The second most popular question I get asked is, ‘Why didn’t my resin cure? You just mix the stuff together, and it gets hard, right?’
Yes, technically speaking. But YOU have to do your part to ensure that happens. And when you don’t? Well, you’re here looking for reasons why your resin didn’t cure. Here are the twelve most common causes why your resin doesn’t dry hard and smooth.
(And read to the end of the article if you’re wondering what the number one question is that I get asked most.)
Reason 1. You’re using old resin.
Only buy enough resin that you can comfortably use within half of the expected shelf life. Moisture can collect in your bottles, which will affect how it cures. Besides, all resins eventually yellow, so you want to use all the resin while it’s still clear.
⭐️ BONUS: Here are a few ways to know how much resin you need for your projects.
Reason 2. You aren’t storing your resin in a climate-controlled environment.
If the temperature changes a lot, moisture will collect inside the lids. This water drips into your resin and affects curing.
⭐️ BONUS: Here’s how to store resin.
Reason 3. You didn’t measure it accurately.
Measuring it properly means using graduated mixing cups to ensure you get accurate measurements. They have lines on the side to see exactly how much you’re measuring. (Unlike party cups and bottle caps)
Reason 4. You didn’t mix it completely.
You must mix the resin well, scraping the sides of your cup and resin stirring stick as you go. Resin stuck to the side of your mixing cup doesn’t get mixed well unless you try to mix it.
⭐️ BONUS: Here’s how to mix resin and hardener in five easy steps.
Reason 5. Your mixing cups were contaminated.
If you reused them, was there any leftover residue? Any extra water, soap, or solvents can explain why your resin didn’t cure.
⭐️ BONUS: Here’s how to clean resin tools for another use.
Reason 6. You added something ‘wet’ to the resin.
Inclusions are anything extra you add to epoxy to make your resin crafts. If you sealed items with glue, are you sure they were dry before adding them to your resin?
⭐️ BONUS: Here’s how I like to seal items before including them in resin.
Reason 7. Your room was too cold.
Resin cures best at a room temperature of low 70’s F. Make sure to mix your resin at the right temperature.
⭐️ BONUS: Here are some cold weather resin casting tips to get your room temperature up during the winter.
Reason 8. You didn’t mix it in the proper ratios.
Always read the directions! Every resin has its own mixing directions. Do not assume they all mix the same. Otherwise, you may find yourself asking…why didn’t my resin harden?
Reason 9. You mixed incompatible resin and hardener.
You cannot use one brand’s resin with another brand’s hardener. It doesn’t work like that.
⭐️ BONUS: Here’s what resin is if you’re a nerd like me and want to know these things.
Reason 10. You didn’t mix enough of each part together.
When you mix resin and hardener together, a chemical reaction causes heat production. This heat is what makes the mixture get hard. You have to mix together a specific amount of each to generate enough heat for the resin to harden.
Reason 11. You poured the resin into a latex mold.
Sometimes, resins do not like latex. Weird, right?
Reason 12. Your mold added moisture to the resin.
Your resin mold release must be completely dry before pouring resin into that mold.
⭐️ BONUS: Here’s how I apply release to a resin mold
So what’s the number one question I get asked (after why my resin didn’t cure)?
Why do I have so many bubbles?!
I can help with that too.
⭐️ BONUS: 10 tips for getting bubbles out of resin
Frustrated with your resin results?
Get on a clear path to success with your copy of Resin Fundamentals. I’ve condensed my 17 years of professional resin artist experience into a book for beginners. Buy the book now and get a download link in minutes. You can make something gorgeous with resin (instead of wondering why your resin didn’t cure…)
Unpublished Blog Posts of Resin Obsession, LLC © 2023 Resin Obsession, LLC
I see from from your article why my resin did not cure and thank you. My question is how can I remove the tacky resin and image from bezel so I can reuse…thanks
Place it in a bowl of super hot water (I make tea – pour a cup then use the rest for my oopses) let it sit for about 3-5 mins then it should peal out with a pair of tweezers.
I sold a tray covered in resin and it came back to me feeling tacky. What can I do to fix
Hi Sue, I’m sorry to hear this happened to you. This article will help: https://resinobsession.com/resin-frequently-asked-questions/how-to-fix-sticky-resin/
Hi, I use embroidery hoops to showcase flowers. I place dried flowers on a layer of sticky resin. I do this on a piece of plexi glass which insures a clear resin. This time the resin stuck to the back of the hoop, which is bamboo. I used cutters to remove the resin but it left pieces of harden resin pulled from base. Can you tell me how to use new resin to put on the back just in the cracked pieces without damaging the front.
Hi Darlene, resin doesn’t work well as a ‘spackling’ paste. Unfortunately, I wouldn’t expect it to work for you in a case like this.
I didn’t use a catalyst for my resin what do I do it didn’t come with one. I didn’t know I had to buy it seperate
Hi Jeremy, I’m sorry to hear you didn’t get the catalyst with your resin purchase. Resin kits should ALWAYS come with the catalyst. Can you go back to the place of purchase and get some?
Bonnie,
I have moved your question to our forum under ‘whoops’ to answer.
Hey, i just made resin rings and necklaces, the crystals i made for the necklaces completely cured and was fine, on the other hand the rings slightly cured and is fully hard ag some points, but bendy when in contact with heat, what made it do this? does it need to set for longer? the rings had been curing for over two days.
Hi Andy, it sounds like you used a resin that cures soft and can bend, especially with body heat. Try again, but use a harder-curing resin like the Resin Obsession super clear resin: https://shop.resinobsession.com/collections/resin/products/resin-obsession-super-clear-resin-6-oz-kit-jewelry-quality-resin
My resin is tacky if i m do another layer of resin then its cure ?
Yes, it should. This article explains more: https://resinobsession.com/resin-frequently-asked-questions/how-to-fix-sticky-resin/
This article is presently what did you say? I need, thank you.
Hi, i am using Pebeo Glazing resin and every so often a batch will dry with a crinkle on the surface or even go a little frosted. I cannot figure out why, i have tried pouring in different rooms, at different temperatures etc. Can you shed any light? Could it be that im not mixing it for long enough? I have looked at all you suggested for ‘curing’ but do not have a problem with that aspect, just sometimes a non shiney finnish!! Its very frustrating so any tips would help, thanks Dee (from the UK)
I used ten layers of mat with polyester
Resin and it’s still soft 12 hours later.
Will it still harden if I wait longer???
I would have expected polyester resin to have cured by now. I don’t think more time is going to help.
Dee,
I don’t have any experience with that product. I will post your question in the forum. Perhaps someone else can help.
Thanks for sharing the tips Jessica. Also very helpful!
Thanks for the tips. I hope to learn more from you.
Thank you Moses.
Hey everybody I used vinegar to clean my utensils and cups it is amazing you don’t have to peel it off just let it sit for a few minutes .
