20 October 2004, 01:49
CollinsRe: WEATHERBY LUCITE cartridge blocks
I made this one my self to show what the (commercial message follows) Defenshield line of bullet, blast and fragment resistant partitions can stop.
It was actually very easy and since I had the shells around it ended up costing around $20 not including the "dog water dish" I used for a mold

Not too ugly for the first attempt.

17 October 2004, 17:17
LAWCOPANYONE know a good source to get one of the latest Lucite cartridge blocks?? Other then paying full retail to Weatherby?
thanks
18 October 2004, 09:51
IconoclastYou can watch the auction listings on Auction Arms and Gun Broker . . . these sometimes show up. They may be allowed on fleaBarf, as well. Unlikely you will save much over the MSRP, however. Usually I see them offered for a higher price, actually.
05 January 2005, 20:05
cvicissoThe Weatherby Lucite blocks are pretty pricey. How do you make your own blocks like this? I really like the one that Collins made! Is it Lucite? Where do you get Lucite? Where can I learn more about doing this stuff?
Thanks in advance!
06 January 2005, 08:35
HenryC470quote:
Originally posted by cvicisso:
The Weatherby Lucite blocks are pretty pricey. How do you make your own blocks like this? I really like the one that Collins made! Is it Lucite? Where do you get Lucite? Where can I learn more about doing this stuff?
Thanks in advance!
Last time I checked, Lucite blocks of the Weatherby line of cartridges were $175. That was the dealer's cost who quoted me his cost when I asked.
Lucite is poly(methyl methacrylate), and if you're interested in the process, search on the term "embedment". That's what the process of putting something in a block of Lucite is called. Some companies that make bowling trophies also offer this as a service.
At least one sie I found describes the embedment process in some detail. The process is done under pressure and needs to be. The outside of the resin (the gooey liquid that becomes the solid block) solidifies before the interior does. The solidification process is accompanied by an increase in density (decrease in volume), and unless pressure is applied to collapse them, cavities form in the resin, and these show up as bubbles in the finished work. To do a nice job of it, you need to work under clean room conditions. Every speck of dust that lands in your resin will be displayed there for all eternity with your lovely cartridges. The equipment and facility requirements to do a super nice job make a $175 block of professionally done Weatherby cartridges sound cheap to me.
H. C.
(edit)
...and so I'd like to know how Collins managed to get his to turn out so nice.
06 January 2005, 23:14
cvicissoYeah, I figured it must be pretty complicated - or else a lot more people would be doing it. Thanks for the info - I'll do a search later and see what I can dig up.