Metallographic Castable Mounting Consumables
Castable mounting uses room-temperature resins to encapsulate specimens, ideal for heat-sensitive or fragile materials. This method supports multiple samples and cures through resin-hardener polymerization to form a durable mount.
Key Tips for Castable Mounting
- Room temperature curing - perfect for heat-sensitive materials
- Multiple sample mounting capability for increased throughput
- Versatile resin options including epoxy, acrylic, and polyester
- Vacuum impregnation capability for porous materials
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Resin Properties Comparison
| Property | Epoxy | Acrylic | Polyester |
|---|---|---|---|
| Type | Epoxy resin and hardener | Acrylic resin and powder | Polyester resin and hardener |
| Peak Temperature | 100-375°F | 150°F | 100°F |
| Shore D Hardness | 82 | 80 | 76 |
| Cure Time | 1-5 hours | 8-15 minutes | 30-45 minutes |
| Clarity | Clear to slight yellow | Semi-transparent | Very clear |
Recommended Procedures
- Clean and thoroughly dry specimens to remove cutting and handling residues
- Remove debris from molding cups
- Apply thin coat of mold release compound to molding cup
- Center specimen in molding cup
- Accurately measure resin and hardener
- Mix thoroughly (gentle mixing to avoid producing excessive air bubbles)
- Pour resin over specimen and cure at room pressure or apply pressure in an autoclave chamber
Tips for Best Results
- Preheat resin, hardener and specimen to 30°C (85°F) to expedite curing cycle
- For porous specimens, use vacuum impregnation to fill voids
- Do not pull vacuum for more than 60 seconds to prevent resin degassing
- For acrylics, submerge in water bath during curing to reduce exotherm and odor
Troubleshooting Guide
| Symptom | Cause | Solution |
|---|---|---|
| Lack of or partial curing | Improper or insufficient mixing | Remount with proper mixing; check catalyst expiration date |
| Soft or gummy resins | Insufficient curing - low exotherm | Heat mount at 90-100°F for 1-2 hours and let cool |
| Bubbling or cracking | Too hot curing exotherm | Mount at room temperature; decrease hardener volume |
| Long curing time | Improper mixture or old hardener | Replace old hardener; mount at 70-80°F |
| Bubbles in resin | Improper mixing or degassing | Mix slowly; use vacuum/pressure; clean specimen |
Available Products
Acrylic Resins
| Description | Quantity | Catalog Number |
|---|---|---|
| ACRYLIC PLUS resin kit | 1 lb resin with 12 oz hardener | ACYP-5000-K1 |
| ACRYLIC PLUS resin kit | 5 lb resin with 1/2 gallon hardener | ACYP-5000-K5 |
| ACRYLIC PLUS resin powder | 1 lb (454 gms) | ACYP-5000-P1 |
| ACRYLIC PLUS resin powder | 5 lbs (2.2 kg) | ACYP-5000-P5 |
| ACRYLIC PLUS resin powder | 25 lbs | ACYP-5000-P25 |
| ACRYLIC PLUS resin powder | 100 lbs | ACYP-5000-P100 |
| ACRYLIC PLUS hardener (clear liquid) | 12 oz (0.36 l) | ACYH-5000-H12 |
| ACRYLIC PLUS hardener (clear liquid) | 32 oz | ACYH-5000-H32 |
| ACRYLIC PLUS hardener (clear liquid) | 1/2 gallon | ACYH-5000-H64 |
| ACRYLIC PLUS hardener (clear liquid) | 1 gallon | ACYH-5000-H128 |
| ACRYLIC PLUS hardener (clear liquid) | 5 gallons | ACYH-5000-H640 |
SUPERMOUNT Acrylic Kits (with filler)
| Description | Quantity | Catalog Number |
|---|---|---|
