Large Item Encapsulation: Help Needed!

[Riggs]

Hey there everyone!

This is my first project and it may be a bit ambitious for a newbie, but that's why I'm reaching out to all of you kind, knowledgeable people.

I recently picked up a very cool and very old butchers cleaver. The goal is to encapsulate it, floating point angled down, and oriented at a diagonal angle, as if it were stuck into a butchers block. I would like this to be a large bold Piece. I was thinking a crystal clear cube around 13 inches x 13 inches / 33 cm x 33cm.

I've been searching all around the web and haven't been able to find much info on Large scale resin casting.. tho I've seen it done in retro furniture and modern art pieces.

I understand the basics such as needing a polyethylene mold, a casting resin, and catalyst... probably around 5+ gallons/ 640+ oz, and I'll need to do it in stages so it doesn't get to hot and melt/explode.

If anyone has advice, recommendations or experience with this sort of casting, your input would be invaluable. I also need help in selecting which resin to use and where to source or construct a mold.

Attached are some pictures of the item I'd like to encapsulate.[img][/img]
[img][/img]
[img][/img]
[img][/img]

[mangozac]

Hi Riggs, welcome to RA!

That's certainly an ambitious project and I would definitely do some smaller scale tests first. You sound like you're already done a suitable amount of research. I've not done anything at all like that so can't offer much advice. If you use a thin enough, slow curing resin and pour in layers as you suggested then you shouldn't need to worry about degassing or anything.

Keep us updated on your progress!

[Fleafa]

With pouring lots of layers, watch out for dust!