Buzzkill Posted November 2, 2018 Share Posted November 2, 2018 17 hours ago, GrumpyBiker said: It’s both a success & a failure. I'd consider that more of a success than a failure. I like the effect and the finish you put on the surface looks good to me. I'm looking forward to what you do next. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted November 2, 2018 Share Posted November 2, 2018 That should work Grumpy, I don't recall the brand but I picked up a similar resin for table / counter, etc. tops to stabilize wood for knife handles at Home Depot. It set with little change in color to the wood. Once I sanded it it didn't even look wet and will need something else to shine it up when I finish. I agree with Buzz, that's more success than failure. I like the effect you got with the Scotch brite, I wouldn't have thought of it. A couple folks on the old Artmetal email list were making sheet micarta and paper from dryer lint. They controlled color by separating what they dried. IIRC they were making shades for some seriously artistic custom lamps. Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GrumpyBiker Posted November 2, 2018 Author Share Posted November 2, 2018 Frosty- I ordered it & will try again with the blue Scotch Brite pad next week. thanks for the direction & advice. Buzz- I just glued up a handle of layered Micarta but it’s not on a G-rated opener so perhaps I can edit the photo in this manor..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GrumpyBiker Posted November 4, 2018 Author Share Posted November 4, 2018 My first attempt at layered Micarta. Not really what I was hoping for. once the clear casting resin arrives I’ll make some more and hope the layers will be more visible. In the end even though it’s not as visually interesting as I’d hoped it is a nice material. Just learning the speed at which the resin starts to melt & staying under that was tricky as each tool was different. For those who’ve worked with it is there a proper way to finish it once it’s shaped? Do you oil it, polish it , seal it ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted November 4, 2018 Share Posted November 4, 2018 Buff it with white compound. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GrumpyBiker Posted November 4, 2018 Author Share Posted November 4, 2018 Slow speed ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GrumpyBiker Posted November 5, 2018 Author Share Posted November 5, 2018 Slow speed or hand buffing? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buzzkill Posted November 5, 2018 Share Posted November 5, 2018 On 11/4/2018 at 1:34 PM, GrumpyBiker said: For those who’ve worked with it is there a proper way to finish it once it’s shaped? Just sand it until you're happy with the finish. It's already sealed. The stuff is impervious to water so there's no need to wax, oil, or otherwise coat it. If you feel you need to put a really high finish on it just don't stay on the buffer for long. Mine isn't variable speed so I just limit it to short sessions. Any more I don't take it past about 1000 grit finish and just wipe it down with a wet paper towel to clean it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted November 5, 2018 Share Posted November 5, 2018 Very light touch on the buffer as you do NOT want to heat up the surface! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GrumpyBiker Posted November 8, 2018 Author Share Posted November 8, 2018 The clear resin arrived & I got it in the mold yesterday. The setup time is longer. It popped out of the mold after tapping on the sides with a rubber mallet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GrumpyBiker Posted November 8, 2018 Author Share Posted November 8, 2018 Much more blue than the last batch. And the clear resin is certainly clear ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Donal Harris Posted December 29, 2018 Share Posted December 29, 2018 Cool thread. I have been wanting to try making micarta for a long time but never knew how to even begin. And in G rated terms, can you say what the naughty bit is? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted December 29, 2018 Share Posted December 29, 2018 A finial end that could be mistaken for a weapon too easily. Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GrumpyBiker Posted December 29, 2018 Author Share Posted December 29, 2018 It has been decided by the powers that be that it is a beer can opener end. So henceforth and forevermore let it be known as such . Evidently I had too much pressure on the form while it was setting up. The scratch pad didn’t have much resin over the top and when I tried to polish it the plastic kept interfering. I love how vibrant the color is but I had to shoot some marine grade urethane on to get the Micarta to hold its shine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted December 29, 2018 Share Posted December 29, 2018 I like the look Grumpy, maybe wet sanding will save the plastic? Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GrumpyBiker Posted December 29, 2018 Author Share Posted December 29, 2018 I had 2000gr wet sanding paper but the clear resin I bought ( and maybe it’s just the brand I bought) is rather soft. Much more so than the fiberglass resin I used on the others. I can’t figure if small pieces of the scratch pad were coming off & causing further scratches on the resin.. It was frustrating but until I post this thread I not only had zero experience with making Micarta, I had zero experience with it period. It was a totally new thing for me but I wanted to at least try to make some. The Green on Black layered Micarta came out nice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted December 29, 2018 Share Posted December 29, 2018 I have to drive into Anchorage to find anything but laminating resins but discovered the stuff you can buy at the big box stores like Home Depot for finishing table, counter, etc. tops cures nice and hard and is clear. I don't think gel coat would work but without having given it a try don't know. I like the green and black too. The two tone blue is nice if a little light for my taste but I'm a fan of curling too. So . . . Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Donal Harris Posted December 30, 2018 Share Posted December 30, 2018 It looks a bit like Jello and makes me think of my grandmother’s Formica table and kitchen countertops for some reason. It needs nickel silver bolsters I think. I like the layered micarta and wood scales better. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GrumpyBiker Posted December 30, 2018 Author Share Posted December 30, 2018 These were some of the last ones I finished. The “beer can opener” with blue scratch pad Micarta didn’t turn out too bad. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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