Where to purchase resin

I have used resin a couple times and have liked the results that I’ve gotten I was wondering if anyone would be willing to share where they get their resin, there is quite a few places out there but price points seem to jump quite a bit. I’m a new turner, so I would like to know which resins work best and are easiest to work with.

Thanks so much!

 

I'm not sure what your talking about. Epoxy Resin,or some other product. ?

 

There are also the wood hardener resins that are used on wood blanks to harden softer woods and stabilize the grain for turning.

 

This shows you how little I know.
I’ve made a walnut and casting resin pen and loved it.

Is that not what products like alumilite are, casting resin? I need to do some more research I guess. I just want to make more pens and maybe some bowls and didn’t want to spend an arm and a leg.

 

I don't do much of that but have used casting resins from Hobby Lobby. There are lots of varieties. I've use several and all worked. I hear lots of good things about Alumilite.

 

When I was in pen production I used resin from US Composites called "Silmar 41 Clear Polyester Casting Resin". I bought it by the gallons. It is also very reasonably priced.

 

That is exactly right Bill.......they are both very similar...

 

Thanks for all the advice! I think I will go back to the place (https://www.woodnwhimsies.com) that I purchased my starter resin kit and get a bigger supply so I can do some more playing, again thanks for the help and happy turning.

 

from a very serious pen maker, take my word the best to use is Alumalite--there isn't any place I've found that discounts it though--so I either buy it from Curtis Seebeck at Turntex https://www.turntex.com/index.php?option=com_virtuemart&Itemid=121
or direct from Alumalite. Curtis is a great guy and the Cactus Juice originator. Alumalite turns beautifully and you can come up with cool color schemes easily--I especially like the Alumadust powders. I frequently stabilize chunks of burly/punky wood with Cactus Juice and then cast them in a mold with Alumalite to make 'wasted wood' blanks---just beautiful IMO

Good luck with your casting---PS, California Air tools paint pressure pot-5 gals- converts to a casting pressure pot easily and is the best reasonably priced option I could find. This is the best deal on one I could find: https://www.maxtool.com/california-...78bGio7GfMpJl9lEpQrl5cRSzFaOl9MRoCBjAQAvD_BwE

 

Found a good place to get epoxy resin, Pro Marine Supplies. Good quality and great price.

 

Polyester resin you used before is very likely not the same as epoxy resin. At the minimum, viscosity and color will be different. If you want to get informed on pen casting, go to http://www.penturners.org
There you will find that if you use a casting resin or epoxy resin, you shouldn't use the manufacturer's recommended mixing ratio. It's too brittle for pens. Also tons of help on wood drying before casting, molds, colors, etc...