are made from. Aliphatics require a platinum based rubber. Good luck with your project.

[ARH]

Is this what we are talking about.

[Tom@JAG]

Difficult to say. The life rafts appear to be clear, but when placed on a yellow ochre colored surface, they tend to pick up the color of what they are sitting on. placing them on a white surface will let people know whether they are truly "water clear" or have a slight tint to them. Smooth-on also has an aromatic resin that in small quantities/sizes appears to be clear, but when cast in larger quantities is actually a light amber color. I believe those resins are their Smoothcast 325 and 326. 325 has a shorter pot life than the 326. You can use any tin based silicone rubber with the 325 & 326. Oomoo would work as well. Not the greatest silicone by any means, but it is a 1:1 mix and works well for the general hobbyist as long as your not expecting a large number of pulls out of the mold.