Hi, I have an additional comment: Sometimes, you cannot calculate how old is your resin, not all of the manuafturers include a date in label, but I have found that old resin turns components foggy (it can be both, the resin or hardener). Something that also helps, is to get the resin a little warm, just enough to avoid bubbles. You can also make your silicone molds a litlle warm in the microwave, but never hot.I hope this helps! And thank you for your comments, they helped me a lot!
Thanks Katherine, Ive heard people say that they have polished their resin (perhaps removing surface scratches was the wrong question) what can be used to polish it? My hubby has a cloth buffing wheel on his lathe but wasn’t sure if that was the right tool or what to use with it i.e. a polish or something.
Im confused as to what everyone on youtube has used their coasters for if its not suitable for hot drinks 🙁 very disappointed. Do you know of anything similar that performs in a similar way but would resist the heat? I want something that I can set things into and finishes clear.
Thanks so much, your website is very informative
Is it possible to make a hot drinks coaster using resin? I’ve seen it on youtube but my experiments so far are failing either because of remaining tacky (poss. not enough catalyst) or one that hardened then became sticky once a hot cup was placed on it.
Also how do you buff surface scratches etc without dulling the finish?
Fiona,
A very hot cup will most likely warp or make a mark on a resin coaster. You can try sanding your coaster down and recoating with another layer of resin. If it’s made from epoxy resin, you won’t be able to buff scratches out.
Fiona,
You can polish polyester resin (it’s very hard) with a polishing/buffing wheel and the appropriate compound. Unfortunately, epoxy resin is too soft to do that with.
As for the coasters, I would put a mug with hot coffee in it on the coaster, but I wouldn’t take a mug that had just come out of the microwave with boiling water in it and put it on the coaster. As long as the mug isn’t too hot, the coaster should be fine. I suppose others are putting their favorite adult frosty beverage on them as well.
Glad to know you find our articles helpful!
Katherine your reply gives me hope again! Thank you! I think what I have is polyester resin – although I’m a little fuzzy on how to tell the difference as they both (polyester/epoxy) seem to be a combination of resin & hardener or catalyst. I have the type that has a tiny bottle of catalyst to large bottle of resin.
I’m thinking that my tackiness is possibly due to the mix not being quite right yet and perhaps not leaving the product long enough to really cure and cool.
The cup I tried wasn’t hot it just had hot tea in it but I think these other issues may be the route of it.
Just one more thing – what would be the correct compound for polishing with the buffing wheel?
I ordered a kit and it came from China and bottles are labels written in Chinese. I have never worked with this before! HELP!
Fiona, based upon what you are telling me, it sounds like you used polyester. (Epoxy is usually closer to a 2:1 or 1:1 mix). Is your tackiness on the casted surface that was exposed to air? Unfortunately, that is what happens when you use polyester. The good news is that layer is very thin and can be sanded down (just enough to get off the stickiness) and polished. When I polish polyester, I use Fabulustre. (don’t know if you can get that where you’re at)
Hi, I am a super novice with resin. But made a large pretty heart shape resin ornement that never cured even after 2 weeks. It was so tacky. Some other stuffs that was made with the same batch of resin cured completely. I figured out maybe it was because it was much bigger. I was so sad
I was about to toss it to the trash. I decided to make a small batch of resin and applied a very small layer of resin. It cured pretty good still some spots that remain really sticky. I waited few more days and I applied with a black foam brush a thin layer of UV resin that cured under a UV nail lamp For about 7-10 minutes and all the sticky spots are gone ! You can see close some of the line of the brush. But at this point. I am going to leave it alone. It is super pretty. I have to say I really really love UV resin for instant gratification! Too expensive for big projets.
Thanks for your tips. I want to add some of these notes to my technical writing. Do you know of any book or reference regarding the tips you mentioned here?
Hi Katherine – thanks for your post, I think you are right that it is a polyester resin although it is the non exposed to air side that seems tackiest (both sides are tacky though). Would I be better using an epoxy resin for this project?
I’ve run more tests using more catalyst and in a warmer temperature, the curing was quicker and I thought I was onto a winner but unfortunately a cup of tea scuppered me again, marking the surface, sticking to the cup and making the coaster tacky (grrrr!)
I’ve read that a spray on acrylic or decoupage glue can be used as a sealer – do you know if this will help with the hot drink situation?
I will try and find Fabulustre although with the hassle I had sourcing resin in this country (UK) I won’t hold my breath!
Thanks again Katherine!
Hi, I’ve had same problems, but after a wet/dry sandpaper of 600 grade to 2000 then buff, problem solved. Hard work but pays.
Fiona, an epoxy resin will be fine, but you won’t be able to polish it on a buffing wheel. It will melt! I don’t know that a decoupage glue will work to cover your coaster, but we do have a gloss sealer spray that works well. Unfortunately, we can’t send it to you in the UK. (It’s an aerosol.)
@Jamal, These tips are based upon my personal experiences working with resin.
I just used a two-part resin mix and followed the instructions, but the tops of my pieces are still tacky days later. Is there anything I can do to get them to dry or is it too late and I have to start over?
Jennifer,
If it’s tacky like putting your finger on a piece of tape, you can recoat them with another layer of resin and they should be fine. If they are gooey though, there’s nothing you can do.
I live in Hawaii where the humidity is usually in the 50-70 percent range and daytime temperatures are in the 80’s. I don’t really have a way to control indoor climate. Do you have any suggestions for getting the resin to properly cure? I’ve only attempted to make pendants using plastic molds one time, but almost all of them ended up tacky. If they come out tacky is there something I can use to harden the surface?
@Diane,
What kind of resin did you use?
I think it was Devcon 2 Ton epoxy glue.
i have a 4 in diameter/16 oz glass ornament (using mold release and breaking off glass after curing). I am looking at doing this in two parts to help the air bubbles escape through the small opening at the top of the ornament. My question is how many drops of catalyst do i need if im doing 8oz at a time?
I am using the Clear cast Polyester resin
@cat,
Great question! I’m going to move your question to the forum under ‘Resin Techniques’ and answer it there.
I’m having a problem because I want to reuse my plastic andglass mixing containers, but I don’t know the best way to clean up resin residue?
@Gizem,
Wipe your containers and stir utensils while they are still wet with a paper towel and acetone. (Be sure to wear gloves when doing this.) If they have dried already, try soaking them with a very hot water and Tide laundry detergent.
I have a question….I understand about the reason for things not curing right but myproblem was that I did a table and half of the table cured but the other half didn’t. so it really don’t make sense because it was all from the same resin, so how could some of it cure but some not?
@Jennifer,
I’m guessing you started pouring at one side of the table then ended at the other? If so, I’m betting the very last bit of resin that was in the cup was not mixed well (i.e., the resin that was stuck to the side). Good news is that if it is only sticky on top (as opposed to gooey), you should be able to coat with another layer of resin to fix it.
Hello I had a problem of the molds not releasing I used the mold relese and it still didn’t work? I made 8 of them and all of them are stuck in the molds?? Please help I need to get these finished before Christmas …..
Freeze the mold and they will pop right out
@Steve,
What kind of mold and what kind of resin?
