Saltgator: Joy n Sorrow

[david merten]

Its here! Joy joy. Machine looks great. The included clamps seem extra beefy for 3d printed molds. The squishy bear mold is too small. They should have ditched the logo on the mold and made bear bigger.

Sorrow: There is no friggin molding material. Not even a tiny sample to fill the included mold. And I have not received any email mentioning it. It should be compatible with some of the fishing lure molding compounds, so there is that avenue to investigate.  I haven't checked out any of the vids they have released yet, maybe an explanation is there. So many toys to play with, just not enough time in the day!  

             David

[markni...@gmail.com]

David,

Try this resin from Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Plastisol-Fishing-Making-Plastic-Rubber/dp/B07G6TFXGC?crid=169CE6N5B8O6V&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.o_4iLQdpauNS0kKOmpdn34dm__Scdi8YDRAWLiuCzUtEqDDAldW_Q5Gln8OZHP6vZnwbnuHMcfZJQl9F6xWNRunnt5Dxeb2sO23TunlnXRwVOJGvwTHwNMCbj62j6aZPQins_r2klysG-AwOlq9QdXKSiL3BG_O_wydYKzZHlxFI4V-20ZXtq2aSOZwGAzSmuMIwRiGLS_wWnT8fwBinzBiWcHZxfmCZZ_h3rKo52-0VTqEUAnTAf6eoU7257G9D-IOZuJpZTWL7lfwSj0DCaa_W_iDYQcPpRfS2LhKJ-sQ.AtZapjnTHjC9Gc6uNJPstXoZlmR6gspvfoDuyfVM2GA&dib_tag=se&keywords=fishing+lure+plastisol&qid=1773895601&sprefix=fishing+lure+plast%2Caps%2C401&sr=8-2

These dyes will work: https://www.amazon.com/Eupheng-Natural-Plastisol-Colorant-Realistic/dp/B0GFJDKW75?crid=169CE6N5B8O6V&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.o_4iLQdpauNS0kKOmpdn34dm__Scdi8YDRAWLiuCzUtEqDDAldW_Q5Gln8OZHP6vZnwbnuHMcfZJQl9F6xWNRunnt5Dxeb2sO23TunlnXRwVOJGvwTHwNMCbj62j6aZPQins_r2klysG-AwOlq9QdXKSiL3BG_O_wydYKzZHlxFI4V-20ZXtq2aSOZwGAzSmuMIwRiGLS_wWnT8fwBinzBiWcHZxfmCZZ_h3rKo52-0VTqEUAnTAf6eoU7257G9D-IOZuJpZTWL7lfwSj0DCaa_W_iDYQcPpRfS2LhKJ-sQ.AtZapjnTHjC9Gc6uNJPstXoZlmR6gspvfoDuyfVM2GA&dib_tag=se&keywords=fishing+lure+plastisol&qid=1773895672&sprefix=fishing+lure+plast%2Caps%2C401&sr=8-7

[Kurt The 3D Printer GUY!!]

David - I am SHOCKED by the news you speak of! Have you posted a message to the campaign about it? With my backing I actually ordered extra resin - and, the campaign succeeded enough that one of the extra milestones was extra resin to be shipped with all the units for ALL the Backers! Without resin it's Worthless!!!

I'm SO Bummed to hear this!

Also - sadly - I have had NO Emails yet about my unit shipping...

Ugh...

-K

[david merten]

Good news. I got a box of raw material today. Woo Hoo! It does look like one box has leaked a little. I got the 3 pack sampler ( I think that was included 0,20 and 40 shore ). Then I ordered like 5 bottles 20 and 40 shore. And the stretch goal I picked 0 shore. On discord they are starting to show some of the stuff people are making. I was backer#147 so don't know how far down the line you are.

          David

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[Kurt The 3D Printer GUY!!]

That is GREAT News! Bummer about the leaking box - that really sucks!  Does the resin have Saltgator on them? Just curious. Obviously the producer of the resin is different than where the Units are made - thus why they were shipped separately. 

I have no idea as to my Backer #.  However, since you mentioned that - I just looked around - turns out I am Backer # 785!

Oh well...

-K

[david merten]

Watching some of the people on discord and the problems they are having with deep embedded parts. Besides no draft, there is debate about whether or not the parts are also sticking in the layer line gaps. Abs would be good candidate for mold material since you can smooth it. I wonder how that glass filled Abs smooths out? 

             David 

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[Kurt The 3D Printer GUY!!]

I'm the KING of ABS Vapor Smoothing! So - I hear you on that!!!

Yeah - it's funny that they are basing molds upon 3D Printing. But, we know - there are micropores unless you Vapor Smooth!!!

