Stabilizing stuff

[Bruno]

Ok so I found out the hard way that if you leave them like this a couple of days, they will bend the wrong way. Nearly destroyed one by trying to force it back. The good news is that you can use a blowdryer to heat the scales, and if you press them and let them cool down, you can reverse the curvature.

Good news, because this is fairly fragile. I wouldn't trust that to remain under tension and not break.

 

[32t]

Did they bend after the carbon fiber was attached?

 

[Bruno]

Yes and no. I glued the CF to it on both sides, and then cut the block lengthwise.
Not sure if the CF expanded, or the resin contracted. I suspect the former.
But the blow dryer fixed it. I took a piece of steel of 5", and ground away some on both ends, and both sides, and clamped the scales to it when they were hot. I let them cool, and now they are hard again, but with the correct curvature. That is a nice thing about resin it seems. Hot air makes it a bit malleable.

 

[Bruno]

2 handles I recently finished. The blue is absolutely my favorite and it is probably going to be the handle for a kitchen knife for myself. Not sure exactly what sort of knife. I only know I don't want to let it go.

The purple one is probably going to be a complex damascus Bowie or hunting knife that I am going to take to Texas next year and gift to whoever can arrange for me to shoot a gatling style minigun

 

[Bruno]

I actually prefer the bone I work with to be scarred, porous and spiderwebbed with cracks. That gives the epoxy places to expose itself, coming out of the core.

 

[32t]

Count me out as I don't have a gatling style mini gun handy.

 

[Bruno]

Count me out as I don't have a gatling style mini gun handy.

Lol I use that phrase from time to time when I have an idea to make something that doesn't have a buyer lined up.
But if anywhere has the option to do this, it'll probably be in Texas

 

[Bruno]

For one of my projects i am making resin scales wirh fossil bone for the ends of the scales, cast in the resin.

Making sure the bone doesn't move around when air is expelled is important. I learned that the hard way. And also i don't want to use more resin than needed because it can be very wasteful.

This is what i came up with. I draw the shape ob cardboard, mold playdoh around it, and then put the bone in.

This way the bone always stays put and i don't need to use more resin than i want to.

 

[Bruno]

This is why i actually prefer to work with materials that have cracks or voids. The resulting color patterns are amazing

 

[Bruno]

Scales about to go on a wootz razor. Fossil bone and resin

 

[cangooner]

What do you guys use for resin? I'm in the process of getting the bits & pieces for a new vacuum setup and so am casting my mind to resins. It has been about five years since I've done any stabilizing and so I might be a few years behind in my knowledge of any new products.

My only experience has been with Cactus Juice and I really liked it but it ain't cheap. I especially liked how thin it is as it penetrates really well.

Suggestions most welcome...

 

[Bruno]

I use https://resin4decor.com/
But it is good for stabilizing porous things only. It wouldn't be thin enough for stabilizing wood.

 

[cangooner]

I use https://resin4decor.com/
But it is good for stabilizing porous things only. It wouldn't be thin enough for stabilizing wood.

Thanks for the link. I see they have some low-viscosity stuff. Do you use that or the medium?

 

[Substance]

my favourites are
Cactus juice - for stabilising
Liquid Diamonds - for casting

 

[Bruno]

Thanks for the link. I see they have some low-viscosity stuff. Do you use that or the medium?

The low viscosity stuff for stabilizing bone.
The medium viscosity for casting scales, because otherwise the pigment tends to want to settle.