I have been putting my resin and hardner bottles in a hot water bath in my kitchen sink before i start to prep for my project and by the time im set up and ready i go and check the liquids and they get waaay more watery😅easier to pour and mix and i notice it works waaay better and my pieces come out with little to NO micro bubbles. Blast it with a heat gun and POOF bubble free!💚 Definitely worth the extra steps👌🏼
This is much better than mixing the resin and then putting it in a warm water bath. I got that advice from some RU-vidr, and it caused flash curing. TBH, in summer in California, I just mix, wait 45 minutes, pour, and 95% of the bubbles go away. I'm a noob though, so I don't assume I'm doing it correctly, and I haven't been doing resin long enough to see how fall and winter temps treat me. Cheers.
The wooden sticks are fine if they’ve been used before. A fresh one will let lots of air out! I use a silicone stir stick. Easy to clean, less waste, no bubble risk. Mold release (or a very well wiped off layer of mineral oil) helps to get rid of bubbles on uneven molds.
@@SteveMcDonaldArtsandCrafts I’ve noticed that quality medical tongue depressors work WAY better than cheap pine craft sticks. It makes sense- the cheap ones would be made with a much more ‘open’ grain wood; if you use those as a tongue depressor you’d end up with splinters! Those sticks would naturally have more tiny pockets of air. Your tips are far more important- Don’t incorporate air, (it’s not whipping cream), and pour so that the bubbles stay on top (like you’re doing latte art). The mold release I think I learned from you. The cheaper and rougher the mold, the more important it is!
I agree with these tips. My studio isn't always as warm as I need it to be. However, I will put my bottles of resin in hot water for about 10 minutes before I go to mix it. I have also found if you stir slowly that makes a big difference in the bubbles. I use wooden sticks quite often and didn't find them to be a problem, especially if you have reused them after resin has hardened on them a bit. The other big thing is letting it rest for 5 minutes or after stirring and after pouring it in the molds.
Always good to brush up on basics. Today I'm finishing multiple projects and two are going to be poured clear. I'll be sure to follow these steps. Thanks Steve!
Hi Steve. New sub having stumbled upon your channel. Helpful hint (i learned from my own trials and errors with resin)...... Rather than pouring B into A...If you pour the thicker part A resin into the the thinner part B hardener (ideally right into the middle of the cup of hardener), you are much less likely to get unmixed resin stuck to the sides of the cup as it's the thinner part B sitting at the edges rather than the thicker stickier part A. I'm not being a RU-vid armchair expert or keyboard warrior, I just though I'd mention it in case it helps / reduces the chance of any little bits of mix that don't cure properly. If not, at least the comment helps the YT algorithm.... cheers.
Now I know that I've been mixing too fast.... My work area is always warm because I can't take to much cold. Here I was thinking I didn't have it warm enough. Thanks so very much. All of us can learn something new and useful if we just watch and take in what is said. Ringy-dingy🔔🔔🦋🦋
I also found that there is a huge difference between the brands of Resin. I had one that had soo many bubbles and was quite thick. The one I use now is very runny and takes a long time to cure but i almost never have any bubbles.
Thank you thats very helpful. with the resin i got i have no issues in some molds and have lots of bubbles in other molds .. with the same mixed resin... Its the molds with lot of details that get big holes around the edges ..like my wing molds... so I guess thats a factor too !?
One thing I noticed right away is that you're using a wood stick to stir. Fine if it's already completely sealed with resin, but if not, it will add bubbles. Why? Wood is breathes. It's porous and has trapped air. So, mixing will force the air out of the stick into the resin. Better to mix with silicone because it cleans easily, or, a plastic knife ... anything without air pockets. I appreciate that you haven't found it to be a problem, but you did say that they are used again and again, which seals the wood. Slow stirring keeps turbulence from adding air to the mix, so you are correct. Slowly stirring and keeping the end of the stick on the bottom will prevent inadvertent addition of air into the mix. Letting the mix sit to get rid of micro bubbles is a great tip, but for thicker mixes, it may never fully de-gas. I use a cheap electric coffee cup warmer instead. Put the mixture on the heater for a few minutes and ALL of the bubbles disappear no matter how thick the resin. Then pour as you demonstrated, leave for a few minutes to check for and torch any leftover bubbles and it will be completely clear without having to babysit it for so long.