Hello! I am currently experiencing problems with cups digging rings into my finished coasters. they dont feel tacky to the touch, yet it seems i can get them out by rubbing my fingers over them hard enough. Strange as they are fully cured and hard as rocks, and there is no sign of goey or displaced resin after doing this. Should I continue the process of cup settling and rubbing until the cup no longer digs into the epoxy? Or is there an evil force that prevents the digging all together that will ruin my coasters forever? I have two completed coasters and 6 in the first pour drying process now. I would hate to see all that work go to waste!
I apologize in advance as I dont have a computer to correctly view the forums, so an e-mail response would be greatly appreciated in addition to any other method you choose to address this issue if you find this helpful to others . Thank you!!!
BTW Im using easycast epoxy.
@Jerry, relatively speaking, Easy Cast epoxy resin doesn’t cure as hard as some other resins. I would suggest switching to the Resin Obsession super clear resin or the Polyester casting resin also made by the manufacturers of Easy Cast.
@Kristen,
I have used Easy Cast a lot and have found that it works well for me. Regardless of the resin you use, I cannot stress how important it is to measure accurately AND mix thoroughly. I would suggest making sure you are doing those as perfectly as possible.
easy cast doesn’t look like a great product. I’ve had problems and searched for an answer finding lots of other ppl with the same problem. it never cured. has anyone had good luck with this product? most recommendations are, try a different product. i really don’t want to purchase anything else. can someone tell me the most important factor in having easycast cure properly. i have a bezel with paper background. id like pour in a thin layer of easycast and have a nice pendant.
I have a bracelet mold and my resin did not harden. Is there a safe way to remove the resin so that I do not ruin my mold for future use?
@Carol,
You can try placing the mold in the freezer for 5 to 10 minutes, then demolding. If that doesn’t work, then I would suggest soaking the mold in acetone. Soaking may damage the mold, so it’s a last resort process for me.
What is the minimum amount for 2 part resin, like Amazing Casting Resin?
@Alicia,
Every resin is different. Alumilite recommends mixing at least 1/2 ounce each of resin and hardener for the Amazing Casting Resin.
One of the reasons as to why resin won’t cute all the way was because it wasn’t warm enough(if I interpreted that correctly). And I leave my resin molds in the dinning room to dry and it gets colder over night, would that be why I get sticky resin pieces?
@Courtney, yes, that can be the reason. The room needs to be in the low 70’s F temperature in order for it to cure properly.
BEAUTYFUL
What will happen if you pour a little bit of hardener than the resin? Will it cure? How long is the cure time?
Hello, I just did resin for the first time on Saturday. It said let it cure for 24 to 48 hours. They seem like they aren’t getting hard. They are tacky on top and feel soft when I put my finger on it. I only added sparkles. Any idea?
@Virgina, my first thoughts are either that you didn’t mix the correct amounts or you didn’t mix it well.
@gen, you need to get it as close to what the manufacturer recommends as possible. Pouring in extra hardener will cause it to heat up too quickly and your pot time will be reduced.
Hi, I find your article useful and relevant to what I am working now. How do I compute amount of hardener ito react with the resin if i will be combining two hardeners?
@Jing, I would recommend going with EXACTLY what the manufacturer recommends. Don’t combine hardeners if that hardener is not the one designed to go with the resin you’re using.
Hello, I need help, please. I am using eco exposy resin to coat my painting and it is not cured after two weeks. Any ideas what I could do ?? Thank you
My resin just went gluey & would not set. Is this because it needed more hardener? Please?
Hi Elizabeth, I’m sorry this happened to you. This article will help: https://resinobsession.com/resin-frequently-asked-questions/why-is-my-resin-sticky/
@Espe, if your resin is just a bit sticky, but otherwise firm, I would suggest coating with another layer of resin. If it’s goopy, unfortunately, there are no good options to fix it.
Thank you for your answer. It is a little bit sticky in some parts but most of it it is dry and hard. I am just worry that it won’t cure on the same parts if I put another layer on but I dont know what else I could do.
I am new to using resin but love the idea! However, my first attempt was with the “Easy Cast” product! I know that the measurements were correct but it still formed into a bendable piece. It was not tacky or sticky at all – just too pliable. When I went to drill a hole for a jump ring – I could see the piece bending with movement trough the drilling. However, it did not break – but I can bend it with my fingers. Is there another product that might result in a hard glass like finish. I want to use them as charms – Also is dried resin safe for animals – for such projects as a dog’s ID tag?
@Jennifer, Easy Cast resin, when fully cured, can be soft if it is poured thin. You might try our super clear resin https://shop.resinobsession.com/products/resin-obsession-super-clear-resin-for-jewelry
Cured resin is safe for animals assuming they’re not going to chew or swallow it.
can i use resin on dray hard resin
@Azizeh, Yes, you can use a fresh layer of resin on cured resin.
thanks
Hello Katherine! I am making a clover embedded paperweight using casting craft clear polyester casting resin. My question is if I plan on using a glass cup as the mold and break it to free the cast, will the glass come off the mold still? I’m not sure how much it will stick without the use of a release agent. I only plan on making this one item so buying a release agent is something I’d rather not do (too much waste). Also, must the clovers be dried beforehand to prevent bubbles? Or maybe they are small enough to avoid the issue. Thanks for any guidance!
I have not seen it mentioned that one reason for a tacky or sticky surface is the lack of wax in polyester resin. It is important to know whether the formulation you bought is ‘with wax’ or ‘without wax’. The resin ‘with wax’ cures to a non tacky finish, but requires scuffing of surface between coats. The ‘no wax’ polyester resin allows you to pour multiple layers without scuffing, but cures to a slighty tacky finish, requiring an additional coat of paste wax or gel coat.
Hi Katherine! Thank you so much for this website! It’s been so helpful. I am using an epoxy resin to cover 6″x6″ wood panels that have been prepped with gesso, a printed image and sealed. Some of my recent pieces cured and were head, but then started to get tacky. My question is how long is a safe amount of time to keep my finished pieces before selling them? I want to make sure I’m not selling anything that might become tacky. It seems that even if you are extremely careful with resin there is still a decent amount of room for quality issues. I’ve done approximately 30 pcs. Over the past few weeks and the tackiness is just starting to show up on some of the earlier pieces. Any advice/perspective is appreciated.
@Elizabeth, what kind/brand of resin are you using?
Luxe…. I liked it bc it doesn’t seem as toxic. Do you like this brand? Or can you recommend another? Thanks for your help
OK-I see on Etsy you carry a resin too. I’d like to ask you about this as well. Could you contact me directly? So I can ask more questions about your product? Thank you!
Hi, I have noticed that there are always alot of unavoidable microbubbles (not the larger surface ones) in my cured resin even though I hVe gotten rid of them in the initial curing stage. I have tried everything for the Easy Cast Resin from heating the resin and hardener to vibrating the mold manually. I would definitely appreciate the advice.
Thank you!
