Wtb burlap and or rag micarta.

CWL said:
TPVT,

That's pretty good-looking! (reminds me of a giant peanut!)

Did you make it in vacuum, or with just a press?

edit: looks like you added a few more pics as I was writing. So you used a pan & press shaped the sheets?
Click to expand...

i just noticed you edited your question. I am not sure i answered it.

specifics (for those that are interested)....
1) get some burlap from fabric store. the stuff i get is only $3.99/yd.

2) get some fiberglass resin from a hardware store (or wherever).

3) cut burlap into workable pieces. generally, i will do 2.5x11" or so.
** remember, that you will most likely need to cut the edges back after it sets. so, plan on cutting larger strips than what you want for your final dimensions.

4) lay a piece of wax paper down. mix your resin according to directions. lay down the first fabric strip. saturate with resin. lay down the next. repeat to desired thickness.
** do this in a well ventilated area.
** don't use just latex gloves. i busted my fingers out the first couple times i did this. use nitrile gloves.
** temperature plays a role in set time. plan accordingly.
** i use a lot of resin. i underdid it one time and i would rather use more than have too little. with that said, i have always used all of it. i use a full 16 oz of resin to yield about a 3/8-1/2" slab.
** the resin i use asks for 14 drops of hardener per oz of resin. with 16 oz of resin, well...that's a lot of drops. i convert drops to mL and find that a little cup that comes with cough medicine (e.g.) works well to measure it out. find one with the mL markings on it.

5) fold the wax paper around the mess you've just made

6) get some boards (or whatever that is flat and rigid) and press. i place the wax paper wrapped raw micarta between two boards. i then clamp with several c-clamps and various other clamps. i let sit overnight.
** leave some wax paper down on whatever workstation you are using. when pressed, the resin will ooze out all over.

7) cut into scales. i use a band saw.

one thing that i don't like about the scales after they are made is the smell. please know that does go away with a bit of time.
 
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Wolf Creek Forge said:
Phillips heading out tomorrow to pick up the materials to make our own, or at least give it a try :D
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What will you be using for resin? I've tried the Bondo brand but had mixed results. I had a few scales from one batch actually delaminate. The fix was easy enough. Just used some thin CA glue but it was still a hassle.
 
To be honest probably the fiberglass resin from wal-mart/Advanced auto..Ive talked to a few people who use it(they said with good results) though I think there is a place that sells evercoat laminating resin so we may try that..
 
I have tried my hand at it with off the shelf resin and found that it just didn't finish very well. Mine just didn't have any luster to it like Micarta. Otherwise I have no problem making it. I wonder if a better quality resin would be better. I guess Im thinking out loud.
 
I think it takes a bit of trial and error(maybe?) Ive seen some made with off the shelf resins that looked awsome and some that didnt..Ive seen pictures of TPVT's homemade stuff in another post and it looked great..Though Im sure laminating resin would be better..
 
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If one wants good results, you need the 105 West System Epoxy resin and the 207 ultra clear hardener. That will make hard and clear MyCarta. Using other resins or hardeners will give a slight yellowish/amber color and may have blushing or slight haziness. Polyester resins will be too soft.


Make a box from 2X4s that screws down on a 1" plywood base. The inside of the box should be 1/4" larger than a piece of 2X4 you have cut to be a bit larger than the desired blocks/scales. If you want 6" X 2" blocks/scales, then make the block about 6.5"X2.5". This piece will be the ram, and the box will be the mold. Wax all the box pieces, ram, and plywood well several times. No need to clean up any excess wax. Screw the box sides in place on the plywood and check that the ram fits rather loosely.
Cut your material to the box size, and have a stack of it tall enough to fill the box 3/4 full when stacked in it. Set everything on plastic sheeting outside, and wear old clothes and nitrile gloves. Do this on a dry day in the 70-80F degree temp if possible. If done in a heated shop due to cold weather, have good ventilation.
Mix the resin well, and immediately pour out into a large flat bowl or foil pan ( this makes soaking easier, and slows curing time down). Wet each piece of cloth quickly in the pan, and place in the box, stacking the whole lot in the mold as you wet them. A friend helping here will be a good idea. Once all are in the mold, set the ram in place, and use the heaviest clamping system you have. Put a couple 2X6 boards on the top and bottom ( the thicker the backing blocks the better) and clamp with even pressure from end to end. Two to four big "C" clamps will work, but a 2 to 10 ton hydraulic press frame will be even better. You can make a simple one from an air powered HF bottle jack. It takes lots of pressure to get a good laminate. If you use "C" clamps, keep going from one to the other for several minutes to assure you have them as tight as possible.
Let it sit and cure for 24 to 48 hours before taking it out of the press or clamps. Unscrew the 2X4 mold and knock the assembly apart with a mallet. If you waxed the wood well, it will pop apart. If not, use a chisel to split it apart. The MyCarta is now ready to cut up.
You can make the mold any size you wish to tailor the blocks or sheets to fit your projects. Always make it bigger and thicker than desired, as there will be some loss in trimming the block/scales square, and getting rid of what I call the "rind" on the top and bottom.

Whatever resin and technique you use, it will not be the same as real Micarta, which uses Phenolic Resin, and is harder and polishes much different.
 
the bigest trick is gettign the pressure right and the 2nd thing is making sure that the fabric will "wet out" (soak up the epoxy ) some blends and epoxys jsut dont work well
thats why i stick with canvas and denim burlap works ok
make sure you wash any new fabric before use to get the sizing out of it and no fabric softner
 
I made a 12"x 2.5" peice of natural color burlap micarta and it looked good and even tested it out and ground and polished it up but toward one end I think My c-clamp wasnt on quite tight enough and it look like a small area of epoxy didnt get squeezed out. This was a test peice so no biggie. Did 2 c clamps next time ill do 4 to be on the safe side.
 
Cool, so who is making me some?


Ill pay today if. Can. Id rather not play with resins in my house with a baby around.....
 
I was suprised how much resin you have to use lol. I wanna try a few more times to make sure I get good consitent results.
 
Well made a few trial pieces and learned a lot so far. Here is what I got that might help others wanting to play around.

Straight out of the press and cut to size. No cleaning up or anything

photo-9_zps963bcb50.jpg


1) I made sure to cut my strips a good bit wider then I needed cause you lose a decent bit.
2) Used burlap straight from fabric store and cut along thread lines so the pattern looked "square"
3) You will need between 1/2 to 1 can of resin (I used 3m) for a piece 14 x 2.5 depending on thickness.
4) 6-8 layers got me right above 1/8" thick 12 layers was around 3/8"
5) make sure the wood or whatever you are using to clamp with is smooth and flat. Had a small piece of dirt about 1/5 the size of a dime on one and made a dent but luckily at the end of the piece.
6) for my piece I used 2x6 and 6 c clamps (uneven pressure from side to side can occur.

Now Ill prob play around just a little bit more but hopefully that saves someone some time and $

Id estimate cost for cloth and resin for a set of scales around 6" x 2" is about 15$. I'm sure if you did in bulk you could do cheaper but it is a fun easy project and looks nice IMO.
 
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