Weird Sealant Stuff I saw...

angrykittie25 · Post by **angrykittie25** » Fri Apr 23, 2004 11:43 pm

I watch all the home make over and the DIY shows and I was watching while you were out and they made this 50's table where they put little toy cars (like hot wheels) inside of a wooden frame and then poured some kind of sealant on top. It dried clear and hard to form the top of the table, and you could see the cars and things underneath it. I have been thinking about making gifts for the playa and I finally came up with a decent idea but I need this mystery sealant stuff, or atleast something similar. I have tried to search on the internet but without knowing what it is called or even made of I type in clear sealant and come up with thousands of sites. I will never find it in all of those, so I thought that I would ask you guys. Please help.

BAS · Post by **BAS** » Sat Apr 24, 2004 12:41 am

It sounds like it could be clear acrylic (spelling?) from your description-- basically a liquid, clear plastic which sets up when exposed to air. Unfortunatley, I am not really certain where you can get some. (My dad was a chemist with a plastic forming business on the side when I was a kid, but that was back in the 1970s. Also, when I was a kid, when at one time had some sort of crafts thing my parents bought which had a clear plastic liquid which would be poured into rubbery moulds to dry. Maybe a crafts store would have something like this? I am not certain how much you want, so it might be rather expensive.)

I hope that is at least marginally helpful. I am up pretty late and not fully awake.

Brian

Tiahaar · Post by **Tiahaar** » Sat Apr 24, 2004 1:10 am

Yes, also try various "casting resins", two part epoxy compounds mostly. True the stuff is expensive, like $50 a gallon and up.

Zulegoona · Post by **Zulegoona** » Sat Apr 24, 2004 6:06 am

Here is some casting resin. I've used but I'm not sure it would work as a thick coating material, but it does well to embed things in it. especially if you are using it to make a clear product the mold surface is very important because what you see is what you get, unless you mix it to hot then you can get a smoking hot mess that can melt plastic containers. The surface can some times remain sticky and the suggest a clear spray lacquer to seal it.

http://www.iasco-tesco.com/EZCAST/EZCAST.htm

shitmouse · Post by **shitmouse** » Sat Apr 24, 2004 9:39 am

we used polyurthane, but it takes forever to dry.
-b

gypsy68 · Post by **gypsy68** » Sat Apr 24, 2004 9:45 am

I also saw that show, and I am pretty sure it was the two part epoxy that was used.

manowar · Post by **manowar** » Sat Apr 24, 2004 8:16 pm

check out any of the big chemical guys, Dow, 3M etc. They will often sample out products on request for companies to try. My experience has been that 10 gallons is often the smallest amount they offer, so a single sample would probably do you if you can find a product (by name/number) that meets your requirments. The other option is open your local phone book, look up "plastics" or "injection molding" or something similar and give the place a call. They're usually willing to sale you stock on hand or at least give you a distributor's phone number.

Dusza Beben · Post by **Dusza Beben** » Sat Apr 24, 2004 8:54 pm

Hobby Lobby carries a product called something like "crystal clear". A super clear and slow setting (low heat) polystyrene resin and catalyst.

Some woodworking catalogues carry a two part bar top epoxy,mixed by volume that works great but generates more heat than the polystyrene variety. Depending on what you want to encase this may or may not be an issue.

DB

robotland · Post by **robotland** » Mon Apr 26, 2004 12:16 pm

When using clear 2-part resin it helps to pour thin layers as opposed to one big mega-glop.......For your first time out, try a small, shallow casting so you can see how long it takes to set up. As stated earlier, this stuff's costly so it pays to waste a little bit learning how to save a lot later on.
There's a cheaper way to get stuff-stuck-in-jello effects, using clear silicone caulk, although you don't finish with a hard, smooth objects and it's not QUITE as optically clear. There's also GOOP sealant/adhesive, which I'm just NUTS about and use in LOTS of art projects from funking up playashoes to attaching ELwire. AND you can get ShrinkyDink-like stuff at some crafts places. AND you could SEW clear vinyl pouches containing Little Artifacts, too. Or put stuff into lengths of vinyl hose, available in many diameters from most hardware stores. (You can heatseal the ends!) I hope I've made myself "clear"..........

theCryptofishist · Post by **theCryptofishist** » Mon Apr 26, 2004 2:11 pm

robotland wrote:I hope I've made myself "clear"..........

Plenty clear. Lot of time on your hands, I take it.

In the kindest possible way. . .

LeChatNoir · Post by **LeChatNoir** » Mon Apr 26, 2004 3:47 pm

Michaels has it too. I think Crystal Clear is what I used, too. It’s marketed for bar tops, table tops, and the like. I’ve used it to seal the inside of a couple of didjeridoos. Works very well, but follow the instructions. I’ve got a small piece of cherry that’s been coated in the stuff for about a year. It’s laid outside in my “test area” to weather the whole time and it still looks flawless. Another test piece of coating about ½" thick exhibited some slight yellowing. Just something to be aware of for thicker applications. Otherwise a very hard finish... good stuff.

dingo · Post by **dingo** » Mon Apr 26, 2004 5:14 pm

It's not 2 part epoxy. I can't remember the name of the stuff, but I'll look in my storage unit. My roommate did something similar but with flower petals. She arranged flowers into the top of a table and then poured in this stuff. You can buy it in buckets at home depot. Just pour it in and it sets. I'll repost when I get the name of it.

bloodroses917 · Post by **bloodroses917** » Tue Apr 27, 2004 5:51 am

home depot
michaels
loews
pearl
check em out- people who work there usually know their shit

robotland · Post by **robotland** » Tue Apr 27, 2004 8:37 am

...I neglected to mention that some bar-owning friends urethaned foreign money, coasters and assorted other relics into a bartop and had LOTS of trouble with setting due to humidity.....(in the air, not the relics.) Dry air, thin layers, I guess would be the RX.

dingo · Post by **dingo** » Tue Apr 27, 2004 12:53 pm

Alright, we used Envirotex Lite. The depth of the pour was about 1 inch or so, and took a while to dry. Works great though. Purchased at Home Depot

theCryptofishist · Post by **theCryptofishist** » Tue Apr 27, 2004 3:20 pm

You could try getting in touch with the producers of the show and asking them. If the show itself doesn't have a website, then the broadcasting station should be able to help you get in touch with them.

angrykittie25 · Post by **angrykittie25** » Tue Apr 27, 2004 4:12 pm

Thanks for all the info and ideas guys. I have contacted the show and they sent me some automated response that had nothing to do with what I asked but it had a link that said they basically wouldn't answer my question. I would look at the various stores mentioned but I am in a town of about 8,000 people with a wal mart, rite aid and a couple of grocery stores. I'm still researching to find the best solution. thanks