[Katherine Swift]

Hi Samantha,

It sounds like the resin layers are curing before she applies the next layer. Try applying the next layer of resin when the previous layer is like ‘jelly’, which is probably about 30 minutes or so after you mix the resin.

This article explains more: https://resinobsession.com/resin-frequently-asked-questions/what-is-the-gel-time-of-resin/

[Katherine Swift]

Hi David,

I’m sorry to say, but the surface exposed to air will remain tacky after curing. I talk more about it here:
https://resinobsession.com/resin-resin-resin/polyester-casting-resin/

[Whitney]

Here are some tips that have worked for me:

For a tacky piece, I leave it out in the sun for a few minutes after curing with the lamp. If that doesn’t work, I leave it in a bright window the next day.

For the swirls, I believe it’s caused by uneven lighting. The resin shrinks slightly and pulls away from the sides of the mold. The side that hasn’t cured enough usually gets the marks. Make sure your piece is centered under your lamp and that all sides are getting light at the same time. I have a small mirror under my light for this reason too.

I hope that helps!

[Katherine Swift]

Hi Tia,

When you say quick-curing, how quick were you hoping for?

[Carie]

I just started using uv resin for small projects like keychains and earrings. I am using a 36w uv light and curing for 2-3 minutes like bottle says. When I take the pieces out of the mold they are hard but tacky to the touch that it leaves finger prints. It also sometimes leaves rough swirling edges on the long crystal type molds. Any suggestions on how to avoid this?

[Ronni Suarez]

Hello!
I am trying to add my uncles cremains to a resin pendant for my grandmother as a keepsake. Did anyone figure this out and have pictures to show how I could go about this? I have worked with beach sand inside shells, as the example showed above. In my experience, I just kept adding sand to the shell through the curing process for the sand to show. If you want, email me and I will send you pictures of how that turned out. But for my Uncles Ashes, they seem to be a bit thinner and finer than the beach sand. So I don’t want to add to muh along with my 3d printed filament lettering that I am throwing into the first layer. Any adivce and help, I wold greatly appreciate it.
Thank you!
Ronni Suarez

[Nada]

After one month curing i have faced same problem with my resined coasters using cup of cold water…
No problem with mugs cold and hot neither with hot cup of coffee…

[Katherine Swift]

A vacuum chamber is doing exactly what I would expect it to. It tends to bring the bubbles to the top (like beer) where they don’t always pop. Pressure casting is a better choice. Leave it under pressure the entire curing time.

[Katherine Swift]

Hmm. I wouldn’t expect them to cause the resin to cure soft. How long has the bangle been curing?

[Zoey]

Unfortunately, the two reusable molds I know of (Composimold and Amazing Remelt) appear to filter UV light just a little too much.

I’ve experimented a lot with Amazing Remelt, and it can never quite cure the resin all the way. I even tried using completely clear UV resin on something about the size and thickness of a key, and it was still only half formed after an HOUR under the UV lamp. A nearly identical sized mold cured prefectly in 3 minutes in a clear plastic mold.

I haven’t tried Composimold, but I’ve heard it has similar problems of not being quite translucent enough.

If you HAVE to use it… it CAN be done. you just have to do paper thin layers of the UV resin, curing for 2-3 minutes each layer.

[Katherine Swift]

Hi Nemo, resin and glass expand and contract at different rates from each other, especially if the resin heats up quickly. You should try a slower curing resin.

[Katherine Swift]

Hi Hunter,

I’m not sure resin is a good use for what you want to do. It’s going to be hard to brush it on in a thin coat and not have it pool during the curing process.

Have you looked for lacquers for this purpose? I remember using one from Rio Grande from my metalsmithing days.

[Sadreddin Baharnezhad]

hi,

I am choosing an expanding ultra-fast curing foam system that cured below 3 min and yield a rigid foam with a hardness of>75 (shore D) with an expansion of 400%. What is your suggestions?

Thanks

[Dan B]

Yeah, it is an interesting little experiment.

I know that there are resins that have significantly harder ‘hardnesses’ than say Pewter, but its that pressing pressure that I feel will be the issue.

The concept as is, into ‘collar’ the resin in a Steel Pipe, to help ‘hold things together’, in a attempt to keep the forces going through the resin in a single direction (instead of compression allowing the resin to expand sideways, under pressure).

Must look into some harder curing PU’s then! Any idea where to start?

Dan

[Katherine Swift]

Hi Dan,

This is a neat idea!

While you can get crisp details in resin (assuming your mold is made that way), I wouldn’t expect it to survive the pressure or heat of printing it into metal. If you wanted to try, a hard-curing polyurethane resin is what I would use.

If you try this, would you mind letting us know how it goes?