Dubs Chops Posted November 12, 2008 Report Share Posted November 12, 2008 on the stove or in the microwave? thanks just wondering before i waist a bunch of plastic. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rxfish Posted November 12, 2008 Report Share Posted November 12, 2008 First I use a microwave. I don't think there is a limit as to how many times you can reheat plastic, however, I think clear plastic is going to change color eventually. And some colors like non-bleed blue will change to green with the heat. Some flake will change color as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bogbaits Posted November 12, 2008 Report Share Posted November 12, 2008 (edited) I Have reheated my plastic several times,I think it depends on a few factors,Color being one,Darker colors I have reheated several times,They dont show discoloration that you get from rehating too many times and getting it hot,also i have noticed the softer the plastic the easier it burns on reheats,The harder plastics seem to be more resistant to burning when reheating several times,You also need to stir it and check it more often when reheatingmthat being said I have reheated plastic over 4-5 times and kept the same color intact.oh,I also use a microwave. Edited November 12, 2008 by prochallenger forgot a key item Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Delw Posted November 12, 2008 Report Share Posted November 12, 2008 you can reheat as many times as you want. the whole key is that you dont reheat the plastic by itself. the proper way to reheat plastic is to break it in small chunks and put it in a fresh batch of already cooked plastic., doing it this way you wont have color change problems. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bogbaits Posted November 20, 2008 Report Share Posted November 20, 2008 One thing to keep in mind is the more you pour and get better at measuring your plastic to mold ratio you will come up with less leftovers(using a microwave anyway)I started out with a lot of leftover plastic,now its not even an issue. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Prager Posted November 20, 2008 Report Share Posted November 20, 2008 If you are talking about re-heating plastic after if hardens, this is what works for me. Like Del said, I cut the plastic into small chunks. I found that if I have 1/2-3/4 cup I can put my microwave on power #8 for 2:22 (usually) and my plastic will be ready to pour with very little bubbles. If I get a lot of bubbles then I'm heating it too fast or too high. Like Prochallenger said, there are just too many variables to really get it down pat. The type of plastic being used, even the color. I find that recipes with more drops of color take longer to heat, etc. Lighter colrs are not as forgiving. Try not to reheat too fast and work your way up to the pourable state. If you get a lot of bubbles, stir for a bit and set it aside. The bubbles will disappear. Some people skim the bubbles off or even zap it with a flame. I set it aside and wait. With my luck, if I used the flame, I'd probably burn down the garage! The more you practice, the more you'll figure out what you can do with what you're working with. If you have the time, spend it searching old threads. A few hours reading the old threads will save you months trial and error and a ton of wasted money. Sorry for babbling, but I just drank some Cuban Coffee! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
