A few recent bottle stoppers

[Michael Armstrong]

I've recently started casting again and these stoppers are the result. Acorn caps embedded in Alumilite Water Clear coloured with mica powders, turned, sanded, sealed with CA, sanded and polished.

Thanks for looking.
Michael

[Mike Cruz]

I really like the first two in particular...color and shape wise. I'd actually prefer to see them with SS stoppers, rather than the plastic ones, though...

[Michael Armstrong]

Thanks Mike. I do use the SS stoppers on some but try to provide a mix of closures. The silicone bungs allow me to charge a little less which seems to be important in this area.

Michael

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Very nice work Michael!

Is it difficult or expensive to do your own casting?

[Michael Armstrong]

Thanks Ken.

Your question gets a yes and no answer to both parts. Costs for resin vary depending on your source and the type of resin. All the stoppers in the photos above are cast with Alumilite. It is a urethane casting resin and does cost more than polyester resin. On the up side it doesn't have the smelly fumes of the PR. I cast Alumilite in my basement but you wouldn't want to do that with PR unless you have some kind of fume hood or really excellent ventilation. You need a pressure pot for alumilite whereas many people cast PR without one and warm the PR to help eliminate bubbles and get it to flow easily into voids. PR contracts more than Alumilite. You need to make sure if you are embedding things that they are very dry. The resins don't like moisture. You can use all kinds of things for molds but you do have to be careful with the PR as to the type of plastic.

To wrap things up without going overboard, I've been lucky with my casts and had a lot of fun doing them. Casting is just as addictive as turning.

Michael

[charlie knighton]

looks good Michael, each one will probably be unique and you can keep experimenting, thanks for sharing.....enjoy

[Michael Armstrong]

Thanks Charlie. It is a lot of fun trying different things and seeing what is hidden inside the cast. Just like turning wood!

Michael