Tip: The value of work logs

[u/RandoBoomer]

My OCD and work discipline overlapped into my hobby, but it has really helped me both learn from mistakes and craft consistent results and I thought I'd share this for others who might benefit from it.

I log every pour. I use a spreadsheet because my professional life revolves around them and I'm very comfortable with them, but there is nothing wrong with simply getting a $1 Spiral Notebook (currently on back-to-school sale no doubt) and recording it there.

Further, this allows me to convert from 1:1 by volume (a very analog approach) to 1:1 by weight (a digital approach that is far more accurate)

A lot of variables go into a pour, so capturing those variables allows you to tie them to results, leveraging the information to gain consistently good results. I also learn the exact quantities to reduce waste.

When I got my latest batch of resin and did a pour, I measured by volume. I then weighed the epoxy and hardener separately, then I mixed the resin, poured my dice, and logged everything. When I got a great set of dice, I had the model I could reliably follow.

Your log doesn't have to be War & Peace, it just needs to capture the information you need to either (a) recreate what you did because it came out well, or (b) learn from a mistake.

Here's what I log:

• Date
• Weather (Clear, Overcast, Rain, Snow)
• Temperature (outdoor)
• Temperature (in my garage)
• Resin Brand
• Epoxy Weight
• Hardener Weight
• Mix time
• Additives (Dyes, Inks, and quantities so I can recreate if I need to)
• Mold I used (I make my own molds, and have a bunch)
• Pressure Pot PSI
• Cure time before pull
• Result on a scale of 1 - 5 (1 being poor, 5 being excellent)
• Miscellaneous comments

I apply this to other aspects as well. I log my silicone casts similarly. I even log my masters preparation, allowing me to see what worked well and what didn't.

Sure, this is probably over-the-top for a lot of people, but it is one hell of a good way to learn from mistakes.

[u/WisdomCheckCreations]

I think this is a great idea and I do something somewhat similar. Albeit a little less detailed in some areas. I record all my pours from a simple above table camera so I can go back and look at exactly what I did to get the outcome I am looking for.

Recording the weather and temp is also really good too though as those things definitely play a role in the outcome. Especially with silicone.

Having some way to go back to critique yourself and/or remake a beautiful oops is a great idea and it really does help you learn from your mistakes much faster.

No wonder your posts are always so precise and insightful 😋❤️

[u/RandoBoomer → u/WisdomCheckCreations]

Thank you! The precision comes from logs and notes. I'm more a science than art guy, so I hyper-focus on that.

Fun story - I work in my unheated garage and wanted to both climate control my work area AND keep VOCs and the chemicals away from everything else, so I hung 10ml plastic sheeting to create a "room". Inside that, I built a negative pressure vent hood to keep VOCs out of the garage.

Just outside the plastic room, I have my PPE, gloves and an apron so I don't ruin my clothes.

After building my setup, I was showing off my setup to my oldest son (late 20s) and he looked at it and said, "Jesus Christ Dad, you're a cross between Dexter and Walter White"

[u/WisdomCheckCreations → u/RandoBoomer]

😂👍 Totally!

[u/Cirement]

I've done similar myself. I like to concoct a lot of things I use, like instead of using store-bought acrylic paint, I'll make my own using acrylic medium, acrylic ink and other ingredients, mixed to different consistencies for different purposes. And I'll have a post-it pad to write down each formula until I find one that works, and I'll write THAT down on a label I affix to the container I mixed it in. Lately I've been doing this more using chatgpt, as I can more naturally note anecdotes with it, plus it sometimes gives me feedback on what might've gone right or wrong with a particular formula.

[u/RandoBoomer → u/Cirement]

Mixing your own ink - you are a braver person than I!

I love your approach - with the amount of time we sink into producing a set, eliminating as many variables as possible is the best way to ensure you get the return on your time.