@Cherie,
We have several posts on that topic:
https://resinobsession.com/tag/troubleshooting/
Thanks so much! I did a leaf for the table first and it came out perfectly smooth like glass and dry. Then I did the other 2 halves each separately. Measurements could have been a bit off and I think I tried to stretch it too far, it was harder to spread so I ended up with dimples in some center spots and that is where it is tacky. One half is mostly dry and not as dimpled as the other but I feel I should do both. Will probably wait a day to get an earlier start.
Katherine, I see where I can recoat a table with another layer if the top is tacky and not gooey. My question is, I’ve seen you should sand in between layers, but how do I sand if it is tacky? Part of the top is dry and part is tacky. Do I need to sand?
Thanks for your help!
Adding on to my previous post, it has been more than a day since putting the first coat.
@Sandy, you don’t need to sand it first if it’s a little tacky. On a side note, I would make sure you figure out why it cured tacky so as to avoid the problem the next time.
Hello
I have not used my resin for a while but when i was about to use it the hardener is somewhat in jelly state, i was unable to mix it, can you please help me to make the hardener back to its original form
@Sithara, it sounds like your product is old. Unfortunately, it won’t go back to a liquid state again.
Hi there! I’ve been casting resin in silicone ring/bangle molds and though they feel solid when demolded (24-28 hours later), within a few minutes of wear they are soft and pliable. Both Easy Cast Epoxy and Alumilite Clear Cast have left me with the same softened casts, even after properly heating, mixing and measuring. Do I need to allow them to cure longer? Is there a non-polyester resin that will give a rock-hard, clear and glassy finish, even with exposure to body heat? Trying to avoid polyester due to safety/stink. Thanks in advance!
@Sara, try the Resin Obsession super clear resin. It is jewelry quality resin that cures very hard. https://shop.resinobsession.com/products/resin-obsession-super-clear-resin-for-jewelry
Should my resin be warm before start mixing because it stayed white even after 10 mins of mixing and i did use the right ratio (it was Alteco brand as far as i remember) because mine seemed thick not as liquid as the one you used (yes i’m a biginner lol)
Thanks
@me, I’m not familiar with that brand, so I would suggest asking that manufacturer for help.
The resin I’ve used was old and now after 12 hours is still gooey. How long do I leave it before knowing it’s never going to cure?
@Sam, what is the cure time of your resin? You need to wait a day or two past the cure time to decide it’s not going to cure.
Thanks Katherine! Would putting it in a pizza oven and upping the temp to 70/80 help or ruin it?
I’ve added phosphorescence and the piece glows spectacularly in the dark so I’m desperate for it to cure. Thanks again.
@Sam, it wouldn’t hurt, but generally that only speeds up curing of resin that’s going to cure anyway. If you do that, don’t use your oven for food again.
I bought an unfinished wood box, poured glitter all over the bottom of the box and then used EnviroTex Lite Pour-On High Gloss Finish. I think I mixed even amounts, I mixed it for about 2 minutes before pouring and have waited a week. There are still some sticky spots (it’s not really gooey and it dried mostly hard). Is there something I can do to fix this? Is there a product I can use to fix it like a paint or something or should I try doing another layer and hope that this time it dries properly? Thank you for your help!
@Kate, if it’s just a couple sticky spots, I would recoat with another layer of resin.
Hi! I make custom coasters and have been having a problem with what looks like water spots after the resin sets on top of the paper. I have tried sealing with mod podge before hand but the spots still appear. Is there anything else I can try to get this issue to stop? It shows up more when I use a white background. Thanks!
Hi! I make custom coasters and have been having a problem with what looks like water spots after the resin sets on top of the paper. I have tried sealing with mod podge before hand but the spots still appear. Is there anything else I can try to get this issue to stop? It shows up more when I use a white background. Thanks!
@Andrea, I always coat with two layers of a clear drying glue before including in the resin.
Hi! I tried making a new batch of candy-shaped pieces and it’s been a little over a week and the resin didn’t harden at all. I added no dyes to the resin. It’s more than tacky, it’s still a liquid. I looked through the reasons of why it didn’t cure and nothing seems to match. I’m positive I measured it 1:1, the temperature of the room it’s in is fine and consistent, the mold release was dry, et cetera. I’m really frustrated because I need some of the cavities with resin in it for another project and I have no idea when it will cure. Can anyone possibly help me? This isn’t the first time it happened (it happened only once before when I first got into this), but I was not able to figure out what I did wrong. Thanks if anyone can help me! (sorry if this sent twice. my internet isn’t great at the moment!)
@Stef, if it is still gooey, there wasn’t any heat produced to make it harden. Did you mix the minimum amount recommended by the manufacturer?
Hello, I recently tried pouring resin into a glass bottle to have it cure inside, and it was doing fine until it started developing these odd air pockets at the top that ended up flowing through the resin toward the bottom of the bottle. I mixed the resin correctly, so not sure that was it, but I am unable to tell why it did this 🙁 Could you help me figure out why my resin would do this?
@Laura, mixing resin components together causes it to heat up, which is what allows it to cure. If it was a large volume of resin, I can see where the bubbles produced during the curing process couldn’t escape. I would suggest pouring in smaller volumes over several sessions to get your resin in the bottle to be bubble free.
Hi there! I have this problem.. and I’m not sure if its fixable. A while back I was pouring resin and a little spilled out of my cup onto the newspaper I had my molds sitting on out on the balcony and a carpenter ant flew into the spill. Felt a little sorry for it.. and since it was already dead and in resin I couldnt exactly dry it or seal it (not the issue) but I ended up putting it into a resin necklace. The tape I use for the bottom of my open back bezels had a lot of adhesive (I ended up changing tapes because of that) and it left indentions on the back of the piece so I poured a little white resin over it. Looked pretty darn good! Okay.. here’s where I screwed up. The bezel wasnt completely full since I was just using the little bit left over from my last batch. Decided I would go ahead and add a second layer and fill it to the top. Once it dried I was going to clean it like I do with all my bezel filled pendants.. and thats with (I know.. I know.. this is going to sound crazy) lighter fluid (because it doesn’t react with the resin and it was the only thing getting off the adhesive on the back) well my paper towel stuck to the front of the resin. We tried so many things and its clouded to hell and back. Finally after a stories worth, is there any way I can sand this sucker down and re pour? the ant is at the bottom so I am not worried about getting close to him.
@Ashley, yes, I would give that a try.
great video thx.I’m trying to coat the inside of an orange with epoxy & I it keeps leaking down.I try swirling it but it takes so long to dry that it either accumulates in the bottom or leaks out
.any ideas ?thx
@flo, I’m afraid that’s the nature of resin. I would suggest searching for a resin that is designed for curved surfaces.
Hello, I`m using Gedeo epoxy resin /2 parts/ and apparently didn`t use enough hardener as my jewels didn`t cure even after 6 days. They are sticky and not completely hard /if I touch it, it starts to move with my finger like chewing gum, but gets back to original shape after a few seconds/. Would it help to put another layer of resin? If so, shall I try to put more hardener in it to achieve the balance or pour just the right amount /2:1 as my guide says/. In case the second layer isn`t a good idea, do you have any idea how to save the jewels? Thank you very much in advance, I really appreciate your help.
