Just poured glass cast 3 on our utility floor. It was my wife’s idea after seeing penny floors but we clay shoot and wanted to try it with shotgun cartridges. Felt like the job we wished we’d never started but so glad we did.

One question. There’s an area we aren’t covering as it’s not got cartridges in. There’s been a bit of overrun onto it which we’ve smoothed as best we can but until it levels not sure what it will look like. If we want to tidy up the edge what’s the best? Stanley knife, sandpaper, or something else? It’s mostly hidden so not too worried but just being a bit of a perfectionist.

In case anyone wants to try some things we learned. BTW if you don’t shoot, clay grounds have bins of the things and may let you have them.

Separating the brass. Small electric hot plate on medium setting. Max 5-10 cartridges at a time and use two pliers to pull apart when the glue starts to go soft. Saw someone on YouTube doing this with finger in end to hold the cartridge. Don’t do this! Not all propellant is burned when cartridge fires and some of ours definitely popped when in the hot plate. Won’t explode but wouldn’t want a finger in there.

For 2.5 m2 I think we needed around 3,500 cartridges using tile spacers. More if you but them up to each other which we might do if we do it ever again. Make sure the cartridges are dry or the rust. The brass isn’t all brass but a very thin layer over steel so also be careful polishing/ grouting.

Use the same size cartridges. We used 12bore and different brands are different heights. You’ll find out which you prefer when you see them.

Original concrete floor areas ridged so we used self levelling compound to smooth.

Grout was mapei ready mix grey cement/ grout from Wickes. Amazed how much we needed and the first layer cracked as the gaps were bigger than normal tile spacing due to the cartridges being round. Also took a long time to dry. However we left it to fully dry and then did another layer. Then a final layer just to get it all level.

When all dry we then mixed and poured the glass cast 3. Now waiting for it to to dry. Fingers crossed but so far we’re happy.

If we did it again we’d but the cartridge up to each other instead of using spacers and we’d get all the cartridges done and the lay in one go. We laid then as we had them and so we have some irregular gaps. Still, we’re happy with the job and you learn as you go.

Quick question. We found a minor blemish and ware wondering how to fix. We’d left it over 48 hours at around 20degrees but one part doesn’t seem to have set and left a mark a couple of mm wife and about 20mm long.
Do I sand a bit and refill?

Sounds like a nice project.  Post up some pictures when it is done.

In terms of the overspill, once the resin has gone fully hard, it would need to be mechanically cut or abraded away to remove the excess.  Depending on how you intent to finish that area would determine how you go from there.

I would get some heat from a fan heater or similar on the part cured bit - the heat may be enough to drive it to cure. 

If that doesn't work, if it is just tacky, wipe with meths and give it a light sand and you may cut through the tack and be able to polish it back up.  If the resin is soft or liquid, it needs digging out back to hard resin.  You can do a small infill in that area once it has been keyed to 120 grit and thoroughly cleaned. You will get a very slight join line between the new and old due to height difference.  You can sand this smooth and polish the area back to a gloss and the repair should blend in nicely.

Warren Penalver
Easy Composites / Carbon Mods - Technical Support Assistant

Thanks Warren!