[MinhTruc]

It is Dreve Fotoplast.

Where did you buy that, Dreve Fotoplast ?

 

[Shilohsjustice]

Where did you buy that, Dreve Fotoplast ?

You can buy small quantities from LightningEnterprises.com, I was buying from them for a while now I buy it from Warner-Tech care.

 

[jbr1971]

   
Good stuff!  Were you able to get the mold on the right with a wax coating?  I was only able to get a bubble-free mold after putting the whole thing in the oven for a few hours, in which the wax would obviously melt.  What temp. was the gel when you poured it in?  Nice work!

 
I have not tried a wax dipped impression yet with the ballistics gel. I was afraid of it melting. After seeing the post @Shilohsjustice put up about specific temperatures, etc to work with when using wax I may give it a try:
 
http://www.head-fi.org/t/430688/home-made-iems/4710#post_12583593
 
I have not been keeping track of gel temps at all so far. I have just been melting it in the microwave on low power until I like the consistency, pouring it over the impressions right away, then putting them in the oven.
 
With the oven method I get a bubble-free mold except for a little bit right at the edge of the impression. After the first "rough" cure I paint a coat of fotoplast over the entire shell for a second cure. The second cure produces the smooth shell.
 
I am going to try and redo my mold with wax so I can get rid of the second cure step.

 

[jbr1971]

You can buy small quantities from LightningEnterprises.com, I was buying from them for a while now I buy it from Warner-Tech care.

 
I bought the 100g bottle from Lightning Enterprises as I did not want to sink too much money into the project while still learning, and it has been enough for 10 pairs of shells so far (a lot of trial and error). The bottle is not quite done yet.
 
I am hoping to get 1 or 2 more pairs of shells from it once I redo my impressions.

 

[Lightsword]

Hi everyone,
 
Has anyone had success combining an alcohol based ink (Tattoo Ink) with UV Resin and having it cure correctly? I tried mixing a small amount of blue ink with Magic Glos and it just didn't want to cure at all. I also tried a Daler & Rowney Liquid Acrylic ink/paint and trying to use it, and it partially cured, but the paint is still kinda sticky 24+ hours later. I'm seriously considering returning the MagicGlos and just getting some actual UV resin to try. 
 
Also, what types of hdrocolloid have you all been using? I've tried gelatin a couple times and been very displeased with it, It's turned a brown color and it's definitely not translucent. I'm giving it one last shot, then I'll probably abandon that for something better.
 
Finally, is there any consensus regarding the superiority of MMCX VS Standard 2 pin design? I seem to be seeing lots of MMCX and lately, and since they're both cheap and easy to source from china I'm really just interested in the better design. Thanks!

 

[jbr1971]

  Hi everyone,
 
Has anyone had success combining an alcohol based ink (Tattoo Ink) with UV Resin and having it cure correctly? I tried mixing a small amount of blue ink with Magic Glos and it just didn't want to cure at all. I also tried a Daler & Rowney Liquid Acrylic ink/paint and trying to use it, and it partially cured, but the paint is still kinda sticky 24+ hours later. I'm seriously considering returning the MagicGlos and just getting some actual UV resin to try. 
 
Also, what types of hdrocolloid have you all been using? I've tried gelatin a couple times and been very displeased with it, It's turned a brown color and it's definitely not translucent. I'm giving it one last shot, then I'll probably abandon that for something better.
 
Finally, is there any consensus regarding the superiority of MMCX VS Standard 2 pin design? I seem to be seeing lots of MMCX and lately, and since they're both cheap and easy to source from china I'm really just interested in the better design. Thanks!

 
I added a post a couple pages back (http://www.head-fi.org/t/430688/home-made-iems/5400#post_12950747) about using ballistics gel with very good results. It might be a good option for you.
 
Good luck

 

[Lightsword]

   
I added a post a couple pages back (http://www.head-fi.org/t/430688/home-made-iems/5400#post_12950747) about using ballistics gel with very good results. It might be a good option for you.
 
Good luck

Thanks for the advice. I did see your post, and I'm definitely considering it. I would like something easier to work with though if possible. I do have a sous vide machine (Immersion Circulator) and I've been using it to heat the gelatin and wax like a double boiler. It's nice cause I can set a specific temperature and just let it go while I work on other things without having to mind it like I would if it were a pot on the stove. I'll keep looking, but I'll definitely keep that in mind. Thanks for the suggestion!

