How to: Cast a tarantula (or any object) in resin

[xhexdx]

Is it possible the heat from the engine would hinder or assist in the resin setting?

This has been a great thread by the way. :clap:

And to clarify, you poured the resin in layers for what reason? Is this because of the heat issue? Does it effect the setting process?

Yes, the resin is poured in layers to keep the specimen from heating too much, although the directions indicated pouring in layers anyway, and I doubt they were written with casting tarantulas in mind!

I think it's to help create an even cast, and it allows for adjusting the specimen gradually as needed while casting in layers.

 

[dunawayj]

Sorry i didnt read all 700 pages here but another possibilty to remove bubble would be to heat the liquid. I build custom fishing rods and we use a 2 part epoxy that looks to be very similar to that for coating the wraps and guides. With that all you do is run an alcohol burning torch under it and the bubbles just dissapear. Worth a try. might work better on smaller projects than something that size though.

well for us that have gauged ears...i wonder if theres a non-toxic amber based resin we could use? i would love to cast a baby scorp or maybe an unfortunate sling to make some jewelery. and also if it were a non-toxic safe resin would u have the same discoloration/ burnt look to the object being cast?

Check out bodycandy.com They have some to choose from already.

http://www.bodycandy.com/cgi-bin/category/bugplugs

I did not make them myself so don't come after me but they are there if you want them.

 

[dunawayj]

Oh also in order to keep the discoloring to a minimum might try a color preserver painted on the T before hand. Kind of seperates it self from the epoxy and keeps the colors more true.

http://www.mudhole.com/Shop-Our-Catalog/All-Color-Preservers/Flexcoat-Color-Preserver

 

[Jojos]

WOW! Great ideas! :clap:

 

[Arachtis]

I think that this is an excellent way to preserve some of our favorite inverts! I love it! I am going to do it in the future.

 

[SandyMuffinCakes94]

oh man this is soooo cool thanks for posting this!!

 

[Philth]

I made a few years ago. I made the mistake of doing the first one indoors. Im sure I fried a few brian cells that day:} . Over the years the resin has "yellowed" out a bit, but there still pretty cool.

This was one of my first spiders and the largest P. murinus I ever kept. Its cool that I'll always have her....

P. regalis I was a bit disapointed when the colors turned brown on this one.

Pandinus imperator this was the best one...

Later, Tom

 

[xhexdx]

Nice, Tom.

I can see the yellowing particularly in that last picture, and my striata did the same thing as your regalis with the color change. Thanks for posting the pics!

--Joe

 

[Jojos]

Hi Tom,

Did you do anything special before you put them in the resin? Alcool or something?

Thanks

 

[Philth]

No. I think the P. murinus was frozen for a few days, but I didnt do anything special to prepair them.

Later, Tom

 

[SNAFU]

This is a great thread Joe/guys! I'm picking up some really good ideas here. All the specimens turned out nice, and I like the imperator Tom. You don't have the problem with its color getting darker do you?!

 

[Skullptor]

I want to show what "water clear" resins look like. I cast this about 20 years ago.

You can see that there is no color degradation of the spider and you can also see my fingerprints through it. The better resins are UV resistant and do not yellow over time. This was sanded with sanding chalk. Also, if you are serious about doing this you cannot get around owning this set-up. It's a vacuum pump and desiccator. The desiccator is very expensive but I have made my own with PVC. Manufacturers will tell you you don't need it but they are earning a paycheck. The act of catalyzing introduces air bubbles. I vacuum EVERYTHING I cast. Well, except plaster...but everything else.

It's older than I am but it's like a VW...you change the oil regularly and it will last forever.

 

[Jojos]

Beautiful specimen. Sure looks great after all those years! Thank you Tom for your response. I like yours as well even though one of your Ts turn brown. The scorpion and the baboon look good.

 

[Stan Schultz]

Is it possible the heat from the engine would hinder or assist in the resin setting? ...

Start with a cold engine. You shouldn't need to vibrate the dish more than 5 or 10 minutes. Bubbles that remain after that should be small enough to be very nearly invisible. By the time the hood of your car begins to heat you should be long gone.

 

[Stan Schultz]

I don't mean to knock that booklet, but it was published in 1963? I wonder if there are any more recent publications with updated methods...