| Glass Filled Acrylic kit | 1 lb resin with 12 oz hardener | GKAR-5000-K1 |
| Glass Filled Acrylic kit | 5 lb resin with 1/2 gallon hardener | GKAR-5000-K5 |
| Glass Filled Acrylic powder (black) | 1 lb (454 gms) | GRAR-5000-P1 |
| Glass Filled Acrylic powder (black) | 5 lbs (2.2 kg) | GRAR-5000-P5 |
| Liquid hardener | 12 oz (0.36 l) | GRAH-5000-H12 |
| Liquid hardener | 32 oz | GRAH-5000-H32 |
| Liquid hardener | 1/2 gallon | GRAH-5000-H64 |
| Liquid hardener | 1 gallon | GRAH-5000-H128 |
Shop Acrylic
Epoxy Resins
| Description | Quantity | Catalog Number |
|---|---|---|
| Epoxy Resin | 32 oz (0.95 l) | EP-3000-32 |
| Epoxy Resin | 1 gallon (3.8 l) | EP-3000-128 |
| Epoxy Hardener | 8 oz (0.24 l) | EH-3000-08 |
| Epoxy Hardener | 32 oz (0.95 l) | EH-3000-32 |
| 1-gallon pump dispenser | each | ED-3000-01 |
ULTRATHIN 2 Low Viscosity EPOXY Resin
| Description | Quantity | Catalog Number |
|---|---|---|
| ULTRATHIN 2 Low Viscosity Casting Epoxy Resin | 32 oz (0.95 l) | ULTRA-3000-32 |
| ULTRATHIN 2 Low Viscosity Casting Epoxy Resin | 1 gallon (3.8 l) | ULTRA-3000-128 |
| ULTRATHIN 2 Viscosity Hardener | 8 oz (0.24 l) | ULTRA-3000H-08 |
| ULTRATHIN 2 Viscosity Hardener | 32 oz (0.95 l) | ULTRA-3000H-32 |
EPOXY-ELITE (Environmentally friendly) EPOXY Resin
| Description | Quantity | Catalog Number |
|---|---|---|
| EPOXY-ELITE Casting Epoxy Resin | 32 oz (0.95 l) | ELITE-3000-32 |
| EPOXY-ELITE Casting Epoxy Resin | 1 gallon (3.8 l) | ELITE-3000-128 |
| EPOXY-ELITE Viscosity Hardener | 8 oz (0.24 l) | ELITE-3000H-08 |
| EPOXY-ELITE Viscosity Hardener | 32 oz (0.95 l) | ELITE-3000H-32 |
Shop Epoxy
Polyester Resins
| Description | Quantity | Catalog Number |
|---|---|---|
| Polyester Resin | 1 gallon (3.8 l) | POLYCAST-128 |
| Polyester Hardener | 2 oz | POLYHARD-02 |
| Polyester dye kit | 3 colors/pkg | DYE-1000 |
Shop Polyester
Mounting Molds and Accessories
| Description | Quantity | Catalog Number |
|---|---|---|
| Reusable two piece plastic molds (1.25") | 12/pkg | METPREP-0125 |
| Reusable two piece plastic molds (1.50") | 12/pkg | METPREP-0150 |
| Disposable plastic mounting molds (1") | 50/pkg | MOUNT-0100 |
| Disposable plastic mounting molds (1.25") | 50/pkg | MOUNT-0125 |
| Disposable plastic mounting molds (1.50") | 50/pkg | MOUNT-0150 |
| Reusable Silicon rubber (1-inch diameter) | 3/pkg | RMOUNT-0100 |
| Reusable Silicon rubber (1.25-inch diameter) | 3/pkg | RMOUNT-0125 |
| Reusable Silicon rubber (1.5-inch diameter) | 3/pkg | RMOUNT-0150 |
| Reusable Silicon rubber (2-inch diameter) | 3/pkg | RMOUNT-0200 |
| Reusable Silicon rubber (2.75 x 1.55 x 7/8-inch rectangular) | each | RMOUNT-315R |
| Reusable Silicon rubber (3 x 2 x 7/8-inch rectangular) | each | RMOUNT-302R |
Miscellaneous Mounting Accessories
| Description | Quantity | Catalog Number |
|---|---|---|
| Mold release | 8 oz (0.24l) | MR-1000-08 |
| Mold release | 16 oz (0.47l) | MR-1000-16 |
| Stirring sticks (6" tongue depressors) | 100/pkg | SS-1000-100 |
| Mixing cups (3 oz graduated cups) | 100/pkg | MCUPS-1000-50 |
| Plastic mixing cups (9 oz) | 50/pkg | PCUPS-050 |
| Plastic specimen mounting clips | 100/pkg | KLIP-0100 |
| Metal specimen mounting clips | 100/pkg | MKLIP-0100 |
| 1.25" specimen storage containers | 25/pkg | STORE-0125 |
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