Master Using A Heat Gun For Resin With These Tips

If you HATE bubbles in resin (Let’s get real–who likes bubbles in resin??), then you’re going to love this. I’m showing you how to use a heat gun with resin, so it cures crystal-clear.

And if you LOVE bubbles in resin, then you’ll want to keep reading. Because there are ways a heat gun can help you make them in epoxy art.

Why use a heat gun for resin?

It’s safer than a propane torch or lighter.

Because the heat gun doesn’t have a flame, it’s harder to set something on fire. This is pretty important if you use solvents like acetone and alcohol in your work. Both of these can make your epoxy catch fire.

⚠️ IMPORTANT: Notice I said harder, not impossible, to start a fire.  Have a fire extinguisher handy anytime you’re working with resin.

Heat guns produce heat with very little air ‘force.’

This means you’ll get a lot of hot air without feeling much velocity.

Yeah, I don’t like physics either, so let’s compare this to a hairdryer.

Turn on a hairdryer and put it up to your face. You’ll see your hair flip everywhere. And if you don’t, this movie clip sums it up perfectly.

Do that with a heat gun, and your hair won’t move. And that’s what makes it ideal for resin projects. You won’t blow resin all over the place like you would with a hairdryer.

Heat guns can help make cells in resin art.

Cells are the holy grail of resin painting. Heat guns help you make resin cells because they push resin over the surface of your painting.

But before you use a heat gun, there are a few safety precautions you need to know.

The tip of the heat gun gets very hot.

You don’t want to touch the metal mesh end after using it because you can burn yourself.

Use the kickstand on the heat gun.

Because the heat gun end can burn or warp a table or a surface, set it down on your table using the kickstand. You don’t want to scorch your table.

Be mindful of touching the heat gun.

Just because you have gloves on, doesn’t mean the resin stays on the gloves. Wipe your hands before grabbing your heat gun. Resin from your gloves will transfer to the heat gun and gets it sticky. And that sticky resin will be hard to get off later.

Go over the surface of your heat gun with an alcohol wipe before putting it away to make sure it’s clean.

So how do you use a heat gun for resin?

Step 1

Keep your heat gun about 2 inches from the resin surface. Go over your surface in a back-and-forth or circular motion. You should see bubbles pop.

Step 2

For stubborn bubbles, you can get a little closer. Move the heat gun quickly to jiggle the bubbles and get them to pop. This works well when the bubbles are in corners or tight spots.

Step 3

If you’re using a heat gun to make resin, use it to push your resin for art. The closer you get the gun to the surface, the more you will move the resin.

⭐️ BONUS: Here are the details on how to make cells in resin art. Video included!

What else should you know about how to use a heat gun for resin?

The heat of the heat gun adds to the temperature of the resin.

It’s normal for resin to get hot when mixed. This is important to make sure it cures. But, there is too much of a good thing. A resin that gets too hot will cure too quickly and be unusable.  Keep your heat gun moving so you don’t apply too much heat to one spot.

A heat gun can damage molds.

Applying too much heat to resin molds can damage them. Your resin can stick to the silicone making your molds unusable.

A heat gun will only remove surface bubbles.

A heat gun is great at getting surface resin bubbles. But, it will not get ones at the bottom of your mold or spread throughout the resin. You’ll have to find another way to get those rotten scoundrels.

Don’t sweat it. I’ve got an attack plan for those too.

⭐️ BONUS: Here are ten of my best tips for getting rid of bubbles in resin.

If you are ready to buy a heat gun for resin, here’s the one I use:

Want more help?  Here’s a video where I show you how to use a heat gun for resin.

 

Are you tired of making art and crafts with resin but unhappy with your results?

I get it. The same thing happened to me when I started crafting with resin. It’s why I wrote the beginner ebook, Resin Fundamentals.  It’s an easy-to-read  PDF book that details the vital points you need to know to make something unique with resin from the very first try. Buy it now and get a download link to your email in minutes.

Unpublished Blog Posts of Resin Obsession, LLC © 2023 Resin Obsession, LLC