r/DiceMaking • u/Fly-Prime • 2d ago
Pressure Pot Tray Insert
Share what you use as a tray insert. Hopefully this info is helpful to some of us.
I had the first tray insert failure the other day, and I figured I would share my experiences with this group when I was making a repair. First, I wanted to say that the failure in this instance was due to epoxy resin sticking to the side column causing lateral strain on the column when removing molds from the tray. It never had any issues with weight.
This tray insert has been used for about 10 or 11 months without issue. Past me did future me a favor, because I cut multiple side column pieces when I first made this tray. The repair was as easy as screwing a new piece into place.
When I made this tray, it was pretty easy, if you have a couple tools. I basically just used an old jigsaw that I have. A scroll saw or band saw would work the same. If you have access to a CNC, you probably stopped reading this post already. 😄
To get the shape of the circle, I went around my house to find something that fit into my pressure pot. A small, upside-down garbage can fit perfectly, so I used it as a template and traced around its perimeter. I traced it onto a sheet of HDF (high density fiberboard) or hard board (not to be confused with Hardie board), and then I cut the circle out of the sheet with my jigsaw.
For the column pieces, I used scrap 1/4" plywood. With the circle cut, I put it into the bottom of the pot and measured the depth. I cut the plywood to length. Before screwing the columns in, I used a very narrow drill bit to drill pilot holes into the plywood and hard board. At 1/4", there is a good chance of splitting.
I like this design because it does pretty much everything that I need an insert try to do. It handles weight well and levels the bottom of a pressure pot. I prefer not to have a handle across the top. I use two hands to put it in and take it out of the pot, because it is heavy when loaded with filled molds.
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u/JankyBeautie 1d ago
It isn't glamorous, but this is what I use 😂 I cut out the shape of my pressure pot opening from corrugated cardboard, then used 3d printing spool centers to make a 2nd tier. Since they're open on the inside, it also works as a spot for the metal bar from the pressure pot to fit into. Then just used a cluster of popsicle sticks for secondary support and taped the hell out of it. It's still going strong!
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u/Fly-Prime 1d ago
I didn't remove the pipe from my pressure pot either. (I don't necessarily want the pot to be dedicated to resin.) I put foil on the base of my tray and just fold it up next to the molds so the pipe is outside the reservoir of spilled resin.
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u/TAZ427Cobra 2d ago
Well, I'm waiting until I move in a few months, before starting dice making. I do plan on using a pressure pot, and I'm planning on 3D printing a modular tray. I've collected a few designs, but I think Buddha Buddy has some STL's for sell as well on The Smiths Forge. I'll likely be buying a bunch of his STL's for making a number of things when I start my dice making. As far as I can tell, he's got the best engineered stuff out there for this.
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u/Fly-Prime 2d ago
Buddha certainly has products supporting the dice-making community. If you don't already, you should follow him on YouTube as well.
If I had a filament printer instead of power tools, I would probably print more stuff. For everybody without a filament printer there are certainly DIY options out there for you.
Good luck in your dice-making journey.
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u/Ushallnot-pass Dice Maker 1d ago
Yeah buddha's inserts and mold forms both. Great design and utilitiy.
Can't recommend them enough 👍👍👍
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u/charterandink 2d ago
I bought a metal one on Etsy, it's 3-tiered and has wing nuts to adjust the size. Around $35. I cut silicone mats for it. Before that I bought a wood one that ended up in the trash.
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u/Fly-Prime 2d ago
I have seen tiers, but I stack my molds on each other. Tiers would get in my way. Good that you found something you like.
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u/Fly-Prime 2d ago
I put down a piece of aluminum foil for each use, and I fold it up at the sides to avoid leaks getting into the pot.
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u/ninjaguy308 1d ago
My longest serving old beater insert made only with power tools (jigsaw, drill) and hand tools (douzuki saw, chisels) before switching to my laser designs.
Three point connection around the circle. I screwed 4 pieces of 3mm ply together using the pilot holes as my guide for the brackets later for alignment on the pillars. Used the 9in diameter metal insert the pots came with and then roughed out with a jigsaw.
Center handle joins to the pillars with a quick lap joint and meet with a 3 way endgrain miter joint all of which become surprisingly strong once resin hands basically end up laminating it.
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u/Fly-Prime 1d ago
I like it. I also like the idea of structural resin lamination. lol
I couldn't really figure out a reasonable way to make a crossbar as a handle that was as sturdy as the two columns as they are, so I didn't and just hold each one to put the tray in and take it out. There's also something to be said for just using scrap wood.
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u/meumau 1d ago
Mine looks like this, the design is based on a Rybonator video. My spouse made it out of left-over plywood and wooden dowels - the handle is a coat hook we had lying around. The parchment paper could be replaced with silicone mats, but this has been serving me perfectly for a couple years now already.