[Joanne]

I wanted to find out your thoughts on UV resin. Clearly (no pun intended), it cures much faster than 2part resin. Are there any downsides? I have read previous posts about Lisa Pavelka being very inconsistent but there are other ones from Japan and elsewhere that people seem to like. Any thoughts would be appreciated. Thanks.

[Katherine Swift]

I have tried UV resin and did not like it. Here’s what I didn’t like:

1. Short shelf life. It doesn’t last long — maybe 6 months.
2. It’s expensive. Compared to resin it’s much more expensive.
3. You can only do it for thin pours. If all you want to do is pour bezels, it would be fine. Anything more than 1/8 of an inch and the UV resin won’t work well for your project.
4. You may have to buy an expensive UV light to get it to cure. If you are in a sunny state (like we are) you can put your pieces outside to cure, but otherwise, a UV light is necessary, which can cost $40 and up.

I’m sure there are others who love the stuff. I would love to have them share why here. 🙂

[karen]

No uv lamps are not expensive, I got mine for $ 20, and it was not the cheapest. Resins UV resists long, I have in necklace and earrings for 3 years. And especially it turns yellow less than other epoxy resins. And especially it is much faster, a day of drying if you have the proper place.

[Debbie]

I recently purchased UV resin for quick fixes, never used it before. I have a small UV black light that does cure the resin perfectly except for pitting. I used a butane torch thinking it would pop any bubbles before curing, same as it does in two part resin but it burned the resin. A heat gun doesn’t do anything. Any ideas?

[Kimmie]

Debbie, let it sit for about a few minutes before putting under the light….helps mine. I also do that with epoxy…..

[Kimmie]

Hi, I haven’t used uv resin except for on keychains and it did fine. It didn’t self dome, which is what I was used to so it took a little getting used to, but once I did it was great! Dried in three minutes under a 36 watt uv lamp, which I paid alot less than $40 for…more like $11 and I got my uv resin from overseas so it was cheaper too……Personally I like the look of epoxy though, much better than the look of uv!

[Kimmie]

Ohhh yes, I do agree though with Karen…epoxy does yellow after a while! UV does not.

[Rosetta Jenkins]

Newbie here! Hi guys! Trying to get used to forum when I came across this thread. I have almost no experience with resin but want to make jewelry. I saw a video where someone used UV resin as a glue to adhere a bail to a resin piece. She also used a small flashlight UV torch thing to cure it in seconds. Is this a good use? TIA.

[Katherine Swift]

Hi Rosetta,

I haven’t used UV resin to do that, but have used E6000: https://shop.resinobsession.com/collections/tools-and-supplies/products/e-6000-epoxy-jewelry-adhesive

This is how I like to do it: https://youtu.be/hHbFE_9cp1I

[Angie]

Hi, I just used my UV resin in an opaque silicone mold. First I tried to do it in small layers, unsuccessful as the resin did not flow completely and left a large crater in the face, but the layering method worked. Second attempt I tried filling the mold. Also unsuccessful as the bottom of the mold cured under my lamp, and I flipped it over and put the mold closer to the UV light source and it actually cured the face; but when I took it out, the middle was mush. I used it twice as a glue, once to adhere two pieces of wire together (perfect) and once as a dot on a plastic model (Perfect). Moral of my story. Use ONLY clear molds with UV and make sure your mold isn’t too deep. If possible do the sides and the face for best results.

[Patricia]

Newbie here…If I file the sharp edges off the top of my resin pendants, I get a thin white line. How do I make THAT glossy? Thanks ❤️

[Katherine Swift]

I talk about that more here: https://resinobsession.com/resin-frequently-asked-questions/how-to-sand-resin-smooth/

[Ariednne]

I work with both epoxy and UV resin depending on the type of project.

I found UV resin works really well especially if you get the high quality brand from Japan. I use the brand Padico. Their latest product is called Star drop which is a UV-LED resin . The best thing about it is that it can also be cured by LED or UV lights.
Pro: LED cure A LOT faster than UV, it can literally cure in seconds, so you don’t have to worry about frequent UV exposure. you can use a small LED tourch from local hardware store.

Cons: Curing with LED leaves an oily film on the surface of the resin that just stays there. But that can be easily fixed by simply wiping it off with tissue or put it under the UV light for a minute of two.
And pricy compared to epoxy. But if you get the bigger bottle than it will be a lot more cost efficient.
But sometimes you can’t put a price on time right?

I am not sure what kind of project you normally do but I say the UV resin is definitely worth a try.

