Which resin best for faux tortoiseshell....?

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Which resin best for faux tortoiseshell....?

Author	Message
Misterkevster	Misterkevster posted 8 Years Ago HOT Topic Details
Group: Forum Members Posts: 7, Visits: 101	Hi folks ....hoping to make some faux tortoiseshell sheet material, and it seems that epoxy is the way! Ideally, sheets would be app. 20cm by 12cm, and thickness being in the region of 0.7mm. Possibly using an amber resin base, with drops of resin pre-coloured in browns/black. Had the idea of using a float glass bed, with cling film applied, (to form the sheet) and perhaps hairspray as a releasing agent....but this all from info. I've picked up on the net! ....So....which resin would members recommend, along with any tips on colouring?? BTW....I'm making a pickguard for a flat top acoustic guitar....like this....! ....any thoughts much appreciated! I've just realised I've gone straight to something specific...when the idea was to say hello...."Hello!!" Many thanks Kev
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*VVS*	*VVS* posted 8 Years Ago HOT Post Details
Group: Moderators Posts: 226, Visits: 334	hi Kev. Not 100% on the best resin to use as i would think most would be usable. i say this as im sure original tortoiseshell would be a hot press of some kind maybe melamine or similar, i maybe wrong though. Ive hot pressed melamine before at work , also pressed polypropylene and its a fairly simple process. If you are going to work with epoxy resin a useful piece of info could be that hardener turns brown with age, think its oxidation and so if you can get old of some samples of different ages you could use them to colour the plate to varying degrees.
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Warren (Staff)	Warren (Staff) posted 8 Years Ago HOT Post Details
Group: Administrators Posts: 2.5K, Visits: 8K	Our GlassCast Clear Epoxy Surface Resin is a good Epoxy casting resin for thinner castings upto 15mm (which you don't really need to make it that thick) butalso is much better at self-levelling and expelling trapped air for a betterclear finish. It is highly UVresistant and can be easily pigmented. In terms of getting the actual coloured effect in your picture, thatwould need some practice and experimentation. When I have seen similar mixedcolour resins, people have mixed 2 batches, each different colours, and pouredit into the mould in various places, then used fine sticks and implements tomix the two colours until the desired artistic effect is achieved. Warren Penalver Easy Composites / Carbon Mods - Technical Support Assistant Edited 8 Years Ago by Warren (Staff)
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Misterkevster	Misterkevster posted 8 Years Ago HOT Post Details
Group: Forum Members Posts: 7, Visits: 101	Warren (Staff) (24/06/2016) Our XCR Epoxy Coating Resin is a good Epoxy casting resin for thinner castings upto 15mm ...... Thanks.....but concerned about any residual 'blue' colour once cured!! Amber....or straw colour wouldn't be a problem though! Could I also consider EL2....or Glass Cast perhaps? Kev Edited 8 Years Ago by Misterkevster
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Warren (Staff)	Warren (Staff) posted 8 Years Ago HOT Post Details
Group: Administrators Posts: 2.5K, Visits: 8K	GlassCast would be the better resin to go for in that sense. It can also be easily pigmented to the colour you need and can be easily sanded and shaped if needs be after curing. Warren Penalver Easy Composites / Carbon Mods - Technical Support Assistant
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Misterkevster	Misterkevster posted 8 Years Ago HOT Post Details
Group: Forum Members Posts: 7, Visits: 101	Given that......"GlassCast® can be poured at thicknesses from just 1mm to very thick 15mm sections" ......how might a thickness of 0.5mm to 0.7mm work out......suppose I really need to experiment!? Oh....have found tints available on website.....described as useful for translucent effect! ....could also use opaque colouring....is that also available??
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Warren (Staff)	Warren (Staff) posted 8 Years Ago HOT Post Details
Group: Administrators Posts: 2.5K, Visits: 8K	I suspect the cure time would increase significantly on such a thin section but you should still be able to get it to cure eventually. You could try the epoxy compatible West & Senior pigments. Warren Penalver Easy Composites / Carbon Mods - Technical Support Assistant
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