[Katherine Swift]

Hi Christine,

I have reposted your questions and will insert my comments in between.

Hi new to resin and I’m unsure what you meant about using the release in between two pours. Do you mean if you are putting a layer of clear then letting it cure before putting ink or something like glitter and then putting another layer of resin?

—-I don’t recall sharing anything about a release in between pours. A mold release is something I use in a mold before pouring resin. What you are describing with pouring layers, allowing them to cure, then pouring more layers is definitely something you should do if you want your casting to look like it has multiple layers.

Do you need to spray silicone or hard plastic molds first? I tried opaque resin in silicone and it fell out.

—-Yes. I always use a mold release whether I am using plastic or silicone molds.

I’m also wondering why most take so long to cure and this was hard in 10 mins.

—-It depends on the resin. Some have a short pot and cure time, while others do not. When you purchase the resin, this information should be readily available in the product description and the packaging.

Lastly can you drop food coloring in resin or does it have to be some expensive dye? Could you mix it in as you mix the two parts?

—-In general, colorants designed specifically for resin work the best. You will get a consistent color and curing is not affected. Unfortunately, food coloring does not work for resin. If you are looking for some other coloring ideas, this article will help:

https://resinobsession.com/resin-resin-resin/experimenting-with-resin-colors

I’m going to watch more of your stuff but I want to buy the resin so I’d prefer to get the release of absolutely necessary. Thanks for sharing your time and knowledge.

—-You are welcome! Happy to help. 🙂

[Angel]

Unfortunately the are cracked, cracked,I took out the eyepins to see if the cracked ones were fixable but I can stick my mail in the crack and pull the resin apart. I tried to band some too see if I could maybe get the cracks flush enough to resin over but it didn’t want to budge.

I primarily use the art resin so I did some more reading on it. I do warm up the resin and hardener in a bath, measure with disposable measuring cups and mix for about 5 minutes, then let it sit for 5 to let the bubbles start rising out before using it. The art resin sir suggests not scraping the sides of mixing cup before transferring it to another cup, so I might try that.

Also my boyfriend said that it may have more to do with the eyepin itself. Art resin is a little bendy compared to ezcast. But he said that maybe I need to drill bigger holes for the eyepin instead of just a pilot hole because with storing temperature changing night to day (+/-50 to -/+100) that the metal itself is expanding and contacting. Since I didn’t see any problem till it started getting over 85+, I’m going to try the bigger pilot holes on the ones that haven’t cracked, and monitor working and curing temperatures a little more closely. I’ll keep playing with them. 🙂

[Katherine Swift]

Hi Bev,

To start with, the colors are from three different manufacturers. The first three are Resin Obsession colors, the ICE resin tints are from ICE resin, and the Alumilite liquids are made by Alumilite. In general, it’s a good idea to use the colors from the same manufacturer as the resin you are using. This will ensure the colors reproduce as expected and (hopefully!) avoid any curing issues. That being said, however, I have used one brand’s colors with another brand’s resin with mostly good success. Sometimes the Alumilite green can cast more blue in some resins.

The Resin Obsession colors will cast transparent (see-through), opaque (solid) and translucent (partially see-through) depending on which colors you select. The ICE resin tints will cast transparent. The Alumilite colors will cast transparent in clear resin, with the exception of the white and black. They will all cast opaque in colored resin.

The other main difference is that each set of colors has its own ‘colors’. i.e. the blue in the Alumilite set is not the same color blue in the Resin Obsession set. Personal preference in the color you want to achieve also plays in part in what color you want to choose.

Hope this helps!

[Katherine Swift]

Hi Anastacia,

What a nice thought for a gift! Have you seen this tutorial? https://resinobsession.com/resin-tutorials/how-to-make-a-bottle-cap-resin-coaster It uses the Resin Obsession super clear resin. It’s a good choice here because that resin is designed for molds. It mixes in a thin viscosity, so if you are careful in mixing, bubbles are almost never a problem. https://shop.resinobsession.com/collections/resin/products/resin-obsession-super-clear-resin-6-oz-kit-jewelry-quality-resin

Pot time refers to the amount of time you have to work with the resin before it starts to cure. In this case, the super clear resin has an approximate 25 minute pot time. That means, from the time you start mixing it, you have 25 minutes to use it. After that, it starts to cure, whether you are ready or not! 😉

As for a work area, my basic suggestions are to cover the area with wax paper or freezer paper as resin spills can easily be wiped/cleaned up or you can throw the paper away. Also pick an area where your resin castings can stay undisturbed for the entire curing time. You don’t want to have to move your resin projects while liquid as that is tempting fate…..

Good luck!

[Katherine Swift]

Hi Connie,

Thank you for the kind words. 🙂

For your project, you are going to need to make a two part mold. If you cast your skulls as one part, you won’t be able to demold them after the resin has finished curing. The team at Composimold did this video for us on how to mold and cast a dinosaur. The same concept would apply to your project: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DejiH6M9qBM&t=2s

As for a mold making material, if you are new to casting, I would definitely recommend using the Composimold material. You can remelt and reuse your mistakes. If you are experienced with mold making, then you can jump directly to using one of the silicone products. All of them can be found here: https://shop.resinobsession.com/collections/mold-making-materials Putty would not be a good choice here because you won’t get the two parts to come together without leaving gaps for the resin to leak.

