Alumilite- Totally Confused

[meanderawl]

Have cast and turned a few pens with a poly resin without a pressure pot.  Some turn out alright while others seem too brittle and difficult to turn without chipping.  Decided to maybe get a cheap pressure pot (Harbor Frieght) and give Alumilite a try.  There's where the confusion starts! Alumilite Clear Cast, Clear Cast Plus, High Gloss Deep Pour, Clear Slow etc....... there's where the first question comes in: Which product is best for turning pens, and maybe some wine stoppers.  Should mention that my pen castings will be with the tubes labeled, so casting a blank solid then drilling won'work.  Leading to my next question:  Can I pour about 1/4 ", pressure pot it, add the pen tube, pour another 1/4", pressure pot, pour a final 1/4", pressure pot.  Will the seams between layers be visible using this method? or is there another method that won't show the layered seams? Any advice , input appreciated before I run out and spend more money on equipment that won't work for my application.  Then again "he who dies with the most tools wins". Hope I didn't make everyone as confused as I am! Thanks
 
https://meanderawlwoodshop.blog

[Woodworm!]

I would assume you would see the seams, have you asked the Alumilite people? Also some good YT videos out there.

[iclark]

Almost all castings will show some sort of line between cast layers.

If some of your previous castings have been brittle while others cast from nominally the same material, I would suspect incomplete mixing so that there was more hardener in some parts than in others. I do not have a guess whether the more brittle would be more or less hardener.

If you must cast the tubes in place, then you probably need to fill the tube with something that will keep the resin out but that you can readily remove when you are done casting. A clay that does not harden when heated or a wax with a high enough melting temperature ought to work.

Centering the filled tubes in the molds may be a problem.

[Michael8850]

Check out The International Association of Penturners. ( penturners.org )
Mike