Casting insects in clear resin?

[Xi Bowhunter]

Has anyone ever tried casting insects, arrow heads, coins, or any other small objects in clear plastic resin?

I have to speak at schools about twice a year for my job, and they always enjoy the critters I bring in for them to see. The only problem is that kids are very "hands-on", and insects on a display board are very fragile. I would like to start casting my insects in clear resin, so the kids can actually hold them and there is no worry of them getting damaged.

I have found some suppliers online that sell the resin, but I was wondering if any stores would carry this type of resin around my area? Maybe a Lowes or Home Depot might have it, but I wouldn't even know what to look for really.

Does anyone have any experience with this, or know where I could get the resin?

 

[Brit's and Birds]

Might try a craft or hobby store.

 

[Quickdraw Limpsalot]

Actually, yeah. I've tried it a few times with spiders and other bugs. The two biggest problems are 1) getting all the air bubbles out that collect on "hairy" parts and 2) keeping the bug from floating up to the top of the resin. I've been meaning to try again but "wet" the bug with water first which may or may not help with both issues.

 

[Rat]

While I have never done this, here is a thought to keep the bug from floating:
Have the bug pinned on a small needle and slowly pour the resin in the mold. Keep the bug in the middle of the resin with the needle until it begins to firm. Remove needle. If you want to fill in the hole melt a little more and rub over the hole once the block is solid. Again I've never done this so it might not work.

 

[Xi Bowhunter]

Might try a craft or hobby store.

I called Hobby Lobby in Owensboro. Strike one. I actually thought they would have something like that for sure.

 

[Xi Bowhunter]

Actually, yeah. I've tried it a few times with spiders and other bugs. The two biggest problems are 1) getting all the air bubbles out that collect on "hairy" parts and 2) keeping the bug from floating up to the top of the resin. I've been meaning to try again but "wet" the bug with water first which may or may not help with both issues.

From what I have read online, you should try pouring just half of the resin in, let the insect float to the top, which would be half way up the completed mold, let it just start to set, and then pour the rest of the resin in. That should keep the insect anchored in the first resin pour while you pour in the rest of the resin to complete the mold.

As for the air bubbles, I have no idea on that one.

 

[mrdux]

If you have a Michael's craft store in your area, they carry a product called Envirotex Lite. It's a 50/50 epoxy liquid that is made for such projects. I use it for artificial water scenes in my taxidermy work. It is slow to kick so be prepared to keep it level and out of harms way while it is sitting up.

Hobby Lobby used to carry it in Paducah but they don't any more.

I made a pour like you are talking about after I had my chocolate lab,Kutter, cremated. I took a clear sided container and placed some of his ashes in the bottom. I then mixed up the Envirotex and poured it SLOWLY so it would run into the ashes. It worked great.

 

[Xi Bowhunter]

If you have a Michael's craft store in your area, they carry a product called Envirotex Lite. It's a 50/50 epoxy liquid that is made for such projects. I use it for artificial water scenes in my taxidermy work. It is slow to kick so be prepared to keep it level and out of harms way while it is sitting up.

Hobby Lobby used to carry it in Paducah but they don't any more.

I made a pour like you are talking about after I had my chocolate lab,Kutter, cremated. I took a clear sided container and placed some of his ashes in the bottom. I then mixed up the Envirotex and poured it SLOWLY so it would run into the ashes. It worked great.

That sounds like exactly what I need. I have never even heard of Michael's Craft Store though. Did you keep the hardened product in the container, or remove it once it had setup?

 

[RVtech24]

http://www.delviesplastics.com/casting_resin.htm


Here is everything you need to get started.

 

[Coot_Meurer]

I used to make some of these for thin slice slides when I ran a lab at UK.

You really need to look at this in 2 steps.

First - fix/kill the insect and use some sort of preservative (or else then can degrade inside the resin)
Second - When you pour the resin, put the entire cast into a vacuum chamber. You might also be able to pull this off with a vacuum food sealer (but I am just guessing). The vacuum will pull the air bubbles up and out.

 

[mrdux]

That sounds like exactly what I need. I have never even heard of Michael's Craft Store though. Did you keep the hardened product in the container, or remove it once it had setup?

I kept it in the container since it was clear anyway. A Hobby Lobby near you might carry it, the one in Paducah used to and it was cheaper than Michael's. A quart (pint of each)will run you about $25. It's the same stuff that folks use to embed coins in bars and tabletops. They claim one coat is equal to 50 coats of varnish. You could sink a bunch of bugs in a quart of the stuff.