@Sue, your resin is sticky enough that another layer isn’t going to help. At this point, your best hope is to try to salvage your mold. You can try placing your mold in a freezer for 10 minutes or more. Hopefully, the resin will freeze so you can demold the gems.
Hi! My resin pieces were bendable after curing! Almost like rubber! I used the resin obsession resin and mixed the corrected ratios. Why could this of happened?
@Tamara, how thick were your castings? How much total resin did you mix?
They were the small rectangles in your earring mold. I only mixed 5 ml part A to 2.5ml part B. I only needed a small amount.
@Tamara, you didn’t mix enough resin for it to generate enough heat to cure properly. We recommend mixing a minimum of 10 cc Part A to 5 cc Part B. Here’s a link to our super clear FAQ in case you have other questions: https://bit.ly/super-clear
Hi Katherine, I have done it again and I was very careful with mixing etc and mixed the amounts you said and it’s still bending and soft!
I put in some confetti first along with some other pieces that were just glitter, let that cure over night which was fine but when I poured the resin mixed with glitter on the backs along with a few more pieces, they all were soft! 🙁 I am getting disheartened. Could the type of plastic you mix in have anything to do with it?
@Tamara, if you are sure you measured the minimum amounts correctly, then the next thing I would check is that you mixed it thoroughly. You need to mix for two to three minutes, scraping the side of the cup and stir utensil several times during the process.
i want to see if anyone can help me with my problem. my epoxy mixture for my sail boat kept getting heated up into a foam form within 15 minutes after mixing it. i used the 1:2 ratio. Anyone
@Norwin, it sounds like your mixture is getting too hot. I would suggest getting tech support from the manufacturer of your resin.
Hi there, at the moment I am making a sphere ball. But sometimes the bottom of the sphere won’t cure. Do you maybe have an idea how this is possible? I allready let it cure for 48 hours. The rest of the sphere is fully cured.
Thank you in advance all the way from The Netherlands
@Lianne, what kind of resin are you using?
@Lianne, I have never used that brand of resin. I would suggest contacting the manufacturer for tech support.
I am using a different resin than obsession. I use gedeo crystal resin.
Hi! So I’m having a really annoying issue with small think scratches on my mold that transfer to my pieces and I have been trying to polish them out with the novus 1&2 system with no luck. Is there any way to get these annoying scratches out?
@Angel, if they are small scratches, they should go away if you recoat with another layer of resin.
I’ve done tons of experimenting, and made tons of mistakes, but, I’ve learned one important thing when working with resin: Denatured Alcohol is your friend!
1. It can be bought at any hardware store.
2. Quickly clean drippy resin edges before it dries.
3. Can help with resin that doesnt cure all the way within 3 days.
I’m not saying this is a cure all, but, if you have tacky resin surfaces from a non exacting mix, you can coat the tacky part with a few swipes of denatured alcohol and let dry without wiping.
I’ve done this, and in many cases it has dried the tacky resin and made it smooth. Not guaranteeing in all the time; just saying it is a satisfactory fix sometimes.
I use denatured alcohol all the time to clean up, loosen dry resin on pieces before scraping with exacto blade. I wouldn’t be without it. Hope this helps someone.
Pat at the NJ Shore
On hot coaster, after easycast cured 24 hrs, I sprayed it twice with polyurethane gloss. Nothing ever stuck after that.
I agree with Pat about the alcohol – but I use 91% rubbing alcohol, a little safer than denatured, learned that from my Dad. He kept denatured alcohol in his workshop to clean the metal parts of his radios he fixed up, but switched to the 91% alcohol after a fire.
Rhonda J Hunter on Thu, May 21, 2015 at 6:59 PM EDT said:
I agree with Pat about the alcohol – but I use 91% rubbing alcohol, a little safer than denatured, learned that from my Dad. He kept denatured alcohol in his workshop to clean the metal parts of his radios he fixed up, but switched to the 91% alcohol after a fire. Works almost as well as acetone, better on some things.
Hi, I’ve been doing some readings through this site and these comments and was hoping to ask a question. I am pouring clear resin into glass bottles, in 2 to 3 separate pours, to display as prop potion bottles. There is probably about 1.5 to 2″ of resin by the time I am done, 3 inches in diameter. I am having the problem where it makes little bubbles and pulls away from the glass in mutiple parts of the cast. Is this something that can be fixed by adding less catalyst so it cures slowly? Or what would you suggest? Thank you for this valuable resource!
@Aly, what kind/brand of resin are you using?
TAP plastics clear-lite casting resin with the MEKP catalyst.
@Aly, I haven’t worked with that resin. I would suggest speaking with the manufacturer. In the meantime, I would suggest making sure your glass bottles are completely clean and free of any residue on the inside. I wonder if the resin is reacting with something that is making it pull away.
hi i wanted to know if anyone knows the answer to my problem, i use smooth cast 300 and have a problem with my cast it seems to have holes after i try to smooth it with sand paper 1000, does anyone know why?….dee
Hi Dee, are you sanding underwater?
hello, no sanding without water, but i have noticed it happends when i do sand with water as well.
It sounds like you have bubbles in your casting that you are exposing when you sand.
i thought about that, thank you i will try to mix and try again. thank you for your help!
do you have any suggestions? sometimes they are on the surface of my casting, not sure what i am doing wrong, i mix slowly and follow directions,
I believe that is a polyurethane resin? If so, it is very moisture sensitive and most likely the source of your bubbles.
Hello
I m using for the first time Epoxy Clear Resin to make jewelry, but after 3 days and more, they are still very soft and sticky….could you please help me to solve this problem?
Hi Maury, this article should help: https://resinobsession.com/resin-frequently-asked-questions/resin-troubleshooting-tips/
i used to have the same problem and found that you have to be precise with your measurements.
Hello,
thank you for your reply
I measured them, using half and half…or should I put less hardener? Thanks
What kind/brand of resin did you use and how much total did you mix?
I used Epoxy Clear Casting Resin and I mixed 15ml of resin with 15ml of hardener…
Then I would suspect you didn’t mix it thoroughly enough. Be sure to scrape the sides of your cup and mixing utensil several times during the mixing process.
So if I have a larger project as a wall hanging and it is still sticky and tacky in some places can I just reresin over the top of it ? I believe that I got old product as I ratioed properly and mixed properly. And this is on wood.
Yes, coating with another layer of resin should do fine. Make sure and recoat the entire surface.
Hi Katherine,
I have a question about fully cured epoxy resin. I make little resin trinkets to sell and they’re mostly fine but I recently made a bad batch that must not have fully cured because they fell apart in the mail? I’m not entirely sure but I received from negative feedback. I know it’s from the resin not fully curing but even when I have items that have fully cured, sometimes they’ll still fall apart if they’re left in the heat. I usually make something and wait for it to cure before adding more resin to a clip and allowing it the cure on the clip. They fully cure and are fine indoors, but they must fall apart in the mail if it’s too hot. I’ve left a resin hair clip in the car during the summer and was able to pull the clip off when the entire thing got soft — and recently I was able to take the clips off of some old resin pieces I made years ago, that fully cured by placing them under a lamp. The resin eventually gets soft and I was able to peel the clips off, but the the actual resin piece retained its shape.