 

[Lightsword]

Hello all, quick question for everyone. I've been using Krystaloid for my duplicating material with great results, I've also used gelatin when I'm out of material with great results, however, I stumbled across information about agar powder which is a high strength gel similar to krystaloid and gelatin. Has anyone used agar for there colloid/duplicating material??

It appears to have the same prep as both hydrocolloid and gelatin and its readily available. I did order some just to see but thought I'd reach out to everyone on here as well.

 
Hi Shilohsjustice,
 
Where did you happen to find the Krystaloid? I've looked all over Lightningenterprises but not seen it there on the website. Is it something you have to call and request? Thanks!

 

[Shilohsjustice]

Hi Shilohsjustice,

Where did you happen to find the Krystaloid? I've looked all over Lightningenterprises but not seen it there on the website. Is it something you have to call and request? Thanks!

Yes, just send them an email and Chris will get back to you fairly quickly. I want to say he sells it in 1lb bags. The stuff is a bit interesting to work with and I waisted the first half trying to figure it out. He also sells colorants for the fotoplast which aren't listed. It's UV colorant made by Dentaurum, they us it to color retainers in the Dental industry which just so happens to be made from UV resin similar to the Egger and Dreve UV resin.

 

[Shilohsjustice]

I've been playing around with some abalone faceplates the last couple days, and after waisting half of the abalone I bought through trial and error, I finally found a good techinque to wo work with it. The shell below was just a test shell to try out the abalone.

 

[omgflyingbanana]

Hey, does anyone know how the resistor in the Etymotic ER4P-T affects the sound? Would removing the resistor add more bass to the sound? I'm only guessing this since the adapter that converts the ER4P to the ER4S adds a 75 ohm resistor to each channel and the S has less bass than the P.
 
Edit: looked at some diagrams of IEM crossovers and this seems like a simple high-pass filter? Sorry, don't know much about crossovers.

 

[mikkelmmk93]

I've been playing around with some abalone faceplates the last couple days, and after waisting half of the abalone I bought through trial and error, I finally found a good techinque to wo work with it. The shell below was just a test shell to try out the abalone.

:O !!
That truly was my face for a minute or two there while I was just staring at your work of art!
What is the tree made of?

 

[MuZo2]

I've been playing around with some abalone faceplates the last couple days, and after waisting half of the abalone I bought through trial and error, I finally found a good techinque to wo work with it. The shell below was just a test shell to try out the abalone.



 

Cool, how did you work with abalone, grind it?

 

[ForceMajeure]

Great work Shilo!
 
He probably uses his fancy laser to make the tree and uses some kind of acrylic paint or gold leaf to fill it.
 
The abalone could be the thin ones ready to use for nail art.
 
I am curious to know how he attached it to the shell? Did he made a thin faceplate first and laid over it the abalone and glue/used resin to attach it. then added another layer of resin over to cure it, to finally glue it to the shell using uv resin...?
Or did he  used the abalone directly to attach it to the shell and used some resin over it...?
 
Well, only he can answer.

 

[Shilohsjustice]

Great work Shilo!

He probably uses his fancy laser to make the tree and uses some kind of acrylic paint or gold leaf to fill it.

The abalone could be the thin ones ready to use for nail art.

I am curious to know how he attached it to the shell? Did he made a thin faceplate first and laid over it the abalone and glue/used resin to attach it. then added another layer of resin over to cure it, to finally glue it to the shell using uv resin...?
Or did he  used the abalone directly to attach it to the shell and used some resin over it...?

Well, only he can answer.

I did use the laser "it's not fancy though" just a square metal box to etch the tree and filled it in with gold metallic acrylic. Then put another layer over it to seal the tree in.

I bought the abalone in a sheet from Amazon I think it was 6"x9" it's extremely thin, thin enough it cuts easy with an exact knife and it had a sticky adhesive back.

First I had to remove the sticky adhesive on the back of the abalone, I used rubbing alcohol. Then I used a sharpie and traced the out line of the shell and cut it out with the exaco knife, I domed uv resin over the abalone and cured, laser etched the tree put another layer of UV resin to lock it in, super glued the abalone faceplate to the shell body, used dremel to contour the sides and then with a fine brush took fotoplast around the edge to seal it in, buffed it.