Ps, I use it to make ear studs that are 6-8mm in thickness so they are not confined to project that are thin and flat. What I do is I put the mould (clear not opaque) directly on top of the LED tourch.

[Biw]

Hello! I’m so happy to find this forum right here!😊
I’ve been using UV resin to make flower pressed phone cases. I just want to know, is UV resin harmful to our health? Which one is safer to use, epoxy reain or UV resin?

Thank you!

[Donna]

Hi all,

I was wondering I have silicone molds and clear silicone molds. I use clear for UV resin. Now, on the silicone ones I use regular resin, so I just for the heck of it used UV resin in the regular silicone molds like the colored ones you see yellow or purple. I was told by sellers not to use UV resin in the silicone molds, yea I did but nothing that I can see to the mold and the UV looked so much better than the regular silicone mold. Hmmm any thoughts on why I can not use UV resin with silicone mold?

Thank you all for your time,
Helpless in PA :~)

[Rosetta Jenkins]

Hi Donna!
I am a newbie to UV resin. But if the mold is colored, UV cannot get to the bottom to cure. So, you will have a decent top, with no bottom that has cured. The clear silicone molds do work as I have tried them with UV resin. But as has been stated, thin layers. That can be quite time consuming.
Hope this helps.

[Lisa]

From my understanding, the non-clear molds only prevent the UV light from penetrating to the underside if you are using a solid opaque colored resin. If your resin is clear or translucent it should be fine.

[Alenika]

Can i use epoxy resin on uv light?

[Katherine Swift]

Hi Alenika, unfortunately, a UV light will not do anything to help you cure epoxy resin.

[Jenann]

Can you put a layer of UV resin over a cured Epoxy resin piece to bring back its shine? Will it work?

[Rosetta Jenkins]

Hi Jenann!
I have used UV resin to shine up some hearts made with 2 prt epoxy resin filled with glitter in a red mold meant for candy. I was experimenting. Lol. I was going to ditch them. But decided to see what they would look like with UV resin to dome and shine. It worked and I ended up making nice keychains as gifts. I added on all sorts of things to the hearts and then put UV over them.
However, I was warned that UV resin will separate from epoxy in time. But then there have been others who say “Not true”.
Hope this helps.

[bonnie]

I was wondering if anyone has additional experience with UV over epoxy resin (RO Super Clear). I have cast jewelry from silicone molds of sculptures I’ve made and would love to make them shiny. Since they’re organic shapes they can’t be sanded and I’ve had no luck using the spray resin (even in thin layers). I’ve seen tutorials using UV for the back of epoxy pieces to bring out color shifting pigments but was hoping for first hand accounts. Thanks.
Bonnie

[Nutmeg]

I was just wondering, I’ve never used UV resin before. Does it require a fully translucent mold? Or will it still cure with a silicone mold that has just the top open?

[Christiana Woodcock]

Hi! I currently use UV resin as my main medium.

I have a craft room.
I need more info on the safety precautions I should be taking.
Skin contact? Breathing it in?

It’s not a well ventilated room. However there is a window right behind me.

Any tips or info on what I can do to stay safe?

[Katherine Swift]

Hi Christina,

The best information on how to use UV resin is found in the product’s safety data sheet. The manufacturer should be able to provide you with one.

[Rosetta Jenkins]

Katherine, you have brought up an excellent point. I won’t do a lot of UV resin because of the fumes that over time may prove toxic if a proper mask is not worn. This is MHO. The manufacturers if these resins are in Japan, China and info is most of the time written in the language is in the country. I wouldn’t even know how to reach out to them.
So, I would err on the side of caution and if you works for any prolonged length of time with any of these resins, use proper precautions as Katherine has clearly outlined in her videos and online.

[Kathy Franco]

I have a curved surface and was wondering about layering UV with 2 part on a curved project. Is there a reaction? Has anyone else given it a shot and have any feedback?

[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?

[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!

[shauna]

I plan on using the sun or a led if flashlight for jewelry, is this safe? I dont want to get too much if exposure

[Karen Donovan]

Eeeeek I’m so excited to find some sort of forum with people that use resin! I have been working with resin a long time and recently had to change suppliers as they had a problem getting it over from America (I’m in Ireland).
Really interested in updating to using UV resin for urgently needed products.. so right now I’m doing research!
I use it more for very thin domed coatings and not moulds tho..so can anybody recommend any brands? I’m really trying to keep costs down

[jo]

Hi – v. useful discussion – 2 questions:
1. I am allergic to epoxy resin – reading arouund the subject it seems to be the hardener in 2 pt epoxy that is most likely to be the problem. Does anyone know whether I would also have a problem with UV resin?
2. I use a UV bulb for other crafts – would a UV bulb be OK to set resin, or do I need a special lamp?
Thanks,
Jo

[Sneha]

Hello everyone!!!

