Alumilite Water Clear - Finishing Issue

[Mike DeRegnaucourt]

Has anyone used Alumilite Water Clear and had problems after sanding and polishing of trying to bring it back to a water clear finish without any cloudiness and/or fine scratches? When using regular Alumilite White I have never had any problems sanding and buffing out the fine scratches. However that is not the case with the water clear. I sand, buff, polish like I do with the white but I cannot seem to get the fine scratches and cloudiness out of the water clear even using my Beale Buffing system. Anyone have any ideas to try so as to bring the finish back to water clear with no fine scratches or cloudiness?

By the way, this is for a bottle stopper project with a swirled Alumilite base (using white Alumilite and coloring) with a water clear domed top with an embellishment embedded within. I first cast the base in color, then cast the water clear on top with the embellishment. Then I turn the whole thing to the desired shape.

Thanks,
Mike

[Greg Ketell]

Water-clear was their original clear resin and it was a little too soft for turners. Specifically it would not come to a good shine. We would always put a coat of CA over it for the high gloss.

They subsequently worked with MesquiteMan and developed a new version of clear designed for pen/bottle-stopper turners that is harder and shines up just like CA. I forget what it is now called because they have changed the name of it. Give them a call, they are great to work with!

[Michael Armstrong]

The better product for turning these sorts of things is Alumilite Clear. It is not the same as Water Clear. It does take a much better shine.

Here is an example of a stopper I made similar to what you want to do. Both parts of the stopper are made with the Alumilite Clear.
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Now if I could only figure out how to photograph them decently:mad:

Michael