Is there any way to prevent something that’s cured from going soft in the heat? Most of the things I create with resin hold up and I’m wondering if I’m adding a layer of resin that’s too thin to glue them together, so it falls apart later.
Sadly, this is a common occurrence with resin, especially if it is next to metal. The metal acts as a heat sink and warms up the resin, even to the point where it can get soft.
Hi! I´ve been playing with resin for a few months now and I´m also now obesessed! 😉
I have a question I was hoping you guys could help me with.
I brought a piece I made to show a friend at work.
When I got there my piece had marks from the plastic bag I had put it in( inside my actual bag. didn´t want resin in my “real” bag. confusing? 😉 )
How do I avoid this? If I were to sell some pieces I wouldn´t want them to be ruined like this.
Any tips? what did I do wrong? And has this happened to any of you?
( They were left to dry for at least three weeks before I brought it to work. )
Thanks!
What kind/brand of resin did you use?
I poured my resin two weeks ago and it is still sticky, it appears to have hardened, how do I get rid of the tackiness?
You can try either sanding the tacky resin off or recoating with another layer of resin.
I was hoping polish remover or something wod do the trick. Thank you Katherine
Hi so I just started my resin adventures and poured my project into my mold yesterday. I know this takes a long time to solidify, the resin I used said 24 to 48 hours. And that is for 16 FL oz of resin, I am using 65 fl oz. So I am wondering since I am using about 4x the resin, will it take 4x the amount of time to solidify? Thank you
Without knowing the specifics of the resin you are using, it’s hard to say. I would expect it to cure in the same amount of time, perhaps even faster because of the heat generated.
I am using “Amazing Clear cast” from Michaels. It’s going to be 2 days today it is still liquid except for the center. The mold I have for it is half a sphere, made out of plaster. I have heard not so good things about this resin but of course after the fact that I bought it! Thank you. Amazing Clear cast calls for a 1:1 ratio
I’m afraid I don’t. So sorry.
I’m mixing water base acyclic paint with the Amazing clear cast resin. The curing time is supposed to be 18-24hrs for small object and I’m making a bangle, but turn out the bangle is soft. Could it be because I use water base pigment? There isn’t any instruction on how long I need to mix the 2 part resin but I stirred mix it fot a good 2-3mins, is that ok? If I demold the cast earlier will(at least after 12 hours), will it continue to cure and harden. Thanks
Hi Tony, while colorants such as paints work in resin, they don’t always work in resin. In this case, those paints likely added too much moisture to your resin, hence why it cured soft.
Thanks for that list, it was really useful 🙂 I thought I’d take the liberty for adding an extra bit of info. It’s a bit more specialised so I don’t know if it will be of relevance to you, but, similarly to the idea of latex affecting the cure of the resin, having a tin silicone (condensation cure) mould, as opposed to a platinum (addition cure) silicone mould, may affect the cure of epoxy resin also. It might not be relevant very often, as most of the time cake moulds, soap moulds and resin moulds are platinum, but I thought, in the event of someone buying a mould made by an individual that wasn’t aware of that fact (and tin silicone being cheaper than platinum, an amateur mould maker might think it more economical to use tin), it might be a useful bit of info to have to the more savvy crafters. I hope this helps too 🙂
Myriam, I am a beginner. How does one tell a tin slicone mold from a platinum silicone mold?
There is no easy way to know. Generally, whoever made the mold can tell you.
Okay, but I don’t know anyone who makes molds. if I am buying silicone molds on Amazon to cast resin, and the lisitng says that they are for that pupose, plus other uses, like maybe candy or other crafting, I think you are saying I can consider they are okay?
I’ve seen some tutorials to make molds out of household caulking silicone. Is that the type thatb has tin?
If it’s a silicone mold that is meant for candy, they will generally work with resin, but may not leave a shiny surface on your castings. Unfortunately, I wouldn’t consider household caulk platinum or tin type silicones since caulk isn’t meant for mold making.
Thanks for your help!
I have started to use pour on enviro tex resin over my waxed based art. People love it. However three out of I’d say 20 pieces the resin has peeled or bubbled off. Always at the top. I have a photo to show. My question is if the gallery is hanging the art in a large window, can heat make this happen? I am at loss.
Resin doesn’t usually stick to wax. It’s why I like to use wax paper as a base when I’m working. The resin peels right off. I would suggest coating your art with something else before coating it with resin.
I have an oil painting using Pebeo paint and want to know
how long do I need to wait to let the painting cure before I
epoxy it?
Good question! I have no idea. A week at least?
I’ve seen places on the internet that say oil canvass need to “cure” for 6 MONTHS so???? When can I epoxy an oil painting?? Or what site might have an answer because so far I can’t find one…any help is appreciated
If other websites are recommending 6 months, I would go with that. Maybe the paint manufacturer could make a recommendation?
I am making some coasters of a piece that has raised lettering and symbols of various sizes. I am using Smoothon Smoothcast 325 and 326 resin in a mold I created using Smoothon OOMOO 30. I am having trouble with the smallest letters in the cast piece. They are not curing. The larger surface elements, symbols and letters seem to cure with no problem but when I remove the casting from the mold some of the tiny (~ 1/16 to 1/8 inch) text has not hardened and I need to try and clean it out with a tooth pic. Any thoughts on why this might be happening?
When resin is mixed with hardener, a certain amount of heat needs to be generated in order to initiate curing. Thin castings sometimes don’t get hot enough to cure. I would also suggest contacting the team at Smooth On for advice.
When mixing your resin, you should always pour in to a third cup. If not, your ratio will be incorrect due to the residue left in the cup the material was poured from. Pouring in to a third cup solves this problem.
My paintings turned out perfect, until I put a plastic tablecloth over top. They were dry and all. Now I have a couple places with sticky residue from the tablecloth touching it. How do I get the residue off?? I don’t want to ruin the painting. I tried to clean it with a rag and it left scratch marks. :*(
Are referring to a resin painting?
Hi! How about if the resin is mixed and cured in the 90 fahrenheit temperature?
I wonder if I should/shouldn’t turning fan on or air conditioning on ?
Would it be dangerous if I leave it cured in the same room I sleep?
I hardly find tips or article about working in hot temperature I’d be very appreciate it if you can answet it.
When the room is hot (80 degrees F or more), the resin will cure more quickly. Sometimes this can be a problem as you can’t get all the bubbles out before the resin starts to gel. As for whether or not it is safe to leave the resin in the same room as you sleep, I would suggest reviewing the SDS information and/or contacting the manufacturer for the specific resin you are using.
Beware of Spanish resins! Used gelcoat from different Spanish suppliers but it never seemed to set properly (always tacky, often deforms days or weeks later.) Have been using resins for over 20 years from different countires, went back to using UK resin in the same moulds, same amounts, same everything, the resin worked no problems!
