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Casting SmoothCast 305 vs. 321??

May 5, 2008

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    1. To anyone who has played with SmoothOn resin;

      I just started dabbling with 321 today and I love the longer working time.. 7 minutes is more than I've ever had before ~ in hot weather 5 minutes becomes a lot less!!

      Anyway, I was tossing up to buy 305(white) or 321(cream) and it was suggested to me that the 305 was harder to tint, although this sounds backwards to me. Anyway I got the 321 and I find that the curative (part A) really adds a browny greeny (i think the technical term is amber) tinge that I have to take into consideration when adding the red and yellow pigment. This hasn't really been a problem with other resins I have used, and I am sure I'll get used to it, but I'd like to order another gallon and get the 305 to see if it's any different.

      Has anyone else tried both and have a preference? Oh PS. I am using Polytek Polydyes and not the SoStrong tints.

      I also got some 326, which is a clear (amber) resin good for fillers and stuff, but I haven't opened it yet.
       
      #1 twigling, May 5, 2008
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    2. I can't remember which I've used... but it was always white. I liked the longer set time so that I didn't waste as much resin. I also started using a funnel. XD;; I never had trouble with tinting the white, I think it'd be easier for me than trying to tint something "amber" colored at any rate. I always used the SoStrong tints tho. About 1 drop Y & 1 drop R to 1-2 cups of the white made a good flesh tone. I've stopped using the smooth on so I can't remember exactly the ratio anymore...

      Weird thing... the so strong colors turn slightly different colors in the alumilite resin. They work fine, just different. It could also be because the Alumilite is slightly transparent tho- which is why I'm using it now. I like the waxy kind of look that it gives.
       
      #2 SarahM, May 5, 2008
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    3. I got a decent normal skintone finally.. about 7 drops of yellow and 1 drop of red.. in 1 litre of part B. My 321 untinted sample is creamy.. kinda like white Apoxie sculpt.. so what might account for the difficulty in tinting it right. I think you mentioned before you were using 305. I will definitely get a gallon of that too. The 326 I am going to use for special finishes and semi translucent dolls.

      The Alumilite is labeled opposite, right?? As in A is prepolymer, B is curative... It sounds nice, but it's just impossible to get it over here. There is one supposed retailer but they don't respond to emails so I've just not bothered to follow it up.

      Previously I have tried Polytek Easyflo 95 & Easyflo Clear; a HyperLast product which I wasn't very happy with; BJB TC808, Barnes 4PU. I have mostly returned to Easyflo 95 when I was unhappy with other stuff, but its only a ShoreD 65.. almost rubbery and clogs the sandpaper.. and the potlife wasn't long enough either. I have faith that the 305 and 321 will last enough for a decent size pour (maybe 500-600 ml) and still go in the pot before it starts to set up.
       
      #3 twigling, May 5, 2008
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    4. with the above resins are these quick set resins or resins used with vacuum and pressure pots?
       
      #4 Nancy Cronin, May 6, 2008
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    5. Twigling,
      we've been using the 321, that is what the head i sent to you is cast in.... the 7 minute setup time is great (except for the other day when i was trying to do a slush mold and it took forever!!!)

      we had problems getting the 300 to set up properly --- (probably had been setting on the shelf too long, we spent a day shaking it every couple of hours and the next day it was fine ---- love the white it produces)

      and we tried the 326 ---- that is what the blue pocket goddess is out of. Had a few false starts getting it to set up, definitely needed to be mixed a lot more than the 321.

      would love to try the alumilite....

      Nancy --- i've only tried these without the vacuum and pressure pots. I can see where maybe you need to have long setup time for the pressure pot part --- which ones are you using?
       
      #5 patl, May 6, 2008
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    6. I have use Smooth On 322. With vacuum and pressure. i didn`t care for the completely matt finish. Resin casting seems to show up any imperfection.
       
      #6 Nancy Cronin, May 6, 2008
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    7. I have use Smooth On 322. With vacuum and pressure. i didn`t care for the completely matt finish. Resin casting seems to show up any imperfection. I also had a yellowing factor to contend with.
      The last gallion I got was 327, again I use vacuum and pressure I pigmented it with Porcelite colors Euro Flesh and white. I like it much better for my little miniature dolls . it has just enough translucent quality for me .
      I am still on the hunt for a resin that is as good as Porcelite. Having used it for 8 years and being completely satisfied with it. I never felt the to need to explore anything else.
      So I read with great interest as to what works and what dose not. I have not made a BJD yet ,but i am taking a class from Jane Davies in Castine Maine .
       
      #7 Nancy Cronin, May 6, 2008
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    8. Hi Nancy,

      I use a pressurepot so need the longer working time, so wouldn't call them quick set. 322 is the same as 321 but with 20 minutes instead of 7 minutes potlife. Did you find you had to compensate for the colour of the part A when you were tinting it?

      Can you tell me more about the Porcelite resin? Is it still being made, and is it a polyurethane.. would it be strong enough to use for tension-jointed dolls, do you think?

      I found this, which is interesting: http://www.frillsandfancyezine.com/FF1/nancy.html But I'm having trouble finding any info or retailers on Porcelite.
       
      #8 twigling, May 6, 2008
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    9. sorry you will not find any thing about Porcelite. My good friend Nick Hill the chemist that created Porcelit has moved on. His wife passed away about1year and a half ago, she was the collector of dolls and many other things. He is into Holistic Health now. and will be getting is masters very soon. so no more Porcelite I am sad to say.
      On the link you mentioned. Yup that would be me and my dolls.
      i still use Nick`s pigment so have not problem with the color. Except i am using 327 and mixing Euro flesh and white pigment.
       
      #9 Nancy Cronin, May 7, 2008
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    10. Nancy~ I don't use a pressure pot or a vacuum chamber. I found that alumilite filled in the bubbles a lot better than the smooth-on did. It seems to be a lower viscosity. I think Armeleia had the opposite happen tho. XD;;

      what I like about it is that it has a slightly transparent surface to it, so it glows a little. I think the transparency fades over time as the surface yellows tho.
       
      #10 SarahM, May 7, 2008
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    11. Sorry to hear about your friend's wife; I do wish him luck getting his Masters. Pity about the Porcelite, but I think SmoothCast 326 (or 327 for extra potlife) with some pigment and a bit of white added to make it semi-translucent will have a similar effect. Also if one has an "industrial setup" with dedicated workspace, ventilation etc then one could use SmoothOn's Crystal Clear which has UV built into it. Or Polytek Easyflo clear and add Polytek's UV additive.. but that resin only has 3 minutes working time.

      I have also tried Por-A-Kast and I wouldn't recommend it.. it went very yellow very quickly.
       
      #11 twigling, May 7, 2008
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