Approximately how much UV resin is required for 10 open bezels?

Thank you,
Sneha

[Katherine Swift]

Hi Sneha, our resin calculator will help you calculate the amount of resin you need for your projects. You can find it here:
https://resinobsession.com/resin-calculator/

[S wright]

I am very allergic to epoxy resin and have tried a few different brands with all safety precautions and still severe skin irritation swelling to face eyes etc requiring medical attention. I have been using UV resin and a small UV light for fingernails and have accidentally gotten it on my skin a few times with NO reactions. Very satisfied with it for my jewelry pieces ornaments etc.

[Telena]

Does all UV resin resist yellowing? Just started making jewelry and would like to know which would work best, epoxy or uv. Thanks!

[Monae]

Hello, so I used uv resin for my silicone phone case, but when I put it under my Uv lamp it’s curls up and fits weird on my phone. Do you know why that’s happening?

[Haley]

Can I use soap dye to color UV resin? If not, what pigments would you recommend? Thank you!

[Rose]

I was working on a project with UV resin – making a Gelatinous cube (a D&D monster). I was told to do it in layers, so that I don’t have problems with curing. But the issue is that the layers are clearly visible. Did I do something wrong? Or is that just the way it is? Any help or advice would be great.

[Ronnie]

Hi, Rose! I’ve experimented a lot with UV resin, and I hope these tips/quesstions help 😀

-What color/glitters/etc. are you using in the resin? I find that you can get away with less layers (or even do certain molds all at once) if the resin is clear or light enough for the light to get through it completely. Curing the underside/other sides of the mold once it’s mostly cured also helps me with that!
-You might already be doing this, but if you pre-mix all the resin you’ll with the dyes and stuff you want in it, the layers might be more noticeable than if you have to try to replicate the same color/mixture every time.
-How big is the mold itself?
-To hide the layers a little, you could always coat the finished piece with the mixture, or even make it entirely clear and pour on the dyed resin, so that the layers aren’t visible but you still get the color added.
-Overall, I’d say that you might be able to get away with less layers depending on the specifics. I’ve found that, sadly, doing a project in layers usually makes the layers visible no matter what, but I hope you’re able to figure something out!!

[Vendy]

Hi everyone. Thank you all for this discussion. I still have a questio. I’m new to making resin jewelry. I tried maybe 10pcs 3 times, mainly balls from silicon molds and pendatns. Those balls are always perfectly cured and dried. But those pendants.. i don’t know why but they stay sticky on the top. Almost all of the resin is hard after 24hrs but not the surface. And it’s not bad ratio or bad mixing. What can it be??? Same with UV resin even after 5mins under uv lamp it’s sticky. Direct sun light helps but there are not that many sunny days 😉 maybe the problem here can be the lamp it’s only 3W. Should i buy stronger one? Thank you for all your advices.

[CarlyAzuma]

Hello All, as per my experience a longer curing time, might have poorer quality bulbs which would need replacing quicker and have a potential issue with producing lots of heat (fire risk). I wouldn’t want to go too cheap on something like this as I would worry about whether the unit has sufficient build quality and screening to protect me from the UV rays.

[Jen]

Hi Everyone,
I prefer epoxy resin for large projects, for all the stated reasons in this thread. But UV resin is useful in certain situations, and I always have some close by.

I buy small bottles, 50g or 100g. Store in an opaque cardboard box in a cool location. I use it occasionally and only in small amounts. The average cost is $10 for 100 grams. I like Hildie & Jo and if I have a Joann coupon that’s what I get. I’ve bought various other brands too, when there’s a sale, and haven’t had problems with any of them – the only difference will be the consistency. Some is thick like honey (great for doming) others are thinner, sort of like cheap maple syrup (excellent for coating/sealing) They all dry crystal clear. I’ve been using it for 8 years, at first for sealing polymer clay, then for tons of other small sized projects and none have yellowed or changed in any way. You can even try it out with a bottle of uv gel nails top coat and cure it under a uv nail lamp or the sun. You only need an inexpensive lamp. I have 2, my old 24w, $9 and a larger “2 hand” 36 watt I bought for $14. Make sure there’s no base or it’s detachable so you can have distance from your piece. I made a cheap uv box from cardboard and tinfoil but it’s not required.

