I'm not sure how this will work out, but I am going to try it. This is strictly a fun personal project to find out.
The goal is a two sided embossing die for paper. One is a positive and the other is a negative. I know I could just have one made cheap by the guys who make notary stamps, but this one will have a 3D image of my mom from a painting my grandmother did when she was dating my dad. I want to make it myself.
Here is the process I am going to try.
- Machine pocket with all the features raised at the bottom of the pocket. 2hrs apx
- Spray it with UMR.
- Make a backing plate the size of the pocket with some screws set in it for anchoring.
- Fill the pocket with casting resin, and place the backing plate into the resin.
- Pull resin plug at listed demold time and set aside. 10-15 minutes.
- Machine away side walls of aluminum positive plate leaving just some holding tabs.
- Remove positive from bar stock and clean up on bench sander.
- Wait 24 plus hrs for full cure of resin.
- Mate the two halves and mount them for pressure turning on the lathe. Turn the resin plug down to match the aluminum plug.
- With halves mated mount on spring plates.