http://www.tapplastics.com/product/...ting_products/tap_clear_lite_casting_resin/75 I'm looking at casting up my steering wheel, dash nobs and shift knobs in clear plastic flake on my 60's show car model T. Anyone know if flake can be suspended in this stuff or is it gunna settle out?? Also how far will it shrink? It might make a mess of the steering wheel i'm gunna make, if it pulls away too hard from the mold Otherwise, anyone have a better resin??
The only thing I've done with the stuff is pour it over beer caps to make a table top. It didnt shrink and it is sticky as hell so u will need a mold release for sure. When I poured my first table I poured it thick and it came out a little cloudy. I think its going to be a trial and error. Good luck
I have no experience with this particular product, but polyester is your normal cheap fiberglass resin. It is smelly (long term) and very brittle and does shrink. I think being constrained on a steel core, you will have cracking problems. Urethanes are less likely to have cracking problems, but correct mixing is critical and urethane is prone to soften when heated. (think inside a closed up car on a hot summer day) My choice would be an epoxy, if you can find one that is the right consistency and cure speed. Finding any resin that is thin enough to release the bubbles from mixing, thick enough to suspend the flake and be water clear might be quite a search! Good luck.
I have cast a fair # of small parts but never anything as big as a steering wheel. I have done some small lenses and replaced sections of parts that were broken out. Worked with colored but never clear. The "kitty hair" stuff makes a very strong part but needs to be painted of course. the polyester is a little brittle on it's own but is fine for things like knobs. Any I have used would not have suspended very big flake.
You would want a high viscosity to prolong suspension of flake and a good vac chamber to remove all air possible prior to pouring. I know the urathanes do have different speed hardners.
If I recall correctly TAP stands for Taylor Art Plastics which was one of the first companies to market fibreglass aftermarket parts and resins for automotive use.I remember seeing a cover feature in Car Craft sometime in 1956 where they were installing fibreglass fender neadlight extensions on a 49-51 Ford. If they have been around that long they must be doing something right.
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