8 Apr
2005
8 Apr
'05
12:17 p.m.
From: "Dwight K. Elvey" <dwight.elvey at amd.com>
This is great. What are you using to make the molds?
Well, I went into the local TAP Plastics, described what I wanted to do to
the nice saleslady, and ended up with these products:
**Mold Making**
TAP Silicone RTV System, Side A and Side B. Side B comes in a couple of
color coded versions. I chose "TAP Silicone RTV Catalyst GREEN", which has
a 1 hour working time, and a 24 hour cure. This stuff is easy to work with,
and hardens to a rubbery consistency, very much what you want for
mold-making. It is white until you mix in the catalyst, which dyes it
green.
**Casting**
Quick Cast TAP Casting Resin, Side A and Side B. This stuff hardens into a
stiff plastic, perfect for switch handles :-). Side A and Side B are clear,
but the result will be white after it cures. This color change makes it
more difficult to predict the effect of the colorants. This stuff has a
very short working time -- a few minutes. It is recommended to remove the
parts from the mold in an hour (don't know why; some kind of chemical
reaction with the mold is predicted, but I've never seen it).
**Colorant**
TAP Premium Pigment, in yellow, brown, red, and blue. These are added in
small quantities to Side B of the resin, before side A is added. Only a
very small amount of the pigment will actually stir into side B (most of the
pigment just lays there, no matter how much you stir.)
Hope that helps :-). More later...
Vince