I love those ideas but to be honest I don't have the patience for stirring slowly. :P I try though. I also find that the operating temperature for resin is higher than my operating temperatures. LOL. I am good at around 70 degrees F. 75 F and higher starts getting a bit uncomfortable. I guess I just run hot which isn't a surprise since I can't go slow as mentioned before. *laughs* Thanks for the suggestions and video. I will keep trying to exercise restraint and turn my AC off or heat on as the season warrants. :D - Heidi
I don't know what to do at this point. I've tried a *lot* of different things: warming up the epoxy and hardener before hand, letting it sit for 10-20 minutes, letting it sit mixed in warm water, trying different brands, and *nothing* gets rid of the bubbles. Oh, some of them will have risen to the surface, but most remain hanging out in the middle of the resin, never rising, and never popping, and resulting in perpetually bubbly resin that I have to either fish out by hand, hopefully before the resin sets, or just... live with the bubbles in my projects.
Thank you so much for this video! All of the videos I've watched previously said you should get a pressure pot or vaccum chamber if you want to cast clear resin without any bubbles in it, which really worried me because I decided to buy some basic supplies for my birthday, but I really didn't want to spend a lot of money on something so expensive. Especially because I've never tried it before and aren't even sure if it's going to turn into an actual hobby for me. I'll definitely try this out once everything arrives!
Oh, I forgot to ask as being someone who is slightly disabled are you able to pour the resin in a smaller and separate a B and just close that was a cap on it? Or does it have to stay in the bottle it came in. I think a smaller one would be so much easier on my hands but I want to check with you before I try it. Thank you so much for the videos Definitely helps and easy understand.
Sorry I think of this every single time I hear it but because you sung it I thought I may as well say, first I am subscribed as I am to probably thousands of channels covering a diverse range of topics and can you imagine how many notifications I would get if I clicked every bell? No they are all off in fact all RU-vid notifications are off for everything both in app and blocked on the phone because I don’t read replies to my messages because well some people are just so rude for no reason I had enough of that on Facebook in a Jimi Hendrix club, people don’t just disagree with you they have to destroy you, that’s the trending phrase, but basically I just commented to help the algorithm but I get sick of hearing 4 email notifications every night RU-vid notifications would be on a whole new level.
My resin and hardener directions say put in warm to hot water for at least 15 minutes before mixing. Another problem I ran into is one pour turned runny and sticky and it was recommended to never scrape the sides or bottom into the pour especially if it is less than 72 degrees Fahrenheit.. I repoured and the next pour came out perfect.
Great tips! My house is always so cold in the winter. You are my favorite youtube-er. I just love how happy and positive you are. Lots of fun. Thank you!
HI Steve, Nice hair cut Mate 👍 Thanks for sharing a very helpful tutorial 👍 I haven’t been using resin very long so any tips I can get the better Lin ✨👍
I've learned to never heat your resin when it's already mixed. I had a small amount (30 ML) and watched a video saying to use a mug warmer to get rid of bubbles. A couple minutes later I tilt the small cup and find that about 90% of it had formed into a chunk.
I use the mug warmer and it works for me. The key is not to overdo it and to keep stirring it every 30 secs. Also, it depends on the brand of your resin and the working time.
What brand should I use I seen a few I'm aming for but not sure I'm I new breed I've been watching a lot of videos including yours but not sure pls help..🤔
I live in Australia, and it does get below freezing here in winter. I built a heated chamber to cure the resin, controlled by my homes automation program, this chamber is 60*60cm and 90cm high, large enough to hold the pressure pot, but more importantly, large enough to pop the resin in a few hours before I want to pour. 2 40w light bulbs keep the temp between 25c and 35c, and usually spend about 50% of the time on, so the power draw is not too bad at all, and I can fit a lot of resin items on trays in there until they are ready to demold
I do my work in my basement, which is always cool. Now I'll warm it up a bit down there & my problem is solved! I've always thought the problem was the brand of resin I used. Now I know better!
I took the whole bottle upstairs over night. But when I finally got around to pouring, it was cold again. I'll have to learn to get things ready for pouring first, then go up & get the bottle lol
I have a square box lid mold that came torn on the corners. And when I cast on it, the resin doesn't go all the way to the corner. After demolding, the corner looks cut off. What do I do?
ive never worked with resin but these videos are very informative and interesting, if i ever do make something with resin this knowledge will come in handy , thanks for sharing
Thanks so much! Does heating them up work for all types of resin? I'm working with table top resin and it seems to heat up on its own after being mixed together.
