Cast Resin user guide
Shake the bottle and mix the resin in the vat before start printing!
1. Introduction
This guide is for both Cast Purple and Cast True Blue
Cast is an affordable castable resin designed for lost wax method. Below is the recommended print setting, cleaning, curing and burn out recommendation.
We like to thank many users, including VOG (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7MDl6ZeTrME) to help each other print and cast well.
The shelf life of the resin is 2 years.
Even if it can be stored for such a long time, we still recommend that you use it in half a year.
UV Resin is a liquid sensitive to temperature, light, and time. Long-term storage will cause the components and pigment of the resin to precipitate and separate.
Please note:
Cast True Blu has dye and wax material that does not settle. however, the wax material will leak out of the print after printing. This will create a partially milky blue visual. This is perfectly normal.
Picture by BBS Metalworks
2. Before Printing
The ideal printing temperature for Cast is between 25-35C (resin temperature).
Cast is designed for MSLA printer in mind. It can work in DLP and laser SLA printer but you would need FEP film based vat. Since it is mostly for small jewllery, use the smallest build volume printer for printing
3. Print setting
Best print with recommended support setting, see below
Please download profiles base for Elegoo, Anycubic, Phrozen, Peopoly, EPAX, Creality here: Click here to download profiles
| Exposure: | ||||||||
| Recommended |
Resin Temperture 25-35C
|
Room temperature 20-25C
|
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| Printer | Layer Height | Exposure (s) | # of Initial Layers | Exposure for Init Layers | Exposure (s) | # of Initial Layers | Exposure for Init Layers | Note |
| Photon | 50um | 18 (s) | 5 | 80s | 18 (s) | 5 | 80s | |
| EPA X1 | 50um | 15 (s) | 5 | 65s | 15 (s) | 5 | 65s | |
| Photon S | 50um | 15 (s) | 5 | 65s | 15 (s) | 5 | 65s | |
| Mars | 50um | 15 (s) | 5 | 65s | 15 (s) | 5 | 65s | |
| Mars 2 Pro | 50um | 4s | 5 | 35s | 4s | 5 | 35s | |
| Mono | 50um | 3.2s | 5 | 30s | 3.2s | 5 | 30s | |
| Sonic Min 4K | 50um | 4.6s | 5 | 40s | 4.6s | 5 | 40s | |
| Please Keet Lift Speed under 50mm/min for Cast resin no matter what printer you use. | ||||||||
4. Cleaning
- Use a painter brush (or any brush made with hair) remove excess resins on the printed part with Use 95% concentrated Ethanol (preferred) or IPA to clean. Some form of methnol should work but make sure it does not contain acetone.
- After 2-3 minutes of cleaning action, remove alcohol with a hair dryer or air blower. For complex part with lots cavities, it may be a good idea to clean/dry multiple times.
- Dry as quickly as one can once the print is cleaned with compressed air
- Surface should be matte, if you see shiny spots, repeat cleaning on those spots.
- AVOID USING WASH AND CURE ALL IN ONE MACHINE
5. Post Curing
- Make sure print is completely dry before proceeding.
- It is important to fully cure Cast to ensure clean burnout.
- It is also important to ensure print does not absorb moisure as it may also affect burnout results
- We recommend putting print in glycerine to speed up curing without getting water on the print.
- Curing time varies with light fixture but most likely to be over 10 minutes and longer.
- AVOID USING WASH AND CURE ALL IN ONE MACHINE
- Fully Cured Print Should feel hard and a bit brittle
6. Investment and burn out recommendation
Our users have reported successes with Plasticast® investment by Ransom & Randolph
https://www.ransom-randolph.com/plasticast
Recommendend Burn out schedule can be found here:
https://www.ransom-randolph.com/_files/ugd/cc5f22_902ad781b4e74bf3b3d55bff34f7fe6c.pdf
Some user may have hard time finding Plasticast, here is an alternative found in UK and recommended by VOG
https://www.srs-ltd.co.uk/products/investment-powder/classic
7. Specific Gravity
Casting resins and waxes have a Specific Gravity of 1, whereas gold…
Gold Specific Gravity
Gold Type S.G.
24k Gold 19.32
18K Green 15.9
18K Yellow 15.58
18K White 14.64
18K Red 15.18
14K Yellow 13.07
14K White 12.61
14K Red 13.26
10K Green 11.03
10K Yellow 11.57
10K White 11.07
10K Red 11.59
Silver 10.49
Three ways to calculate Metal Weight for Casting (Gold as an example)
Important densities:
Cast resin density: 1.1 grams per milliliter (g/ml)
Gold density: 19.32 grams per milliliter (g/ml)
Method 1: Using slicer volume estimate
Get the volume of your print in milliliters (ml) from your slicer software.
Multiply this volume by 19.32.
The result is the estimated weight of gold needed in grams.
Formula: Gold weight (g) = Print volume (ml) × 19.32
Method 2: Using printed item weight
Weigh your printed item in grams.
Divide this weight by 1.1 to get the volume in milliliters.
Multiply this volume by 19.32.
The result is the estimated weight of gold needed in grams.
Formula: Gold weight (g) = (Printed item weight (g) ÷ 1.1) × 19.32
Method 3: Using a simple ratio
Weigh your printed item in grams.
Multiply this weight by 17.56.
The result is the estimated weight of gold needed in grams.
Formula: Gold weight (g) = Printed item weight (g) × 17.56
Note: 17.56 is the ratio of gold density to cast resin density (19.32 ÷ 1.1 = 17.56)
All methods should give you the same result. Choose the one that's easiest for you based on your available information.
8. Mechanical Properties
MSDS for Cast Resin
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1L_SanXBseVcXb8rWoZISSRgoiCXcRK3i/view?usp=sharing
TDS
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1WeMzB3VqyfW5yzjWkbSNQDnE6J_KbQLP/view?usp=drive_link
Cast Purple Mechanical Properties
Shore D 70
Tensile Strength 20Mpa
Young’s Modulus 600Mpa
Elongation At Break: 5%
Viscosity: 300cps
Heat Deflection Temperature: 50C
Shrinkage 6% per volume
Cast True Blue Mechanical Properties
Shore D 65
Tensile Strength 20Mpa
Young’s Modulus 600Mpa
Elongation At Break: 4%
Viscosity: 300cps
Heat Deflection Temperature: 50C
Shrinkage 6% per volume