Cold Cast Resin

[jacksparrow1979]

Do many people still use cold cast resin these days? I've love all the old figures I'm getting at the moment from company's like Celtic Miniatures & Bonapartes. The casting is so crisp and clear. Some are almost too good to paint!

 

[Steve]

First let me say that your enthusiasm and interest in figures is inspiring, Peter. All resin is "cold cast". So yes, most manufacturers use this material if they produce resin products. "Cold cast" in my experience refers to objects which are cast in resin mixed with metallic powders, such as bronze, giving the appearance of having been poured from hot bronze, without the necessary equipment to heat and pour and also without the weight of cast bronze. If I am mistaken about this and there is a process for other than cold cast with resin, the Planeteers will let us know.

 

[carl reid]

Hi Steve

You are correct, cold cast refers to cold cast bronze and cold cast porcerlain. Anything that does not require a heat source to cure or pour. The resin Boneparte's use is, I think, polyester! This a very unstable product and can and sometimes will distort. It's the resin that giftware manufactures use. Purely because of cost. it's CHEAP!!! and if you load it with filler powders it's even cheaper. If you drop it on a concrete florr it will shatter. Where as PU will survive the fall, in the most part!

Carl

 

[jacksparrow1979]

Hi Steve

You are correct, cold cast refers to cold cast bronze and cold cast porcerlain. Anything that does not require a heat source to cure or pour. The resin Boneparte's use is, I think, polyester! This a very unstable product and can and sometimes will distort. It's the resin that giftware manufactures use. Purely because of cost. it's CHEAP!!! and if you load it with filler powders it's even cheaper. If you drop it on a concrete florr it will shatter. Where as PU will survive the fall, in the most part!

Carl

Yeah the older Bonapartes pieces have that "porcerlain" feel to them. Cold to the touch as well.

 

[Einion]

Purely because of cost. it's CHEAP!!! and if you load it with filler powders it's even cheaper.

Yeah I was surprised to find that out when researching casting - both marble dust and metal powders are cheaper than (most, all?) casting resins so it actually pays to increase the proportion for giftware/collectible makers.

Einion