Thank you for this great tutorial! I'm trying to start doing work with resin and I need to have all my ducks in a row so that I dont run into too many problems. But, I go by Murphy's law and know that wont happen. So, here are some great detailed instructions that might stop some problems. Thank you so much for sharing this with us!🌟😊💛
My resin specifies to pour the hardener (part B) first, so please check the instructions that come with your particular brand of resin. Also make sure you pay attention to whether you need to measure by volume or weight, because this varies by brand as well.
WHAT RESIN IS THE BEST RESIN ,BESIDES UV RESIN ,WHICH I PREFER. HOWEVER, AS WITH MOST OF MY PROJECT'S, WHEN I'VE NOT GOT A COLD , THEN I FEEL FINE AND LOVE WORKING WITH VARIOUS MATERIALS. I MUST SAY, I'M WELL IMPRESSED, BECAUSE OTHER CRAFTERS STIR VIGOROUSLY AND WITH A DRILL MIXER. SO. I'M WELL CHUFFED HOW YOU'VE PROVEN EXPENSIVE EQUIPMENT ISN'T NECESSARY TO GET THE JOB DONE. I GUESS SAME COULD APPLY GETTING BUBBLES OUT OF UV RESIN.
I have supplies to get started and I’ve watched dozens of videos on safety and specific questions; like avoiding bubbles or recommended gear. Almost every time I have found something from you that’s been greatly helpful. I’m on the verge of creating my first piece, and I’m excited and confident. I’d love to share pictures of how it turns out. Do you have a Discord?
Thank you ! This is just what I needed for my nex̌t project. I'm making a resin table. A small one i have a round 14 in silicone mold. Im very excited about it. Cross your fingers !!! Thank you for all your great tips it helps me a lot. 😊
I buy my resin by 3 gallons at a time and decant it into a 32 ounce plastic bottle for ease of pouring. The room in which I pour is generally around 75° although I will turn on a space heater if I’m curing large amounts of resin but otherwise It’s a pretty constant temperature. Would it be OK to heat up the entire 32 ounce plastic bottle each time before I start pouring or would heating it up and letting it cool and heating it up again another day be detrimental to the resin? Should I just heat up the amount that I’m using at the beginning of each pour instead? Which may be problematic since I don’t always know how much I’m going to use LOL And having to wait for it to heat up each time would be a pain. Thanks so much in advance for any insight. Take care and stay safe!
Hi. I buy mine in 32-64 oz. I heat the bottles up each time and have found no issues with it. Hope this helps. BTW, where and what resin did you get 3 gallons at a time from? Time saver!
@@MistresofDreams i’m in Canada, I use RustydesignDOTCA It is very cost effective and virtually bottle free. They sell in 3 gallon sizes as well. I normally get the General Casting Resin but they also have a Slow Q, Flood Coat and a Time Saver. Couldn’t recommend them highly enough they’re shipping is awesome fast.
Im definitely gunna try this method for the next time I make some dnd dice! Im attempting to make some foe a vender show im getting ready to do, so fingers crossed this works for me! Thanks!
Hey Steve great video. Would u ever consider doing a giveaway with one of your jewlery making resin kits? I think it would be so cool for those of use that haven't ever gotten to give resin a try yet lol. I been trying to gather supplies but things are expensive so I keep working toward it lol. Please Keep the awesome videos coming💚🎨🔥
i mean sure you can do it like the video, but not a chance you can make any colored or fancy looking dice out of it. you also cant put anything in the resin while mixing since it introduces bubbles
So many videos about taking bubbles out of the cast , but how do you add bubbles to the cast , kinda like the old glass with all the floating bubbles in it
What can i do to prevent bubbles appearing after the resin is hard? I added dry flowers and there were no bubbles but i noticed after it hardened bubbles appeard, I used a heat gun, tourch and made sure there were no bubbles before putting under a UV light but still bubbles appeard after it hardened. Don't know what to do really!!
Thanks I watch you as much as I can. You have great helping tips. We are making dice and we get bubbles. Now we know how to not get them. Thank You again
Thank you so much you just saved me from so much headache & stress because I been struggling with ugly bubbles for weeks now.. I almost gave up on Resin all together.. But you’re video changed everything for me.. Thank you so much 😊
I hear a lot that the resin part A is thicker than hardner part B. I haven't yet opened a bottle where resin was thicker. The hardner is thick like honey and I give it the hot water bath. Doesn't matter how slow I stir I never get results like that.