VERY Interesting Stuff Sir - I can NOT Wait to get MY UNIT!!!!

-K

[3D Printing Tips and Tricks]

Ah yes… this explains it… all that vapor…

[Bryan Eckert]

Could also maybe brush in some UV resin to fill in the layer lines. 

On Sat, Mar 21, 2026 at 12:57 PM 3D Printing Tips and Tricks <3d-printing-...@googlegroups.com> wrote:

Ah yes… this explains it… all that vapor…

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[vr...@optonline.net]

That really is NOT Funny!

 

[Kurt The 3D Printer GUY!!]

David,

An odd thing happened yesterday. 

Since you got your unit, I have been keeping an eye on my email account for a shipping notification - and a tracking #. Yet, looking for weeks now - I got NOTHING! So - Imagine my surprised when yesterday I get an email to my main GMail telling me I have a shipment in a shipping locker downstairs yesterday. I literally had no idea what it was. I thought maybe it was these small air pump devices for this other Kickstarter I backed. Imagine my surprise when a Locker pops open - and it's a rather BIG Box!

But - OUCH - Box was in BAD Shape when I got it:

It's NO Wonder box was in such bad shape - it was packed badly and things were just banging around inside the box:

The big Inner box was packed relatively nicely - this is it initially opened up:

Even though the boxes were banging around inside the bigger box - this box of resins doesn't look too bad:

So far, none of the resin bottles seem to be leaking:

Gotta say - main Saltgator Box looks kinda slick:

Now - time to open it up!

I gotta say - main inner box & content is nicely packed and looks pretty Slick!

So - David - how is YOUR Experience with the Saltgator so far???

-K

[david merten]

Glad to hear you got your saltgator n resins. My experience  was similar to yours. Resin was jumbled around when I got it, and 1 minor leak. Saltgator itself was packed very nice. There are actually 2 different molds, not just the 1 I originally saw. The included molds aren't really anything I want to play with so its waiting for me to make a mold. I picked up some glass filled Abs to try as mold material.  Need to look online to see if someone has created miniature vapor hone system. I was thinking something like a mini airbrush that could hit small details? Have you ever done anything like that? Or can your system work with smaller details?

          David

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[Kurt The 3D Printer GUY!!]

Hello again David,

I've done some crazy stuff with Vaporizing Acetone. AT one point, very early on - I had this hand steamer device - that you can use to steam wrinkles out of clothing. I decided to try and use that with Acetone, which was pretty crazy - and it worked for a while for a number of treatments. But, problem is - too much of the unit was plastic and the acetone would destroy it. At one point I also had a simple spray bottle - but, the acetone destroyed it as well after a couple uses - cause, problem is - TOO many items are made with plastics. And, if you don't know which plastic it is - and it's got ABS parts - it will melt. And, ABS is VERY Typical for Injection molded parts. 

I did a REALLY Deep dive into my online Google Photo storage. Going back to like 2019 & 2020 & finally found the pics I was looking for. So, at one point - I got this Rice Steamer - I don't remember if I got it Used or New. But, you can get them new fairly cheaply:

And, yeah - even the JD bottle I recycled - and stored Acetone in it. On the ground you see all the plastic funnels I was processing. So - I also use this veggie steamer type of metal device that opens like a flower. I arranged the parts in there - then put it quickly into steamer to do the process. I preheat the steamer, One hot - I put a small amount - maybe less than 1/4 cup of acetone into bottom inside of steamer - then  put in the basket - and shut the lid. And, yes - that pic - I am outside. 

Here's the steamer unit was plastic funnels ready to be vapor smoothed:

However, 1st set was my 1st time with this process - and trying to perfect the process - and I BLEW IT:

Yeah - That is EXACTLY what happens if you go too far. I think I had them in the unit for full 60 seconds. 

After that - I found the SWEET Spot - only 30 seconds - and the parts come out Perfect:

If you look carefully at last pic - you will see I have a bunch of twisted paperclips in my rig. You see, when you melt the plastic - it wants to Stick to things. So - I would try VERY Carefully - to prep a rig with MINIMAL touching of the parts - and preferably touching the part in spots where it won't be so noticeable or it doesn't matter if it makes a mark.

I have at times seen actual units you can purchase to do vapor smoothing - but, some can be expensive. 

Also, just to note - and you can do a search on the web - there is a COLD Acetone vapor process. I never really tried it - cause I am Impatient. The cold process can take up to EIGHT hours to smooth out a part!

At some point - I would like to make a FANCY Rig - like an Enclosed Fishtank. And, have fans that circulate the air and vapors. My steamer can only do SMALL parts. I need to actually vapor smooth the parts of the chair I am printing - and those are BIG Parts. It will require a VERY Different Method...

-K