Handy Hints

Crystal Clear Techniques

Crystal Clear (CC) is a UV-stable water-clear urethane resin. It is a product that is becoming one of our most popular casting materials for art forms and industrial use. Using CC is an art form in itself. If casting with CC into a mould, we have found that a platinum cure silicone is the most successful.

It is essential to pre-warm both CC and the mould. Warm CC to a temperature of 25°C and the mould slightly warmer at approximately 30°C. Make sure that both the Part A & B components of CC are thoroughly premixed before you decant them, and then finally blend together.

Choosing the right grade of CC is essential. If you are casting a shape with sharp corners, such as a cube, a slower curing CC will be ideal to avoid shrinkage away from corners. Layer pouring is a technique which can also help.

Using CC to embed objects is another common requirement. Pre-coating and curing a small volume of CC around the object to be embedded is advisable. This will produce a much clearer effect and reduce the possibility of silvering when it is finally embedded in the greater CC mass.

This hint appeared in our Winter 2010 Broadcast Newsletter.