Skulldigger
Member
I am in the middle of an experiment and probably against my better judgement I am going to share with you guys. If it is a success I will be glad I did, if it's a flop I well, will just have a flop...lol.
I am in need of a glass lens that stands a low chance of actually being found. So I am trying to create one with a strong polyester resin. I am using a molding material called Amazing Remelt, which creates a gel mold for casting. So far it seems to be going well. I experimented on a few other objects before I started on this lens.
This is the lens I am trying to reproduce. It is a 1940' - 50's glass Cats Eye bullet lens. You can find these everywhere in 2-1/4" to 2-3/4" but this one is 4" in diameter at the base. Probably only made for the Sireno R5R siren/light combo.
You actually melt the molding material in the microwave. I made a form and filled the lens up with clay and placed it in the mold as you see it sitting in the picture above. Then I slowly poured the material over the lens and filled up the mold.Took about 3-1/2 pounds of material to cover it. After it dried over night I took the clay out of the lens and cleaned it up, then I cut a piece of plastic to act as a divider and laid it over the top. Then I poured more molding material to fill the inside of the lens and cover the top with about 1/2" of material. After it dried, again over night I removed the lens. The mold looked perfect !
The I mixed up the resin and poured it into the space in the mold and filled it up about 3/4 of the way. The slowly put the center in making sure the resin was distributing evenly, especially around the lip of the lens. It has been in there for 24 hours now and I just removed the form.
Here is the mold after removal from the form.
It has been in there 24 hours now and as the resin is hardening and you can actually see the lens developing inside. It's like taking a sonogram of a baby !
Here we can see the base of the lens, it is very round and the lip appears to have formed completely. There is visual distortion because of the material, but it looks to be correct.
And here is the other end, check out that detail ! I am lighting it form the other side.
The bubbles are in the mold not in the resin. Shining the light through it I see no bubbles at all in the resin!
I added some red dye to the resin as I was mixing it so I am hoping it comes out red. If not I will use some glass paint to color it from inside. Keep your fingers crossed for me ! This could open up some real possibilities not only for small lenses but for small parts as well.
I am in need of a glass lens that stands a low chance of actually being found. So I am trying to create one with a strong polyester resin. I am using a molding material called Amazing Remelt, which creates a gel mold for casting. So far it seems to be going well. I experimented on a few other objects before I started on this lens.
This is the lens I am trying to reproduce. It is a 1940' - 50's glass Cats Eye bullet lens. You can find these everywhere in 2-1/4" to 2-3/4" but this one is 4" in diameter at the base. Probably only made for the Sireno R5R siren/light combo.
You actually melt the molding material in the microwave. I made a form and filled the lens up with clay and placed it in the mold as you see it sitting in the picture above. Then I slowly poured the material over the lens and filled up the mold.Took about 3-1/2 pounds of material to cover it. After it dried over night I took the clay out of the lens and cleaned it up, then I cut a piece of plastic to act as a divider and laid it over the top. Then I poured more molding material to fill the inside of the lens and cover the top with about 1/2" of material. After it dried, again over night I removed the lens. The mold looked perfect !
The I mixed up the resin and poured it into the space in the mold and filled it up about 3/4 of the way. The slowly put the center in making sure the resin was distributing evenly, especially around the lip of the lens. It has been in there for 24 hours now and I just removed the form.
Here is the mold after removal from the form.
It has been in there 24 hours now and as the resin is hardening and you can actually see the lens developing inside. It's like taking a sonogram of a baby !
Here we can see the base of the lens, it is very round and the lip appears to have formed completely. There is visual distortion because of the material, but it looks to be correct.
And here is the other end, check out that detail ! I am lighting it form the other side.
The bubbles are in the mold not in the resin. Shining the light through it I see no bubbles at all in the resin!
I added some red dye to the resin as I was mixing it so I am hoping it comes out red. If not I will use some glass paint to color it from inside. Keep your fingers crossed for me ! This could open up some real possibilities not only for small lenses but for small parts as well.