As for the resin choice, I think the Alumilite Amazing casting resin would be a perfect choice. https://shop.resinobsession.com/collections/resin/products/alumilite-amazing-casting-resin-16-oz-opaque-white There is an example on that page of when I used it to make Halloween charms. I think it would match your ‘bone’ color fairly closely.

[Chris Maqueira]

If you work with the resin within 48 hours of its curing, you may be able to (1) ply it off. (If you wait longer it will be too hard); too early and the resin is too stretchy and won’t come off in one piece).
(2) rub it off with nail polish remover, but this will leave a dull finish so I usually put a layer of resin on the back, intentionally this time. (3)Carefully use a heat gun on the back only enough so it is easier to pry off. Too much heat will ruin the whole thing!

[Brandon]

No, only the bottom of the plug is exposed to air when the resin is curing

[Katherine Swift]

Are those fingerprints on the side exposed to air while the polyester resin is curing?

[Leah]

Hello. I am sorry if this is redundant I just can’t find the exact answer and I’m just getting so frustrated. I’ve had to throw away three batches of jewelry because of not curing. I am very new to this and my first to batches worked. But now they all just won’t set. I started with alumilit clear cast and recently used ice resin and having the same issues. I’m very carful to measure perfectly and mixing carefully. I’m just wondering if it’s the temperature. I live in Hawaii and it’s been super hot the last week. I do not have air conditioning. Can I just not do this when its hot? Should I keep me resin in the fridge and only use it when it cools down? Thank you for your advice. This is really something I want to pursue with my jewelry.
Aloha
Leah

[Katherine Swift]

Hi Kayla,

What your are describing is typical of polyester casting resin. The surface exposed to air during curing will remain tacky. Yes, everything is cured underneath, but it’s like putting your finger onto tape. I have pieces cast from YEARS ago that are still sticky.

The gloss sealer spray would work to take care of the tackiness, but I understand your concern with drips. Your other option is to sand off the back of the pieces, although with the size of your castings, that’s a lot of work. A third possible option to try is to apply a doming resin to the surface, but that may not give you a nice flat back.

I wish I had an easy solution for you.

[Katherine Swift]

I don’t know that the resin spray would be any better. I’m guessing it has something to do with the force/pressure of the gas disturbing the wings.

I have never had a problem with spray leaving a residue that interfered with the resin – curing or looking funky or otherwise.

[Katherine Swift]

Hi Gena,

The two biggest reasons why resin doesn’t cure is either from inaccurate measuring or inadequate mixing. You have to be precise in both, otherwise your resin will not cure.

There are also other factors, such as colorants/inclusions added, mixing amounts and crafting area temperatures than can affect curing. This troubleshooting article should also give you some ideas: https://resinobsession.com/resin-frequently-asked-questions/resin-troubleshooting-tips

[Katherine Swift]

Resin won’t stick to masking tape, packing tape or wax. Have you considered using a two-part, quick curing epoxy to bond the chain to the wood? Something from a hardware store could work in this case and you wouldn’t need to dam it up.

[Katherine Swift]

Thanks Jaime, the pictures help a lot.

Bubbles are going to be a major concern since there are a bunch of cracks and crevices in your project. For what you want to do, I recommend the Resin Obsession dee pour resin. https://shop.resinobsession.com/collections/resin/resin-obsession-deep-pour-resin If you are careful in mixing, bubbles are almost never a problem.

I would suggest trying to seal the wood interior if possible. Bubbles trapped in the wood could come out later as the resin is curing. Unfortunately, I don’t have any good advice for how to do that. As for the visible holes, be sure to cover them with a good masking tape before pouring. The resin won’t stick to the tape and you can peel it off after curing. With that said, I would still tell you to expect some resin runoff. You will likely want to babysit your tree for the first hour or so after pouring.

There isn’t going to be a good way to add glow/resin to the interior. You could try brushing it on, but gravity is going to take over and it will drip to the bottom. If I were going to try this, I would find a way to paint/prime the interior, then add glow powder to the paint for the next layer. https://shop.resinobsession.com/collections/colorants/products/day-glow-in-the-dark-powder-for-resin (This powder works great with paint too.) Once everything is dry (couple of days at least) then add the resin. The couple layers of paint may be all you need to seal the wood to keep bubbles from coming into your resin.

Please come back and share a picture when you are finished!

[Katherine Swift]

Hi Priti,

Yes, using alginate is a great way to make a mold of body parts. It generally only lasts for one casting though as they tend to be rather flimsy. They also have a lot of moisture in them, which can impact your resin curing. As for a resin to use when casting in an alginate mold, I’m afraid I don’t have a recommendation for you. I would suggest asking the alginate mold material manufacturer of the product you intend to use. They can recommend a resin that will handle the extra moisture the best and cure properly.