Doubtlessly there are. Check with the larger biological supply houses like Fisher Scientific and Ward Scientific. You can get current contact information for these and many others by visiting your local high school's and junior college's biology departments. The instructors are usually glad to help by letting you browse through their file of catalogs. Once you know their names and make a note of their web addresses you can peruse their on-line catalogs at your leisure. (Would it be too much to ask of you to post a list of them with their URLs in a separate thread - "Sources of biological equipment and supplies" - intended as a sticky?)

If you live near a natural history museum (e.g., the American Museum of Natural History in New York or the Field Museum in Chicago, but smaller, more local ones would also be good) you might place a call to their head technician and try to gain an invitation for an interview, to see how the "big boys" do it, and to get a current list of suppliers.

Years ago the General Biological Supply House in Chicago used to publish a whole series of how-to leaflets and booklets under the trade name Turtox. I'm not sure they're even in business any more, but I've seen some of their publications still offered for sale by some of the various used booksellers on the 'Net. I just Googled "turtox" and got over 23,000 hits. "General Biological Supply House" got over 5,000.

Some of the used booksellers I know about are
www.amazon.com/
http://www.abebooks.com/
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/
http://www.bookfinder.com/
http://www.booksprice.com/
http://www.overstock.com/

As an interesting side note, check out https://kb.osu.edu/dspace/bitstream/1811/5246/1/V66N06_590.pdf as well.

The process of embedding biological specimens has been around a long, LONG, LONG time, and all the commonest glitches and tricks would have been worked out before most of us were born. (Maybe before our PARENTS were born!) For instance, I remember seeing examples of embedded human body parts when I was in grade school over 50 years ago. It hasn't been rocket science since maybe WWII and the basic process hasn't changed significantly in decades. While a 1963 publication may seem old, once the technique has been established it'll not change a lot and such a book is about as good as any modern one is likely to be.

However, I would guess that the materials would have improved somewhat, so a newer publication might suggest better resins and hardeners, and more current sources.

Be forewarned that embedded tarantulas may be the ultimate "pet rock."

 

[xhexdx]

Be forewarned that embedded tarantulas may be the ultimate "pet rock."

Great closing to a very informative post! Thanks again, and I will be sure to do some more research when I have time!

--Joe

 

[rustym3talh3ad]

Check out bodycandy.com They have some to choose from already.

http://www.bodycandy.com/cgi-bin/category/bugplugs

I did not make them myself so don't come after me but they are there if you want them.

yes they are and i have looked at the site, but the problem is, im comfortable with the size plugs i have at 9/16", and the scorpions only come in larger than what i have being 5/8" so i was thinking if i could cast my own baby scorps in a 9/16" mold then i would have a pair of ear rings that fit without buying all new jewelery for the size jump. BUT anyway this post has become absolutely amazing and sticky worthy 100%

 

[DrAce]

The Fisher Scientific 'School kit' catalogue can be seen here:
http://fisheredu.dirxion.com/education/09/skin/entrymap/entrymap_singlebook.asp

They will sell you preserved organisms, but not the kits they preserve them with (as far as I can tell).

Contact them directly via the following:
http://www.fishersci.com/wps/portal/HOME

Or, if I see our rep, I'll ask him.

 

[Stan Schultz]

Biological supply sources

Ward Scientific is at http://wardsci.com/ but also doesn't seem to have any of the resin casting kits we're talking about. But, they're still a good place to pick up all sorts of arcane tools and scientific stuff.

 

[Miss Bianca]

well for us that have gauged ears...i wonder if theres a non-toxic amber based resin we could use? i would love to cast a baby scorp or maybe an unfortunate sling to make some jewelery. and also if it were a non-toxic safe resin would u have the same discoloration/ burnt look to the object being cast?

LIKE THESE..
http://www.thechaingang.com/product_info/1880/acrylic-baby-scorpion-plugs
and http://www.thechaingang.com/product_info/1879/acrylic-plugs?cPath=113 ????

The thing I do like about this was the hairs all stuck out like they should, so she still has the 'hairy' appearance.

I was advised to read this thread today by another member
as I am thinking of trying a project like this for my beloved RCF Rosea MM...
and this was my main concern..
if he'd stay looking 'hairy'...
so anyway I am assuming if I buy quality product, he will.
Just wanted to say thanks Joe.
Maybe I'll post a pic whenever it's done.