Have you tried flexing the mold to release the resin? If that doesn’t work, I’m afraid warm water isn’t going to be much help.
It probably added too much moisture and kept the resin from curing all the way.
The best suggestion I can give you is to add as little as possible to get the color you want. If your resin still has problems curing, then you will need to switch to dyes and pigments specifically designed for resin.
Hello! I’m suddenly having terrible problems with my Ice Resin (an epoxy resin).
It is dimpling and puddling all the time and it is driving me crazy and I am wasting all my work.
It is doing it on lots of different surfaces that were previously fine. I’ve tried 2 new batches and with different mixing cups,warming it,not warming it…everything I can think of.
It always cures OK but with great dimples in it.
It was fine 2 days ago,but suddenly it’s unusable.
I would be so grateful for any ideas as I can’t find anyone with this problem using google
Awaiting rescue!!!
Christina
I’m sorry to hear you are having problems. Have you checked this troubleshooting article to rule out problems? https://resinobsession.com/resin-frequently-asked-questions/resin-troubleshooting-tips/ Once we can decide these aren’t a problem, we can investigate other issues.
Is there any way to still make the resin harden after this? Or will I just have TK scrap it
Resin that isn’t cured after after the full cure time is unlikely to cure at all.
I am going to be be putting resin (Amazing Clear Cast) over a metal object. My fear is that it will not withstand the heat. (if it were left in a car). On the website it says it will start melting at mid 200’s. Is there another FDA resin that I can use? I have had some people say it holds up fine and others state that it has deformed.
Unfortunately, I’m not aware of another FDA food safe resin that would withstand the heat you describe. Metal acts as a heat sink and will melt resin quickly if it is left to get hot in the sun.
Does the Araldite epoxy resin become milky or transparent after drying completely? I want to glue some black granite and don’t want a white visible seam to come out after drying! Should I mix some color powder in the epoxy?
Unfortunately, I haven’t worked with that resin. I’m afraid I can’t offer any advice.
I am using ICE Jeweler’s grade epoxy resin to cast dried flower specimens into pendants and the resin (though it is supposed to be self-curing, and is completely clear after around 3 hours) contains thousands of tiiiiiny bubbles trapped in it and a few are even still pliable weeks later. The flower specimens have been properly dried (I work in an herbarium and so have access to drying ovens and presses), the resin was mixed thoroughly and measured properly (again, I’m a biologist so I’ve got the whole stir and measure thing down literally to a science), the resin is new, the room is warm, the molds are silicon, clean, and dry- basically nothing on this list makes sense out of my troubles. The shape of the mold is what I suspect to be the issue but I was wondering if anyone on here could confirm/deny that. The shape of the molds are like tube/prism in that they are 3-4 times longer than they are wide. Is the depth of the mold giving me these issues?
Have you tried warming the resin first? A warm room is necessary for the resin to cure, but the resin itself could still be cold. This article shows you how to get your resin warm: https://resinobsession.com/resin-resin-resin/resin-casting-in-cold-weather
Any ideas on how to mix a liquid in the resin and still have it harden?
Are you trying to color the resin? What liquid are you trying to mix in?
I want to use a resin for body works which cools faster which can I use? The body works material used is fibre glass
Hey, i have cured my resin and it has come out great apart from i think my mould was resting at a slight angle while curing so my product has a fat bottom. Is there a way for me to reduce the thickness with out damaging it or should i just start a fresh? Thanks in advance
Try sanding your piece with wet/dry sandpaper.
Hello Katherine,
Thank you for sharing your knowledge with us here. Here are the background on my issue.
– I used Ice resin 1:1 ratio
– I made a ring and a cuff. I let them sit for at least over a week just to be sure.
– They seemed to cure properly with no tackiness and hard.
– though after wear them the for 1/2 hr in, they became somewhat flexible and more as I continue to wear. Especially the rings, they are the thin square ones I got from Resin obsession.
– the cuff is somewhat flexible, I can squeeze and open within 1/2″ I actually like that it’s a little flexible, I can squeeze it to fit my wrist better. Though will it break after a while?
Is this considered not curing properly? Is there a way to fix it?
Thank you for you help
Hi Vipada, I can’t say for sure, but it could be that ICE resin, even when fully cured, can become a bit flexible with body heat. I have experienced this with Castin’ Craft EasyCast resin. Have you considered the Resin Obsession super clear resin? It cures very hard and is what I like to use in molds, especially for jewelry.
Thank you for your prompt reply. I will try your resin instead. Another question, I added Porcelain powder into the mix, that shouldn’t be the reason for it becoming flexible, right? If use with proper resin. I used way less than what the maximum suggestion because I don’t want to mess with the curing too much. Thanks again
I used the same mixture in piramid and in jewrely molds… piramid cured but tony molds did not, stayded soft and sticky…. why?
If the volume of resin wasn’t large enough, it won’t generate enough heat to fully cure.
Thank you…. So I just need to use one specifically for jewelry I guess 🙏
Why is my UV resin sticky even after a long time under the light? Obviously no mixing problem with UV and my light is strong. It seems to cure underneath but leave an oily kind of layer on top. Any ideas why this happens and how to fix it? Lots of people have said stuff like this but the only solution I’ve seen is to dunk it in cold water after curing which kind of works!
I coated a 12ft long piece of marquetry in epoxy resin to use as a backsplash. It soldified fine but the static electricity is crazy. A fine coating of dust remains, no matter what. Is this an artefact of a bad pour? Is it because it’s still sitting in the mold and the edges need to sanded? Is there something to coat it with that stops the static electricity?
Interesting. I have never had that happen. The mold might be attracting the dust.
Thanks. This is my first resin pour. Glad it isn’t from too much hardener.
I use resin obsession brand for my business and love it! But lately I’ve been having trouble that I can’t figure out. Everything is curing great, then I do a top coat and some (not all) of my pieces are turning cloudy just on the very top after letting it cure overnight and then in the toaster oven on about 150 for a few hours (without touching it). The weird thing is that it seems perfect and then I send it out and a few days later the top becomes cloudy. They send it back and I sand and re-coat it and then it usually comes out fine. A few times, though, it happens again after sending it out. I looked on the label and don’t see a minimum mixing amount or a timeframe for curing very thin coats. Does that take a significant amount longer? Or could it be that I’m moving it to the toaster oven too soon and it’s shifting? Or are they too hot? I try not to touch them until they cool after hearing them. I’ve tried to think of every angle. I’m mixing about 12ml total at a time for coating and I’m mixing very exact amounts with a scale and mixing thoroughly. Any advice?
Hi Yvette, I’m sorry to hear the super clear resin is curing cloudy for you. The minimum mixing amount of the super clear resin is 15 ml. Thin coats of this resin also require longer to cure – sometimes up to two days. If you can get in touch with us through our contact page, we will be happy to get a dialogue going where we can get some pictures from you as well so we can better troubleshoot the situation.
I mixed resin and hardner in ratio of 1:2 … i had to mix it in the ratio of 2:1…. have already poured it into moulds. It happened by mistake, any suggestions
At this point, your best bet is to wait and see what happens. With extra hardener, assuming it didn’t heat up too quickly and cure immediately, it should cure as expected.
