Resin Casting

[shorty]

Lately I've been developing an interest in resin casting and I noticed quite a few people here on the forums are becoming interested as well. So, I researched the subject a little bit and found some useful information. First of all, I recommend viewing the following video as it completely covers the basics of casting and supplies a source for the materials needed.

Here are some tips I've found that will help with casting invertebrates specifically.

1. When your specimen has died, place it in the freezer as quickly as possible.

2. Do not dry the specimen or remove organs or any of the insides as, when preserved in the cast, the specimen will not discolor or decay.

3. Do not soak the specimen in alcohol or any other chemical before casting.

For a more in-depth guide to casting, visit the following link.

http://www.arachnoboards.com/ab/showthread.php?p=833193

Hope this information helps anyone interested in preserving their dead inverts!

 

[d0rk2dafullest]

thx for link!

whoever did that idolo mantis resin thing, inspired some people on this forum =)

 

[PhilinYuma]

2. Do not dry the specimen or remove organs or any of the insides as, when preserved in the cast, the specimen will not discolor or decay.Hope this information helps anyone interested in preserving their dead inverts!

Thanks for doing what I was too "busy"(lazy) to do, Shorty! This method should work great for any splayed specimen, like the spiders and scorpions that become immortalized in belt buckles, and has the additional advantage that the undried limbs, antennae, etc, are less likely to break off under the stress of the resin pouring, than if dried and brittle

Arkanis's project is a little more ambitious, though, in that he wants to pose his mantis in a threat posture, and I can't see any way of setting that up other than by drying it mounted in the desired position. Even then it will be difficult.

Has anyone tried this?

 

[cloud jaguar]

tHANKS for posting this shorty - we cast last night actually and this points out some of the stuff we did right by accident.

~Arkanis

 

[shorty]

Arkanis, good to hear your casting went well! It will be quite a few more molts and months before I get to attempt this (hopefully). Although I may try casting some shed skins to practice with. You should post some pics of the final product!

Also, I do believe it is quite possible to pose your specimen in whatever posture desired without completely drying it. I don't know exactly how, though, and when I find out I will post the info here.