Learning Through Practice: High Temperatures and Resin

A note from Julie:

Well, I had a bad resin pour this past weekend, ugh! This was incredibly frustrating but I wanted to share my story in hopes that it will help others avoid the same mistake. Here is what happened:

I was making a series of 20 compacts with my husband's art work on top of the lids. I had cut, glued, and sealed the images in place (just as I always do). I had purchased a brand new batch of resin specifically for this pour. I mixed up 1 oz of resin in a small measuring cup, making sure that I used exactly equal amounts of part A and part B. I waited 5 minutes to let some of the bubbles rise to the top and pop on their own. So far, so good. Next, I went to pour.....and......my resin was already starting to set!!! It was slightly sticky and when I spread it onto the top of the compact, it was no longer fluid and self-leveling. I used up the entire cup on about 8 compacts before I realized how bad they looked. The centers were fine but the edges were lumpy and uneven.

My problem: it was too hot in my house. Resin works best in temperatures around 75 degrees. However, it was around 90 degrees this weekend in Pasadena and inside my house was even warmer then that. It had been a hot day and I had been gone so the house was closed up and hot. I should have known better but I honestly did not even think about it. 

My fix: this morning around 7am when it was still cool (for summer that is), I mixed up another 1 oz batch of resin and poured it on top of my "bad" layer. This time the resin behaved as it should and evenly spread out to the edges. It filled in the gaps and unevenness that was left from the last pour and my compacts look great.

Tip: Even though I was making 20 compacts, I still only mixed up 1 oz of resin at a time. This way I was able to catch something like this before it caused too much damage. I never mix more then 1oz at a time, no matter how many pieces I am making.

With summer getting into full swing across the country, I hope this tip comes in handy.

- Julie Bean