Cast metal appearing metal filled resin compositions

A process for preparing a cast metal appearing article which comprises:

• A. providing a metal filled resin composition curable at room temperature and comprising a phenolic resin component, a hardener component, and a curing catalyst wherein said resin component is (a) an organic solvent soluble benzylic ether resin which contains benzylic ether group and which comprises a condensation polymer of a phenol having the general formula:
• ##SPC4##
• wherein A, B and C are hydrogen, hydrocarbon radicals, oxyhydrocarbon radicals or halogen, condensed with an aldehyde having the general formula R'CHO wherein R' is hydrogen or a hydrocarbon radical of one to eight carbon atoms in the presence of catalytic concentrations of a metal ion, or (b) a methylol-terminated phenolic resin which comprises a resole resin which is organic solvent soluble;
• said hardener component is liquid polyisocyanate containing at least two isocyanate groups;
• and is present in an amount equal to 10 to 500 weight percent based on the weight of the resin and said curing agent is a base having a pK.sub.b value in the range of about 7 to about 11 and is present in an amount equal to 0.01 to 10.0 weight percent based on the weight of the resin and between about 20% to about 50% by weight of the composition of a metallic powder selected from the group consisting of copper, nickel, brass, bronze, iron, steel, and mixtures thereof, or from about 35% to about 45% by weight of aluminum powder, said powder having a particle size in the range of about 200 to 325 mesh, and having a general spherical shape;
• B. adding said metal filled resin composition to a mold;
• C. curing said metal filled resin composition in said mold;
• D. stripping the cured and molded article from the mold;
• and
• E. then polishing at least a portion of a surface of the cured article to increase the lustre of at least a portion of the article.