How to make a BUBBLE FREE casting with urethane resin with using a pressure pot; TUTORIAL

Summary

Marietta's channel presents a bubble-free casting tutorial using urethane resin. Despite initial struggles with moisture and pressure pot issues, she shares valuable lessons on mold preparation, avoiding contamination, and accurate resin mixing. The tutorial emphasizes the importance of following product directions and maintaining pressure throughout the curing process. Viewers are taken on an entertaining and educational journey, concluding with a surprisingly successful casting result.

Takeaways

• 🎨 Marietta introduces a bubble-free casting tutorial using urethane resin.
• 🚫 She shares common mistakes to avoid, emphasizing the importance of following instructions carefully.
• 💧 Moisture is highlighted as a critical factor to control, as it can ruin the clarity of the resin.
• 📦 The tutorial includes steps to ensure a successful cast, starting with mold preparation and avoiding dust or impurities.
• 🌡️ Understanding the exothermic reaction of resin hardening, which causes the material to heat up, is crucial.
• 🔬 Accurate measurement by weight, not volume, is necessary for the correct ratio of resin components.
• 💉 Mixing the resin thoroughly is essential to avoid imperfections in the final product.
• 🌀 The use of a pressure pot is the only way to achieve a bubble-free finish, as it compresses bubbles to an invisible size.
• ⏱️ Maintaining pressure throughout the hardening process is vital to prevent bubbles from reappearing.
• 🔩 The tutorial includes practical demonstrations of measuring, mixing, and using a pressure pot for casting.
• 🛠️ Despite the challenges and potential for error, the end result can be a clear, bubble-free casting, showcasing the artist's perseverance.

Q & A

What is the main topic of Marietta's video?

Marietta's video is about a bubble-free casting tutorial using urethane resin.

Why did Marietta decide to share her mistakes in the video?

Marietta shared her mistakes to help viewers avoid making the same errors, as casting with resin can be expensive and time-consuming.

What is the most important factor to consider when working with urethane resin according to the video?

Moisture is the most important factor to consider when working with urethane resin, as it can cause issues such as cloudiness and bubbles.

What did Marietta do to ensure her mold was properly prepped for casting?

Marietta used alcohol wipes to clean the mold, ensuring it was free of dust and impurities, and made sure any items placed inside, like flowers, were completely dry.

Why is it crucial to follow the product directions when casting with urethane resin?

Following the product directions is crucial because urethane resin is sensitive to incorrect measurements, which can affect the curing process and the final product's clarity and strength.

What is the role of a pressure pot in the casting process?

A pressure pot is used to remove bubbles from the resin by compressing them to a size where they are not visible to the naked eye, ensuring a bubble-free finish.

What should be done if the material starts to harden before it is fully set in the mold?

If the material starts to harden before it is fully set, it is important to keep the pressure on until the material has fully hardened to prevent bubbles from reappearing.

Why does Marietta recommend starting small when experimenting with casting?

Marietta recommends starting small to learn the process and avoid wasting materials, as mistakes can lead to imperfections like bubbles or cloudiness in larger projects.

What challenges did Marietta face while using the pressure pot in her video?

Marietta faced difficulties in pressurizing the pot, dealing with air escaping, and managing the heat generation from the compressor, which made the process exhausting and challenging.

How did Marietta ensure the resin mixture was thoroughly mixed?

Marietta ensured the resin mixture was thoroughly mixed by stirring carefully and making sure to scratch the bottom of the mixing container to incorporate all components evenly.

What was the final outcome of Marietta's casting attempt shown in the video?

Despite the struggles, Marietta's final casting turned out to be clear and bubble-free, which she found surprising and satisfying.

Outlines

00:00

🔮 Introduction to Bubble-Free Casting Tutorial

Marietta welcomes viewers to her channel with a promise of an unexpected treat and embarks on a tutorial about bubble-free casting using urethane resin. She foreshadows a series of mistakes made during the process, emphasizing the importance of learning from them. Marietta's adventurous spirit is highlighted as she encourages viewers to engage with her content through comments. The tutorial focuses on avoiding common pitfalls such as moisture contamination, which she illustrates with examples of failed castings due to improper handling.

