03-12-2010, 04:37 AM
I myself don't do resin casting at this time, but from what I've heard:
Moulds last three to four years moderately used. If you do this all the time, you have about three to six months storage without silicone spray. You'll want to keep these away from light, and keep them wet with silicone spray, but don't inhale the fumes. This causes a condition known as "silicosis" ,which causes scar tissue to form in the lungs. Whereever these droplets attach themselves will not be able to cough them out, as they are so viscous, and the body doesn't absorb them. In turn, it causes scars to form around them making it so the bodies' oxygen absorbtion is depleted. And over time if there is enough scar tissue, the body can't process enough clean blood. This makes you die of slow suffocation, and it causes necrosis (rot) within the body. Latex paints, and other products with latex in them cause this condition, so always wear protection. I learned this when I was a member of the local painters' union.
It also depends on how soft the mould is, and how often you use it. When the parts start to show a rough appearance, and distort, this is when you want to replace them. Make more than one part, so if you want to use it for casting later, you'll have it. Most moulds last around 50 uses before being worn out. Usually, most people will mark when they used their moulds, and if they don't make 50 parts, they'll sell them to someone else. It's also a good bet to make more than one mould for a backup. Colourants don't usually affect these, but you'll want to be careful - don't take any chances! I'd use a colourant if you're doing production models, and you want to mark your work as Mike Salzo does.
Resin gets hot, and it can distort after a while from repeated use. The shorter the casting time, the hotter the resin. This can lead to early failure - 20 casts less than with a slow curing resin. It all depends on what resin type, and how often you use your moulds. This will limit shelf life. If you're planning on only using the moulds you've made for only a few parts, then the shelf life will be longer. Some people have had these stored for years without damage. You might want to pull these out every six months, then make a cast, and measure it to see if the mould has distorted in any way.
Moulds last three to four years moderately used. If you do this all the time, you have about three to six months storage without silicone spray. You'll want to keep these away from light, and keep them wet with silicone spray, but don't inhale the fumes. This causes a condition known as "silicosis" ,which causes scar tissue to form in the lungs. Whereever these droplets attach themselves will not be able to cough them out, as they are so viscous, and the body doesn't absorb them. In turn, it causes scars to form around them making it so the bodies' oxygen absorbtion is depleted. And over time if there is enough scar tissue, the body can't process enough clean blood. This makes you die of slow suffocation, and it causes necrosis (rot) within the body. Latex paints, and other products with latex in them cause this condition, so always wear protection. I learned this when I was a member of the local painters' union.
It also depends on how soft the mould is, and how often you use it. When the parts start to show a rough appearance, and distort, this is when you want to replace them. Make more than one part, so if you want to use it for casting later, you'll have it. Most moulds last around 50 uses before being worn out. Usually, most people will mark when they used their moulds, and if they don't make 50 parts, they'll sell them to someone else. It's also a good bet to make more than one mould for a backup. Colourants don't usually affect these, but you'll want to be careful - don't take any chances! I'd use a colourant if you're doing production models, and you want to mark your work as Mike Salzo does.
Resin gets hot, and it can distort after a while from repeated use. The shorter the casting time, the hotter the resin. This can lead to early failure - 20 casts less than with a slow curing resin. It all depends on what resin type, and how often you use your moulds. This will limit shelf life. If you're planning on only using the moulds you've made for only a few parts, then the shelf life will be longer. Some people have had these stored for years without damage. You might want to pull these out every six months, then make a cast, and measure it to see if the mould has distorted in any way.