Hi Pranay, it sounds like your resin is getting contaminated with oil after you pour it. Are you pouring it onto a clean surface? If not, those oils will blend in with resin.
Hi
I have used Resin in a timber table, the resin was old and didn’t go off so I tipped it upside down and drained as much as I could out for 2 days. Then I was told to buy new resin and do it again so I did. All of the lager holes have set properly but any finer cracks still keep coming up with the sticky resin. I have cleaned with metho and repeated the process but it keeps happening.
Would love to hear of any advice to help this stop happening.
Hi Dane, this article should help: https://resinobsession.com/resin-frequently-asked-questions/how-to-fix-sticky-resin/
Hi! Kind of new. And 2 times this has happened. I used the same resin on 2 different products and 1 didn’t cure at all where as the other was just slightly sticky and I was able to save it. Would heating it too much cause it not to cure properly? I feel like I might have had the heat gun on it too much.
Hi Ronee, I’m sorry to hear you are having sticky resin. Heat usually isn’t the problem here. This article will give you some ideas on what went wrong: https://resinobsession.com/resin-frequently-asked-questions/why-is-my-resin-sticky/
thank you for sharing your knowledge. I am curious if I can use acrylic paints added to the resin I have jacard textile and high pigment acrylic paints I was concidering using?
Hi Stacy, great question! I talk about using acrylic paints to color resin here: https://resinobsession.com/resin-resin-resin/how-to-color-clear-epoxy-resin/
Hi, I’ve been currently using a lot of resin lately. I like to pour it on flat surfaces to add onto tray and clear layers. I’ve done it twice with 2 different types of resin and it’s not curing I made sure this time that I made a more equal ratio of the resin and hardener and mixed it pretty well too. I continue to put under sun to speed up process. I also make resin in latex molds which dry within 45 minutes but for some reason when the layer is thin than it won’t dry at all can someone please help I don’t know what to do?
Hi Kylie, I’m sorry this is happening to you. This article will help: https://resinobsession.com/resin-frequently-asked-questions/resin-troubleshooting-tips/
I made a resin key chain and there is a tacky spot on it. Can I put clear nail polish over it to make the sticky part go away or will that mess it up?
Hi Madde, I’m sorry this happened to you. This article explains your options to fix sticky resin: https://resinobsession.com/resin-frequently-asked-questions/how-to-fix-sticky-resin/
I mixed my resin very well, the resin is not expired, no moisture, nothing. It will NOT CURE!!!! I have cured successful pieces with this same resin (same bottles) and these specific pieces won’t cure??? Idk what is going on:/
Hi. I have been using my resin following manufacturer’s instructions. However i find that thinner pours, exp: bookmarks does not cure very hard. I will still be bendy even after weeks. Is it supposed to be like this? Because i prefer my bookmarks thin. What else should i do to achieve harder results?
Hi Ashy, some resins, even when fully cured, will cure soft. For thin projects like this, I like to use the Resin Obsession super clear resin. It cures hard and very clear. You can buy it in several sizes in our store here: https://shop.resinobsession.com/collections/resin/resin-obsession-super-clear-resin
i read that spraying alcohol pops the bubbles on the resin but when i spray, my resin doesn’t cure. it becomes stretchy and sticky
Unfortunately, using alcohol can do that. It’s why I like to use a heat gun to pop bubbles. This is the one I’m using: https://shop.resinobsession.com/collections/tools/products/wow-embossing-multipurpose-heat-tool-heat-gun
hi,
i have some issues in epoxy coating , three days before i applied top coat polyurethane , when temperatures is low it become dry , when sun light came its started to melt ..why this type of issues happen any idea ..
Hi Ela, I would expect your resin to soften in the sunlight.
I love resin making! but… my bookmarks😬😶 are bendy every time! all my other resin products are fine its just the bookmarks!help!
Hi Vicky, I’m sorry this is happening to you. This article explains why your resin is bendy: https://resinobsession.com/resin-frequently-asked-questions/why-is-my-resin-bendy/
Hey so I touched and moved my resin from its position after 5 hours of pouring as I as I was moving it it got bendy as it was not cured yet ! So will my resin be bendy now will it not get cured ?
It’s hard to say Harshita. This article explains more about bendy resin: https://resinobsession.com/resin-frequently-asked-questions/why-is-my-resin-bendy/
I’m fairly new to resin but so far I’ve found that if I put a lot of glitter into my resin it doesn’t cure very hard. I’m currently using a “beginner kit” but looking to buy more professional product asap. My glitter pieces are flexible, totally bendy after 24 hours (reccomended cure time). I’ve made pieces that are clear or colored with mica and they cure rock hard, as expected. I’ve read that using more than 5% glitter or other inclusions may cause resin to cure improperly but I don’t feel I’ve surpassed that amount. I’ve seen other people’s projects online that seem to have just as much glitter inside, if not more! Is this a layering issue for me? Do I need better resin or different glitter? I’m open to any advice here as I really want to use as much glitter as possible in my work but I obviously want it to cure rock hard!!
Hi Miranda, I’ve never had a problem with glitter making resin bendy. It sounds like you need to try a different resin, as some are bendy even when fully cured. If you are using molds, the Resin Obsession super clear resin works great. You can mix and pour up to three ounces at once and it cures very hard. You can buy it in several sizes in our store here: https://shop.resinobsession.com/collections/resin/resin-obsession-super-clear-resin
Hi,
We have had a problem twice with a 22 x 12 river serving board with a silicon mold. The resin never cures. We have made many other smaller projects without a problem even from the same batch of resin that we used for the large serving boards. We poured into a wood mold with Tuck Tape without a problem. Any idea of what we are doing wrong? Could this particular mold be interfering with the curing process. Other silicon molds have not caused a problem. Should we pour smaller amounts at a time and wait a day before pouring the next layer? Do we need to mix longer than the specified 5 minutes for larger pours? Does a larger pour take longer to cure? As I said, smaller projects do not have this problem. We are using Craft Smart Casting Resin.
I’m using craft resin it’s supposed to set in 24 hours and it’s been left for 3 days and it’s not set properly it’s bendy and has sticky parts in places yet it’s thick .
Is resin supposed to sit for a while before pouring? I mix both parts pretty well and whatever I poured first ends up being the one that doesn’t cure and gets sticky.
Hi Jayne, I’m sorry you’re having problems with sticky resin. Some people like it to rest before pouring to help with bubbles, but that won’t prevent a sticky finish. This article will help: https://resinobsession.com/resin-frequently-asked-questions/why-is-my-resin-sticky/
The accuracy of my core change from 0.2s to 0.5s when I mould it in vaccum casting machine… i am using epoxy for casting.. what should i do so that accuracy remains same
Addressing the issue of resin not curing is a common concern, and your FAQ section is a helpful guide for resin enthusiasts. Your troubleshooting tips and comprehensive answers provide clarity and assistance for those encountering curing challenges.