05:01

📘 Essential Steps for Successful Casting

Marietta outlines eight crucial steps for a successful casting process. She stresses the importance of mold preparation, avoiding moisture, following product directions precisely, and mixing materials thoroughly. The use of a pressure pot is highlighted as essential for achieving a bubble-free finish, with a detailed explanation of its function and the necessity of maintaining pressure throughout the hardening process. She also discusses the exothermic reaction of resin hardening, the importance of keeping the cast under pressure until demolding, and the value of starting with small experiments to perfect the technique before moving on to larger projects.

10:05

🛠️ The Casting Process and Pressure Pot Challenges

In this segment, Marietta demonstrates the casting process in her casting room, which is also her laundry room. She measures the resin components by weight, mixes them, and pours the mixture into the mold, all while discussing the importance of each step. The pressure pot is introduced as a critical tool, but she encounters difficulties in sealing and pressurizing it, which leads to a struggle with air leaks and heat generation. Despite the challenges, she manages to pressurize the pot and hopes for a successful result, acknowledging the complexity and the need for practice in the casting process.

15:05

🎨 Unveiling the Casting and Reflecting on the Adventure

Marietta unveils the casting after a period of pressure and is pleasantly surprised by the clear, bubble-free result. She reflects on the challenges faced during the tutorial, including the struggle with the pressure pot and the importance of patience and practice. She concludes by expressing gratitude to her viewers, encouraging subscription and engagement, and providing links to the materials and equipment used in the tutorial. The video ends on a positive note, with Marietta looking forward to the next adventure in the world of resin casting.

Keywords

💡Bubble Free Casting

Bubble free casting refers to the process of creating a clear, transparent cast without any air bubbles trapped inside. This is a crucial aspect of the video's theme, as the tutorial aims to teach viewers how to achieve a professional-looking result using urethane resin. The script emphasizes the importance of this technique, with the host sharing her own experiences and mistakes to guide viewers on how to avoid bubbles in their casting projects.

💡Urethane Resin

Urethane resin is a type of casting material known for its clarity and durability. In the script, it is the primary material used for the casting tutorial. The host mentions its sensitivity to moisture, which is a key factor in achieving a bubble-free result. The explanation of urethane resin's properties and how it reacts to mixing and pressure is central to understanding the casting process described in the video.

💡Moisture

Moisture is identified as a critical factor that can ruin a casting project if not properly managed. The video script discusses the various forms of moisture that need to be avoided, such as air moisture, moisture in the lines, and moisture in the materials. The host shares examples of failed castings due to moisture contamination, illustrating the importance of a dry environment for successful casting.

💡Pressure Pot

A pressure pot is a piece of equipment used in the casting process to remove air bubbles from the resin by applying pressure. The script describes the pressure pot as essential for achieving a bubble-free finish. The host's struggle with the pressure pot during the tutorial highlights the challenges and the necessity of using this equipment correctly to ensure the quality of the cast.

💡Mold

The mold is the form or container into which the resin is poured to create the cast. The script emphasizes the importance of preparing the mold properly, ensuring it is free from dust and impurities. The mold's condition directly affects the final appearance of the cast, making it a key concept in the video's casting tutorial.

💡Mixing Ratio

The mixing ratio refers to the precise amounts of resin components that need to be combined for the casting process. The script mentions the importance of following the manufacturer's instructions for mixing ratios, as incorrect ratios can lead to failed castings. The host uses a gram scale to measure the resin, demonstrating the precision required for a successful mix.

💡Exothermic Reaction

An exothermic reaction is a chemical reaction that releases heat. In the context of the video, the host explains that the resin hardening process is exothermic, meaning it generates heat. This is important for viewers to understand, as it influences the pouring technique and the materials that can be used in the mold, to avoid melting or other issues.

💡D-Molding Time

D-molding time refers to the duration for which the cast must remain under pressure to ensure a bubble-free and properly set result. The script mentions a d-molding time of four hours, indicating the host's preference for a longer wait to guarantee the quality of the cast. This term is significant for understanding the curing process of the resin.

