Using Emerald and Makers Juice Waxcast resin

[jefree]

I recently inherited a Solus in my job and now I have to learn all the ins and outs of using it. I think I have making the patterns down, I have many years experience with 3D files, but that doesn't mean I don't screw up, it seems that screw ups increase with age when you hit 65
What I am having trouble with is casting. I'm getting results like so many pictures I see in here, ash residue.
I'm starting to use the instructions on how to cast for the emerald, and I am using the hybrid resin.
I downloaded the article by Binnon, excellent thank you.
We have a DWG UV Curing unit, I forget the name right now. I seems really good, but I really don't know.
I water cured the resin tonight for the first time.
We have a Neycraft fiber oven. I am considering adding an airpump and a hole, I think the fiber really keeps out the O2, probably designed that way. I going to try the burnout suggested.
I will be casting again Friday morning and I will tell things came out.
Anything anyone can tell me please help!

Jeffrey Everett
Olufson Designs
Corvallis OR

[jefree]

I cast this morning and got the worst casting yet. I imagine that the fault is with the oven. I am going to replace the oven with another (another Neycraft Vulcan) that we have here that I drilled a hole through the door, and am going out at lunch to buy an aquarium pump to pump atmosphere into the oven . That's the next test...

[Archerm]

Try just emerald. I havent heard of anyone having constant acceptable results with the maker juice resin.

[printcast]

Waxcast prints great. My experience is waxcast cast horribly. Emerald cast near perfect. My main issues with Emerald is that engraving almost always breaks apart sending broken investment pieces throughout the casting. That of course leaves holes usually in the worst possible places.

Not sure if Emerald expands during burnout busting font investment loose, if the expansion weakens font investment which breaks loose during pour, or if investment can not hold up font even if wax was cast. I'm near certain investment can hold font during pour when casting wax. Pretty sure it's resin burnout that bust or weakens font.

[rkundla]

There are a lot of factors on the engraving that need to be taken into account, as well as the investment parameters and sprue methods.

Stuller had some good production specifications for engraved text that they require if you ask Stuller to cast your items.

Use a lower water to powder ratio to get stiffer investment that will better resist expansion. Also, use investment that is geared towards the use of resin models or use modifiers to increase the hardness of the investment.

I also try to make sure that my sprues do not sit directly opposite of the engraving to keep the molten metal from eroding the fragile investment. Angle the sprue if necessary so that the metal would be initially directed elsewhere.

[M-Williams]

Not sure if Emerald expands during burnout busting font investment loose, if the expansion weakens font investment which breaks loose during pour, or if investment can not hold up font even if wax was cast. I'm near certain investment can hold font during pour when casting wax. Pretty sure it's resin burnout that bust or weakens font.[/quote]

What kind of investment are you using.

[printcast]

I'm using plasticat with boric acid if casting with engraving. I keep a pretty high investment to water.

[rkundla]

Plasticast and boric acid? Do you need a jackhammer to get the cured investment out?

Do you have any photos of what it looks like when it goes wrong? That would be helpful to see the amount of damage. What are the dimensions of the text? The biggest thing from the Stuller PDF was that the depth has to be some percentage of the width of the character, so the goal is to get it just deep enough to survive the finishing process and allow for oxidation or other methods.

[M-Williams]

I'm using plasticat with boric acid if casting with engraving. I keep a pretty high investment to water.

No need of any Boric acid with the Emerald. Do you cure your parts properly. Curing was for me a huge leap ahead achieving an excellent casting.

[printcast]

LOL, it is not easy to bust investment.

I do not have any pics. Just have never bothered taking them. Maybe I should just get on the Stellar site and see how to do engravings properly. I have thought my engravings may have been too deep making, perhaps that is the issue.

My parts do seem to be very well cured. Mike from B9 told me 30mins in water, in UV is all you need. Most times mine are under UV a lot longer.