Got some wood that is unsuitable for turning, but has really neat spalting or figure that you don't want to throw? How about a pile of scrap pieces from your table or band saw? Use those pieces instead of throwing them to the fire!
Turn a truly unique hybrid project and use up your "found", "recycled" or scrap wood pieces. Using this silicone mold, combine your pieces with liquid resin, pressure pot, demold & start turning! This mold will hold approximately 22 to 26 oz of resin, depending on what you add to it.
- Outside Diameter: 4"
- Outside Height: 5"
- Inside Diameter: 3.50"
- Inside Height: 4.75"
- Wall Thickness: 0.25"
Possible project ideas:
- Christmas Tree
- Snowman
- Gnome
- Ornament
- Cup
- Penguin
- LED light holder
- Pedestal for Cake Stand or Platter
- or whatever you desire!
- Amount of resin needed will vary based on how much wood you use.
Simple and quick to mount with a glue hub and waste block, start turning quickly.
Recommendations:
- Only use epoxy resins (we like Total Boat tabletop epoxy resin)
- Use a pressure pot to remove air bubbles from the resin. (4 hours minimum or overnight based on what resin you use and it's cure time)
- Dried wood scraps are ideal for best results (if you have punky wood, we suggest turning using the SSCF Mini)
- We've had good results using Mica powders to tint our resin
- Turning with tailstock support is always a best practice
- Finish: we like to use a clear coat of epoxy, waterlox or similar. We find a thin coat of resins covers any imperfections and lasts forever, and is food safe if that's important for your project.
- We mount using a glue hub and waste block, because it's quick and there's no wasted wood or resin from a mortise or tenon.
- If gluing the hardwood waste block to wood, we suggest using Titebond II or similar.
- If gluing the hardwood waste block to resin, we suggest Starbond 2 Part Epoxy, and mixing away from the mating surfaces.
- Check out this link for an instructional download: How to Use Your Silicone Mold
NOT tested on urethane resin. We only use and only recommend epoxy resins.
Using a Pressure Pot with Our Silicone Molds
We strongly recommend using a pressure pot every time you pour a mold. The pressure pot compresses the air bubbles in your resin, making them so small you can’t see them. This helps you get a solid blank with little to no voids—saving time and frustration later when you’re turning.
At our shop, we use the California Air Tools 365CW Pressure Pot, which is a 5-gallon model and works great for most projects. California Air Tools also makes a 2.5-gallon and a 10-gallon version, so you can choose the size that best fits your molds and workspace. This pot can be pressurized using an air compressor with a hose that has a 1/4" quick connect fitting.
If you choose not to use a pressure pot, you may end up with bubbles or voids in your casting. These can be tricky to repair and may cause issues while turning. Using a pressure pot is the best way to ensure a clean, solid blank every time.