💡Contamination

Contamination in the script refers to the presence of unwanted substances, such as moisture or dust, that can negatively affect the clarity and quality of the cast. The host provides examples of contaminated casts, emphasizing the need for a clean and controlled environment during the casting process.

💡Adventurous

The term adventurous is used by the host to describe her approach to the casting process, which includes experimenting and learning from mistakes. The script portrays the tutorial as an adventure, with the host sharing unexpected challenges and lessons, making the term relevant to the overall narrative and message of the video.

Highlights

Marietta introduces a bubble-free casting tutorial using urethane resin.

She shares her adventure in the resin world and invites viewers to comment and watch the videos.

Marietta discusses the importance of avoiding moisture in the casting process to prevent defects.

Examples of casting mistakes due to moisture contamination are shown.

The tutorial emphasizes the need for a perfectly smooth and dust-free mold preparation.

Avoiding moisture at all costs is stressed as a key step in casting with urethane.

Marietta explains the importance of following product directions and measuring materials by weight for accuracy.

Thorough mixing of the resin components is highlighted as a crucial step for a successful cast.

The use of a pressure pot is identified as essential for removing bubbles in the resin.

Maintaining pressure throughout the hardening process is necessary for a bubble-free result.

The exothermic reaction of the resin, which causes it to heat up during hardening, is explained.

Marietta advises keeping the entire cast under pressure until demolding.

She suggests starting small and experimenting with the casting process before moving on to larger projects.

The tutorial includes a live demonstration of the casting process, including mold preparation and resin mixing.

Marietta faces challenges with the pressure pot, providing a candid view of the difficulties in the casting process.

The importance of patience and proper technique when using a pressure pot is discussed.

The successful result of a bubble-free and clear casting is revealed, showcasing the outcome of the tutorial.

Marietta reflects on the challenges faced and the lessons learned during the tutorial.

She encourages viewers to subscribe and stay updated with her channel for more content.

