| Castin'Craft Idea Book |
4-LAYER CASTING (INTERMEDIATE)
Practical and pretty, this useful project makes a lovely gift and can be customized to compliment any kitchen decor by using different backgrounds. Besides dried peas, beans or spices, you can embed colorful straw flowers or pressed weeds and leaves. If you want to use leftover kitchen wallpaper or curtain fabric for a background, glue to a piece of cardboard the same size as your mold. Seal front and back with white glue and allow to completely dry before embedding. |
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“EGG-TIMER”RECIPE CARD HOLDER |
MATERIALS NEEDED
1 MC-7 Poly Mold (3” x 5” x 1-1/16”)
8 Oz. Polyester Casting Resin
Catalyst
4 Graduated Paper Mixing Cups
4 Stir Sticks
1 Glass Egg Timer (available from variety or craft store. If timer comes in a holder, remove the holder before embedding. Clean timer with soap and water, and dry with soft cloth before embedding.)
Dried Spaqhetti
Dried Peas, Beans, Alphabet Macaroni, Seeds, Spices and/or Dried Flowers. (Do not use cloves as they are quite oily)
Tweezers
Acetone or Rubbing Alcohol for clean-up
2 Paper Clips
Epoxy Glue or Bond Cement |
INSTRUCTIONS:
First Layer
- In a mixing cup measure and mix thoroughly 2 ounces of casting resin and 8 drops of catalyst.
- Pour into mold.
- Allow to gel, 20 to 25 minutes.
Second Layer
- Place egg timer on gelled surface.
- In a clean mixing cup, measure and mix thoroughly 1 ounce of casting resin and 3 drops of catalyst.
- Pour around egg timer onto gelled first layer.
- Allow second layer to gel, 20 to 25 minutes. This pour will ‘anchor’ the egg timer.
- Check periodically to center the egg timer.
Third Layer
- In a clean mixing cup, measure and mix thoroughly 3 ounces of resin and 6 drops of catalyst. Pour over egg timer and second gelled layer.
- Allow third layer to gel, approximately 20 minutes. While waiting for this layer to gel, prepare the dried spaghetti according to the following directions:
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Fourth Layer
- Using dry spaghetti, cut or break off lengths to form a frame for dried peas, beans, spices. (See Figures A & B for ‘framing’ possibilities. Hollow lines inside mold represent spaghetti.)
- Using tweezers, place lengths of spaghetti on the gelled resin according to the pattern you’ve selected. Fill each compartment with a different dry food or spice.
- In a clean mixing cup measure and mix thoroughly 2 ounces of casting resin and 2 drops of catalyst.
- Carefully pour over dried material. Do not overfill the mold.
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REMOVE CASTING FROM MOLD
- Allow casting to harden completely before removing from the mold (4 to 24 hours). When cured casting will shrink away from the edges of the mold. The surface will ‘click-hard’ when tapped with a stir stick.
- Invert mold, grasp edges, flex and allow the casting to gently drop onto a piece of Mylar™ or plastic wrap. If finished piece is still slightly tacky when removed from the mold, allow to air-dry on Mylar™ or plastic wrap another 24 to 48 hours before gluing on paper clips.
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FINISHING
- Pry open two paper clips very slightly, place glue on bottom third of each clip. Place a clip at each end of the back of the casting. (See Figure C)
- The clips should not show from the front.
- When the glue is dry, either clip will hold a recipe file card out of the way of food preparation!
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