Cheap DIY Kwik-Cast
I find WPI’s Kwik-Cast handy for some things around the lab. When we were modest users, the price didn’t bother me too much. However, when we started going through so much of it, I wondered if there was a way to buy it that fit our consumption level a bit better.
Both of those pots together were about $50. (Body Double Fast Set – Trial Size, Reynolds Advanced Materials) It’s not an exact match for Kwik-Cast, the color is slightly different and maybe other properties as well, but it’s very similar and works for our application.
These are the double-barreled syringes and mixing tips I bought.
[company reference removed]That company didn’t want to field the orders. They emailed me and complained about universities contacting them directly. You can try their distributor. Or try another lead, e.g., this, or this.
2mm x 8 Element, Needle Tip
qty. 1-99 – $0.91 each (WPI charges about $2.90 per tip, about 318% more)
qty. 100+ – $0.637 each (Buy 100 for $63.70. From WPI, 30 tips cost $87.00, 455% more)
4B19 Double barreled syringe
qty. 1-99 – $1.953 each
qty. 100+ – $1.367 each
Here, you can see below that the WPI Kwik-Cast kit uses the same syringes and mixing tips, at least as far as I can tell.
From WPI, each of these syringes (with contents) is $85.
So you can buy the DIY stuff above ($50), 50 tips ($9.10 * 5 = $45.50), and 10 syringes ($19.53) for a grand total of $115.03. This would cost $850 + ($29 * 5 = $145) = $995.00 from WPI.
Plus, with the DIY way, you’ll still have the vast majority of your silicone elastomer left over from the $50 kit. I’m not sure I’ll ever run out.
The drawback of the DIY way is that you have to fill your own syringes, or have an undergrad do it for you. I used a couple of 5 mL syringes, and it took maybe a minute or two to do one syringe.
Hi
Great tip! Appreciate it very much!
Keep up the good work!
Wolfgang
this is a really great post! 800 dollars in savings!!
do you happen to know the components for kwiksil?
A couple people have asked this. I don’t have an exact match for Kwik-Sil. I don’t have an exact match for Kwik-Cast, either. What I list above is close, in my opinion. YMMV.
Here is something with similar specs to Kwik-Sil:
SORTA-Clear Translucent Silicone Rubber
They’re both platinum cure, 2-part, room temp curing silicone materials. Similar viscosity, tear strength, and hardness.
This also might be similar:
Dow Corning 96-083 Silicone Adhesive Kit
I recommend trying something out. Maybe calling up a company or two and seeing if they can help you locate the material you need. BTW, this document (PDF) from WPI gives the specs for Kwik-Sil and Kwik-Cast, if you’re trying to match them.
[…] Other interesting materials mentioned on Labrigger: Soft raw materials (Sugru, Sylgard, etc.) DIY Kwik-Cast […]
Can you tell us how the drying time and viscosity compare between this product and Kwik-cast?
Hey.
I’ve found a distributor in my country but he asks for the exact product name. I’m trying to find the right product name in the original web-site but having troubles. could you please – please-please write it?
My only worry before trying it out is about toxicity.
Would/have you tried using anything but Kwik-Cast/Sil in direct contact to exposed neural tissue?
Looks like these people carry it. Need the gallon size??
http://www.smooth-on.com/Life-Casting-Body-/c3_1184/index.html?catdepth=1
i’ve seen this comment before but it wasn’t replied- did you use this on neural tissue? specifically, will it work as a temporary seal on an open craniotomy in vivo (in mice)? again i apologize for asking a question that is similar to one already posted, but this is a most important point..
Yes, it has been used on neural tissue, and it seemed to be as biologically inert as what WPI sells. Neither substance caused obvious pathology. However, I am not aware of any detailed studies of potential physiological effects of either substance.
Thought I would add my 2 cents here: I have tried this and it is different from Kwik-Cast in a few important ways.
1) It is much more viscous , taking longer to fill areas and taking slightly longer to set.
2) It gets more viscous with time from opening (after a year it is now almost unusable)–in my hands Kwik-Cast has still been usable up to and exceeding a year after first use.
3) Due to 1 & 2: I would say this substitute seems workable for sealing craniotomies, but DO NOT USE IT TO SEAL FOR ACUTE RECORDING.
I ran out of Kwik-Cast yesterday and used this stuff to cover a craniotomy with an acute 32ch silicon linear probe inserted in cortex. I have done this without trouble using Kwik-Cast. Using this stuff, the elastomer stuck to the silicon probe, causing it to snap during withdrawal! That’s a $500 electrode down the drain. I.e. this did not save us money.
Well, applying the stuff to a silicone electrode without prior testing… Hmm, I wonder whether that was such a good idea ;-). Btw, there is a thinner for the stuff.
In my experience Kwik-Cast coloring separates over time and does not work well 1 year after purchase.
You use Kwik-cast to cover acute silicon probe recordings?! I’m suprised the kwik-cast doesn’t stick to the probe. I never tried this, I figured I would never get it off the probe. does it stick at all? Do you just pull the probe out slowly after the recording and the kwik-cast stays in place? Tell us more 🙂
I ordered the 2×8 Dental Mixer tips from a company called RDS – Ask for Honey -508-429-6024
$67.40 for 100 tips – thats about the same cost as buying 20 tips from WPI
WARNING: WPI is up to their old tricks again. They modified the kwik-sil syringe and tip shape so that the “generic” tips described above won’t fit. No rationale was given, but presumably they wanted a monopoly on tip sales so they could continue charging wildly inflated prices (currently $3.20 per tip, plus shipping).
http://www.wpiinc.com/products/laboratory-supplies/kwik-sil-kwik-sil-adhesive
I found what I think is the manufacturer of the new tips.
http://mixpacstatomix.com/pdf/B50_System_Information.pdf
The closest match in terms of length/O.D is MB 3.2-12-S (first in the product table in the linked pdf).
Good luck! And don’t let greed get in the way of science.
Hi All !
i would like to know after 3 years from this post whats are the feelings about this solutions.
2019 and our lab is still using the body double. It works really well for us.
Same here, but … I find it sticks to glass more strongly than original Kwik-Cast. Not a problem over short times, but if left for say 1-2 months it can bond strongly enough to become invonvenient (bye bye window).
Oh definitely, it feels denser and stickier than kwikcast. We use it for shorter time periods ‘tho, 2-3 weeks max, so we never had any issues with it. That’s good to know ‘tho, thanks for the tip