Transcripts

hello my friends I am Marietta and I

welcome you to Marietta's our channel I

have a treat for you something

unexpected you'll have to find out as we

go along today I will be sharing with

you a bubble free casting tutorial using

urethane resin so let's go I thought

this would be a simple video but of

course not knowing me I went on an

adventure and I'm still looking forward

to you commenting on it and watching the

videos so you know what I'm talking

about

but here we go another adventure in the

resin world

before we venture into my casting room

which is my vacuum pressure pot room I'd

like to share with you a few mistakes

that I made so this doesn't happen to

you that's why I want to share with you

some of those steps to ensure you don't

do what I did because I didn't follow

all the roles and I'm kind of that way I

don't follow rules so if there's grass

and it says do not step on the grass

I'll step on the grass to see what

happens so probably you don't want to do

that with casting because it's expensive

and takes time and a lot of equipment so

don't be like me with that here are some

really perfect examples of what happened

when I wasn't careful with moisture

Moisture is probably one of the most

important things to keep in mind that's

moisture in the air moisture in the

lines moisture in any of the materials

while placing inside so here's what

happens when moisture is get into your

pressure pot or your material I'm gonna

lift this up this was a heartbreak this

was a big one and I looked at it looked

pretty clear and everything but then I

noticed this little white spot right

there that was not something I could use

and I used a lot of material and it was

a heartbreak this one right here I I

don't know actually still what happened

but there's a bunch of bubbles on the

sides and it's a rough edge I think I

probably moved the material before I put

the pressure pot on before it really got

to work so it's slushed around maybe on

the inside so one of the things to know

is when you pour the material you

definitely did not want flushing inside

the pressure pod because it will cover

the edges of your mold and it will make

these unsightly stains obviously you can

sandpapered them off but who wants to do

that if you don't have to right and here

are some other perfect examples of

contamination with moisture it just

turns white it's not clear and it's like

that's not what you want but there it is

there just unsightly unusable pieces and

I'm looking at that I go oh that's kind

of cool but it's moon I don't think

that's what we want to do you we want to

have a bubble free but also a clear

impression and none of those are edge so

I learned a lot I wasted a bunch of

material and I'll show you how not to do

that as I said before I'm gonna go over

the eight steps as quickly as I can and

so that you understand it's so important

to follow each one the first thing

that's super important is to prep your

mold make sure there's no dust in it I

use alcohol wipes and avoid any kind of

dust any impurities inside it needs to

be perfectly smooth and free of any

particles anything that you place inside

the mold like flowers or whatever you

want you want it to be really super dry

and that takes us to number two avoid

moisture at all costs that's the most

sensitive part of urethane and we're

using urethane to cast width which is

probably the most sensitive material as

far as moisture is concerned in the

casting materials but I love the alumina

clear slow sad because it gives you

working time so you can add any

colorants or any other materials into

the mold but at the same time that

moisture sensitivity is super major

the next number three is super important

that you follow the directions you

really need to know your product

illuminate clear and like epoxy resins

it's actually measured by weight I use a

gram scale and I'll show to you when we

go to our casting room and grams are a

lot more accurate than ounces so you

want to measure it in grams and it's

super sensitive to that if you don't

measure it exactly right one to one

ratio and volume is totally different

than the weight so it will mix properly

it won't harden right there might be

other issues that I don't even know

about because that's something I did did

pay attention to to begin with the

fourth one is to really make sure that

when you do mix the material you mix it

thoroughly you mix the size you make

sure you scratch the bottom with it you

cannot be more careful with that

that's super important number five you

definitely have to use a pressure pot I

have tried all different ways not to

have bubbles and really there is no way

to be bubble free except using a

pressure pot now well that pressure pod

does it removes the bubbles in a way

that's not removing them from the actual

resin what it does it makes them tiny

tiny so you cannot see them it basically

compresses the bubbles to the place

where they're not visible by the naked

eye so they're still in there you have

to understand that the pressure has to

be on the entire time that the material

is hardening because if you take the

pressure off the material the bubbles

will start getting bigger again and you

won't end up with a bubble free the

solution so so you definitely have to

keep that on there as long as your

urethane is hardening

the entire time so you have to know your

product I use 40 to 60 psi as far as the

pressure inside the pressure pot for

small castings larger one needs about 80

so my pressure bot goes up to 90 and I

go less than that I go 80 and that's

safe and I don't want to exceed the

maximum safety arrangement with my

pressure pot but it's really important

to keep the pressure up so I just go a

little higher it doesn't hurt anything

and it maintains the pressure the whole

time

number six is super important that you

know is that as the material hardens

it's an exothermic reaction so what that

means is that the material gets super

hot so when you pour it in pour it

really slowly understand your material

don't put anything that will melt inside

because you'll be really disappointed

number seven it's important to keep the

whole item under pressure until it's

ready to D mold that is my thing that I

do I don't think it's necessary but it

ensures bubble-free castings I don't

know when after the setting is done and

the initial set whether the bubbles

would get bigger again if you took the

pressure off so I just leave it for four

hours that's the D molding time and I

feel really safe with that and I don't

want to play around with ruining my

material because I've done that before

and then the last thing which is number

II start small experiment make sure

everything is set to the standards I

just mentioned you don't want to use a

bunch of material and then I haven't go

white on you or have bubbles or some

imperfections in there so just learn how

to do it first before you start with a

huge globe or a huge paperweight or

whatever it is let's venture into my

pressure pot room and casting room and

I'll go over some of these things and

show you how to do it

how are in my casting room and I know

there's a little echo in here because

it's really a laundry room and it's all

hard material but here's a scale that

I'm going to be using there's a link

below to that scale it's a really great

scale it's not announces I put it into

grams and here is the slow set

illuminate a and B and I will be

measuring it by weight so that's the

next step

[Music]

