How to use resin in cold weather?

If you’ve found yourself on this page, it means you are familiar with the art of curing resin, as curing resin is a sensitive temperature-based chemical process, you could have faced problems at any stage. It’s about time you move from confusion to confidence. With these tips, you will be able to beat the cold and perfect your work.

Measure, Mix, Pour

  

Resin comes in two bottles: resin and hardener. When you mix them, a chemical reaction occurs that produces heat and causes your resin to harden. It can be challenging during the winter, and these tips can help through the process.

1. Increasing the room temperature

Curing Resin is like working with enzymes. It needs a proper temperature to provide optimum results. Ideally, the temperature of your room should be 20 to 25 degrees Celsius. The environment of your workplace should be warm and dry. If you’re working in your garage, or any room at all, just raise the temperature before you start working. The room temperature should remain stable for 24 hours for the curing process to complete.

 2. Resins warm bath

 You should normally let the resin bottles warm up at room temperature until they reach desired temperature and consistency. If however, you’re in a rush, forgot them in the garage overnight, using big resin bottles or they’re cold simply because ‘duh Winter!’ You can simply dip the bottles into hot water to warm them up to make it flow smoother during your pour.

Make sure water does not come into contact with the resin. If water mixes with resin, it results in a cloudy resin. After 15 minutes in the bath, the resin is runny, you’re good to go. Big resin bottles can stay in the bath for a few more minutes until they’re ready. If you also intend to use liquid dyes, let them sit in the bath too.

A simple water bath can lose heat quickly so if you require more heat for your resin, use a mini slow cooker, a mini crockpot, or even a potpourri warmer. Do not try a wax heater for that matter, however, it could be hazardous. After the bath dry them with a paper towel afterward!

 

3. Warm up those resin molds

 

As the temperature game goes on, you can also warm up your resin molds. You can usea bag, give them a hot bath or simply use a heating device and warm them up, especially in cold weather. Do not use a high heat setting, or the resin mold distorts.

We have variety of molds in our shop.

4. Make a hot box 

 As you might already know, a warm temperature is not only necessary for the perfect mixing of resin and hardener, but also for the curing process to complete. Cold weather has a scary curse on resin cure. If the temperature drops during the curing process, you might end up with sticky resin or a resin with surface imperfections. 

 To solve this problem, you can make your own heated container, which traps the heat, and protects the curing resin from dust and other contaminations too. This can also speed up the curing process! To make this, you just need a shallow aluminum tray/pot. First of all, place an auto-shutoff heating pad, invert an aluminum tray on top of it, and place a letter/paper tray organizer, as per your needs, place your molds and finish up by placing a clear storage box on top of it all.

 5. Use a hand warmer instead

 If you do not use a heating pad, you can use a hand warmer. After the first resin pour into the mold, cover it with a container. Turn on a hand warmer 15 minutes before your pour the final time. You must keep the hand warmer close to the mold and after the final pour put the container on top of it.

 It will raise the temperature and will work wonders. Also dries up the resin and helps cure it faster. A big perk in cold weather. In 12 hours, you will have a dream resin cure. Enjoy! 

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