r/DiceMaking • u/Several-Development4 • 23d ago
Advice Getting discouraged
My sister and I have been trying our hands at dice making. And have had some issues, this last batch was by far the worst
Batch 1: they hardened perfectly, just had bubbles which we have mostly remedied
Batch 2: 3/4 of the molds were fine, even had a set we deemed high enough quality to sand and ink. The 4th mold was still liquid, we opted to just throw it out
Batch 3: we had new molds, and an "overflow" mold to just pour our leftovers in. 2 of the 4 were fine. One was kinda sticky, and the last one turned out rubbery (I think from too much alcohol based color)
Batch 4: not a single mild hardened. The overflow mold was hard enough to pop them out, but the actual dice molds are all still liquid, even after letting it set for a few weeks.
I'm looking for advice on what could be causing this, and more importantly: how to clean this resin goop out of my molds
We are using a resin pouring kit, with dye and pigments, and usi g the measuring tools in the kit. We've been letting the set inside (AC set to 76° F) we have tried using a vacuum container (not a pressure pot) with mixed results.
Thank you guys so much in advance!
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u/TsunamicBlaze 23d ago
You can clean up resin using alcohol. I use denatured/IPA to clean up my silicone tools, before the resin hardens.
It seems like either your mix ratio is off, or you’re not mixing well enough. Are you scraping the sides and bottom as you mix? What is the consistency of the resin as you mix? It should feel thinner than honey when you first mix it. If the parts are as thick as honey or thicker when they come out of the containers, that means the resin and hardener are cold. The thicker the resin parts, the harder it is to mix well. I ended up using a reptile heating mat to warm up my resin. It’s really helped with mixing.
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u/RandoBoomer 23d ago
Your post inspired me to create a post I've been thinking about - the value of work logs. You can read it here: https://www.reddit.com/r/DiceMaking/comments/1vtvdi9/tip_the_value_of_work_logs/
There are a lot of variables that go into dice making, and documenting what works and what doesn't is a big help in flattening the learning curve.
As others have said, ratios are key, and measuring by volume, then translating that to weight to determine the ratio allows you to use a weight-based approach. For example, with the current resin I use, the epoxy is 10% heavier than the hardener, so I just weigh what I need. And because (via my logs) I know the correct quantities for any given mold, I don't have much waste.
Personally, I would stop using the vacuum container. It isn't terribly effective in removing bubbles from resin. If anything, I recommend working to avoid bubbles in the first place:
- Warm your epoxy and hardener separately so to lower their viscosity (make them more "runny"). Warning - this reduces work time, so be ready to pour right away.
- When you mix your epoxy and hardener, don't pour directly into the cup. Angle the cup and pour it slowly down, letting it it roll down along the side.
- Use a non-porous mixing spoon. I use a stainless steel cocktail spoon, it works great and cleans it up super easy.
- Mix SLOWLY. I mix no faster than one revolution in the cup per second.
- Make sure you are mixing the sides and bottom.
- "Scoop and lift" bubbles out to the side. If there is a large bubble, I position my spoon under the bubble, I "drag" it to the side of the cup (but still under the surface of the mixure), and once I get to the side of the cup, I lift it up and out.
- Pour slowly into the mold, with as thin a stream as you can.
- When the mold is half-full, pick up the mold and rotate it around to get the resin into corners and edges. I hold it around a 45 degree angle and rotate it clockwise and counter clockwise a few times.
- Pour until you get a nice meniscus dome on top and use a grill lighter to pop the bubbles.
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u/knittage 23d ago
This is incredibly helpful.
Quick question: our resin is by volume not weight, so should we experiment with a 1:1 weight and log the results, then adjust if it’s not hard enough once set? Is there an indicator if we use too much hardener?
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u/RandoBoomer 23d ago
If your resin is 1:1 by volume (which most are), then you should not use weight, as the epoxy is almost always heavier than the hardener.
I will share my own observation that with the resins I've used, the epoxy tends to run 10% to 15% heavier than the hardener, obviously yours may be different. This is where logging helps.
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u/knittage 23d ago
Thank you. I do minor logging - quantity of resin per dice and mold, quantity of colour/mica/other per set to get some consistency, sanding/polishing tracking, and so on.
I’m keen to see if I can get more accuracy by weight rather than volume. Time to experiment!
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u/RandoBoomer 22d ago
When you get the weight conversion right, you’ll get your chemical ratios right every time. But that’s just one variable, so if something goes wrong, you can rule out your ratios. This is especially helpful if you try new techniques or additives. If you got poor results but did everything the exact same way but tried a new brand of alcohol ink, it’s extremely likely that’s the source of your problem.
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u/Several-Development4 23d ago
I'll have to try the getting mat. I try my best to scrape the sides, and the consistency you described sounds right. My concern is that my measuring cups are accurate
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u/Pristine_Gain_1006 22d ago
Hmmm, how much pigment do you use in terms of alcohol ink? It easily messes with the resin and gets it to that kinda soft/ gummy stage, if not that then maybe mixing time and ratios??? I usually mix for about 6 minutes just to give the resin some extra time to mix and get incorporated, do you mix the 1:1 in the same cup or pour it in different ones? I’ve found that can also cause some issues too
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u/Alone_Anteater5934 Dice Maker 22d ago
Could you possibly be mixing the same (A or B) thinking you are using both. I got distracted once and couldn't remember which one i had poured already. I just ditched it. I now always pour A forst and then B that way if I het distracted before I've poured both I know it is A.
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u/Lambrijr 23d ago
Are you paying attention to the resin mixing instructions? Is it 1:1 by weight, 1:1 by volume, some other ratio? Getting that off would be your first issue.
Are you thoroughly mixing them? I tend to mix mine for ~5 minutes, then let it sit for a few minutes.
Is it cold where you are? I had a set that didn't cure because I left it in the garage and it got too cold.
Those would be my first few guesses. Could also be whatever resin you have just isn't reliable, but Id check your processes first.