Deliberately inducing surface cracking/crazing

[bing]

We have a client who has requested some cast resin objects with surface cracking as a feature. They have shown us a resin bead from India which has some prominent cracking that has had some type of dye or oxide rubbed into the cracks to accentuate them. Does any body know how to chemically or thermally induce such cracking and also how to arrest it so that it doesn't effect the structural integrity of the castings? Appreciate any help/advice/suggestions.

Has anyone had any experience a two part pour with the surface coat set to cure faster/slower than the substrate?

Alternatively I have heard reports that exposure to heat in a kiln can induce cracking?

Lastly has anyone heard of any chemical/solvents that can cause cracking?

[paulson games]

There's a couple lines of paint that have a self crackling element to them to give design elements an aged or antique look. I imagine you could do the base model then paint on the stuff which creates it own cracks and rough spots. If you mold the painted object the surface texture of the casts should be the same as the cracked paint as long as it's painted on thick enough.

There's a thread on the cool mini or not forums, http://www.coolminiornot.com/forums/sho ... arine+Part

he uses a crackling glaze in there which may be what you're looking for, can't remember the brand name off hand but it's in the thread.

There's also a few ceramic glazes that do the same effect when fired but not sure what type of tempature ranges you are looking at.

Another option might be to texturize the surface by imprinting it against someting, broken tiles fabric etc what ever can give you a suitable texture. You can give greenstuff, putty, clay etc a variety of textures by rolling it against other objects.

[mangozac]

agree with Jon - the best way to do this would be in the master part prior to moulding. The silicone mould will reproduce such detail very well.

[bing]

[mangozac]

Hmmm in that case I think your requirements might be beyond the expertise of anybody who hangs out here. I'd be happy to be proven wrong though...

[blind pig]

You can get acrylic resin to crack and get craized (sp?) surface features as the resin cures as it shrinks away from the surface of the mould.

You have to be pretty arsey to get it just right.

As previously stated, better to use the crackle medium on the original item to be cast, cast the crackle (which it will take really well) and rub paint or whatever into the cast detail when cured.