Most important: Super thin layers – like you’re painting your nails. Cure between coats.
Let it sit at least 10 min, then pop bubbles with a needle, sit more, then cure.
If it’s sticky After curing, wipe with a bit of alcohol. Still sticky – cure more.

I’ve got tons of little tips and tricks but I don’t want to take over this thread! I’m sorry for how long my post is already :/

So UV resin is fun, inexpensive for small pieces, super fast and easy. Epoxy resin will always be what I use 75% of the time though. There’s simply no substitute.

Enjoy your day everyone, and be safe.
Jen

[Jen]

Good point! We definitely need to shield the uv light if using it often. I made a uv box with cardboard and tinfoil, very easy and no rays filter out. You can also just put a cardboard box upside down over the lamp. I have very cheap lamps that have lasted years already. The best uv wattage is 24 or 36. Lower and it could take 20 minutes or an hour or two to cure your piece. The box makes the curing more efficient as well. I put my piece on a little solar turntable I got for $4 and raise the lap a foot away from the piece. I also have a digital thermometer to check the temps.

The uv bulbs are the same in a $9 lamp and a $40 lamp. A watt is a watt. The LED bulbs do but they’re unnecessary for uv resin. The number of bulbs will increase, more $ = more bulbs. I’ve used the same $9 24w lamp for 8 years and it’s the same temp and cure rate now as then. You’ll cure faster with a more expensive lamp with more bulbs but it’ll also get hotter and give off more uv rays. Less bulbs and a box lined with tinfoil is safer and more efficient. The bulbs are said to last 50,000 hours. I don’t know about that, but 8+ years is pretty good.

I’m only talking about the uv nail lamps, not uv bulbs in general. I’m sure you’re probably right when talking about the expensive uv sources.

Jen

[Kari]

Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences! I’d like try UV LED resin as I hear that cures even faster than UV resin. Does anyone know the min amount of wattage that is needed when purchasing a lamp?

Thanks!

[Shaz]

Hi,

If I use Uv resin to seal in my eye screws, will using the uv light it cause my epoxy resin keychains to yellow/yellow faster?

[Lindsay]

I have recently become
Very allergic to Epoxy resin as well. Eczema type rash and eyes swelling shut. I have been making glitter tumblers for a while now. Does anyone know if epoxy resin will work for this? I would appreciate any help!

[Lindsay]

*Edited for typo above- I have recently become
Very allergic to Epoxy resin as well. Eczema type rash and eyes swelling shut. I have been making glitter tumblers for a while now. Does anyone know if UV resin will work for this? I would appreciate any help!

[Katherine Swift]

Hi Lindsay,

I wouldn’t expect UV resin to work. It’s meant for molds, meaning its consistency is too thin to stay on a tumbler without creating fish eyes.

[Lindsay]

Thank you so much for your answer. That was what I was afraid of.

[MichaelVal]

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[Kiki G]

I use UV activated resin and the deepest pour I achieved was 8cm and I was nervous so I cured the top of my statue in 2 minutes then moved my UV £2 torch over the sides and the bottom of the mould for 3 minutes. It worked beautifully (I let it sit in the sunlight for a bit and it was perfect.

I made this https://www.reddit.com/r/ResinCasting/comments/o5iqnp/it_worked/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=ios_app&utm_name=iossmf

[Patricia swayze]

I really like the Padico Uv resin for making jewelry. It gives a brilliant shine and just takes a few minutes. You do have to work in thin layers but I don’t find that a problem for making small pendants and earrings.

I also use the ice resin for small parts to incorporate into my uv pendants. This takes 24 to 48 hours to cure and is a 2 part resin. And it air dries. Solid molds will work for the 2 part epoxy resin but for uv resin you need clear molds.

[Alyssa]

Can I still continue to do resin work on a yellowish white silicone mold? I use UV resin to do most of my work. Would appreciate any feedback because it seems impossible to get the mold back to white.

[Katherine Swift]

Hi Alyssa,

I don’t work with UV resin, but this is fine with two-part resin. I think it’s worth a try.

[April Elizabeth]

What happens to cured UV resin over time? I have some delicate projects that UV resin would be perfect for and the pieces would almost never be handled after completion, protected behind glass. But if the resin yellows, cracks, or becomes brittle over time, I’ll look into something other than UV resin.

[Author]

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