I started wet with nine grams so now I

have to figure out how much to add of

the B solution the next one I'm going to

be adding is Part B at 220 grams so I

have to really watch the scale

[Music]

we have 15 minutes I'm gonna move this

over

[Music]

because we have their little limited

time and I don't want to be mucking up

the mold I'm gonna place this in there

so we can take it out easily and I'm

gonna put the mold in here and it's

already been leveled

it's very level it's very important I'm

going to go ahead and pour this in while

it's in there because I do not want it

to move and we have a little bit out of

time

there are little bubbles for me I hope

you can see it it's hard to film and I'm

going to fill it up to almost the edge

[Music]

what I'd like to do is remove some of

these bubbles from the very surface I

find if I don't do that a lot of those

for some reasons stick around but I got

to get this pressure on before it starts

setting up on me so we've got a couple

more minutes of playing around with this

thing

[Music]

all right looks pretty good no huge

bubbles left I already have the pressure

pad ready to go and my compressor is

pressurized all right so it's important

to tie it every other this always makes

me nervous

[Music]

the goal is to tighten it up so there's

no air exchange

[Music]

I have to tell you that I have never

encountered such difficulty with this

pressure pot I know I don't have it

threw it into the table and I should

definitely it would make it easier but

oh my gosh I had to unscrew it and screw

it back up the entire time that it was

pressurized there was air escaping and

hissing and I was really concerned about

my neighbor next door that they would be

hearing the sound of the press are

constantly going but I made it through

nobody called me

nobody was knocking at my door he angry

so I made it through but man that was

not fun and I will definitely have to

change what I'm doing the other thing

that I noticed that the base of the lid

of the pressure pot had a bunch of

moisture gathered around it it was

actually having water drops come down

and the compressor was getting really

hot because I could not close the

pressure pad so it kept going on and on

I was concerned about the heat

generation man this is not so easy and a

lot of people on YouTube and when you

look at these compressors they make it

look so easy but it really isn't and it

requires a lot of practice and doing all

the right things to the pressure pot so

that this does not happen

because there was so much condensation

of water around the lid of the pressure

pot I was very concerned about the

moisture getting inside their pressure

pot and ruining my mold that I worked so

hard to make it right and show you how

to do it right it's kind of embarrassing

after 20 minutes of struggle the resin

still looks runny so I'm hopeful that

this is not a total waste

we'll see Wow I have to say that was

totally exhausting being a small person

and having a strength issue plus my

pressure pot and I'd be bound to the

table makes it really difficult for me

to pressurize and sometimes it's easy

sometimes it just happens but sometimes

it doesn't and you just thought what

happened I really had a hard time with

it I finally did it but it took a really

long time so we'll just have to see how

this all works I was only able to

pressurize it to 50 to 60 and it's not a

huge casting so I think it'll be okay

but I'm telling ya I need an elf I need

a strong elf or something or maybe II

just

down to my table right well it's time

for the unveiling we'll see I turned the

pressure off I am removed any kind of

pressure that's in the pressure pot I

saved us some time so let's lift this up

and get it done so first we gotta undo

these

[Music]

I got to live some weights that's it for

sure

[Music]

[Music]

here we go the big unveiling

[Music]

Wow it looks pretty darn good shocking

see if I can get it up there it looks

pretty clear I cannot believe it I'm not

gonna separate it for another couple

hours it's been only a couple hours

right now I'd like to wait for our wait

before I can take it out of the hole so

they do molding time is four hours and

that's when a good await or maybe even

longer so we'll see that well it

promised you an adventure and I

delivered one maybe it's not the one you

expected but it was kind of funny and

embarrassing at the same time but I

wanted to share it with you just because

art isn't always easy and it's not what

you expect sometimes so now we're gonna

go to my studio and unveil the product

I'm hoping the paperweight will be clear

and the casting is really perfect

without bubbles I'm down in my studio

and we're ready for that nailing so

let's take a look

[Music]

I can't believe how well this turned out

it's totally bubble free it's beautiful

I don't deserve it because of what I did

and struggled with the pressure pot but

I guess I'm a lucky girl right

[Music]

as you can see there was nothing simple

about this tutorial I was hoping it

would be as you know and it wasn't so I

hope you enjoyed it and you liked my

adventure and you learned a lot from it

I know I did and if you liked it please

subscribe and hit that Bell so you know

when my videos come out and that way

you're notified also my website is down

there and also there are links to all

the materials I used today including the

equipment I kind of which her the

equipment and is wonderful equipment so

don't take what I did is this is how it

is because it really isn't with that I

want to thank you so much Bob dodging

who yet thank you so much in Polish

happy RTing until the next time

you