By simmyoto - 9/13/2017 1:44:18 PM
Hi guys,
Many thanks in advance for the assistance- I am not actually making any of the amazing composite structures that you all create and have a fairly simple question.
I am a hobbyist bladesmith and part of this involves the use of pins to attach handle sides or scales to full tang knives.
I would like to start making my own "mosaic" pins rather than buying them in.. The concept is simply to have a small diameter metal tube (usually brass 8mm od) and insert into said tube various other rods / tubes etc of varying sizes and materials such as brass, stainess steel, copper, aluminium etc and then draw a resin through the tube / mosaic before allowing to set.
Once cut into sections and used as a knife pin the "end grain" mosaic pattern is then visible and usually polished to highlight the internal mosaic structure.
I spoke with e.c. tech support who recommended glass cast as it is castable in a thickness that i require (8mm max), polish-able, low viscosity and able to be tinted with various colours -my only concern is that it does not fair very well with heat and that part of the bladesmithing process includes sanding the handle / pin to shape which can obviously build up heat.
I have seen the EL160 htd resin which seems that it would fair better heat wise but only after post-cure- my concern with this is that the materials i am using (brass, aluminium, stainless steel etc) will have different expansion properties and would likely create bonding flaws due to this.
The final "strength" of the pin is not actually much of an issue- the outer brass tube alone meets the required criteria so the internal mosaic filling is purely decorative.
Does anyone have any insight into other options available to me?
Kindest regards.
Rob
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By Dravis - 9/22/2017 6:23:51 PM
Hi Rob,
I would prepare the epoxy in a small pot/cup, then leave it for 10-15 minutes to let the bubbles rise to the surface.
I would then assemble the rods in the tube, and use a syringe to suck up the resin from the bottom of the cup up through the tube .
Once the resin is visible in theshort piece of clear tubing plug the bottom of the tube with a small lump of wax and use the syringe to suck a bit of vacuum in the tube while keeping it upright.
That should draw any bubbles out from the "straw" into the clear tube, leving you with a "fancy pin" with no voids
Good Luck!!
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