Choosing a resin for a deep casting

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    • #8401
      Katherine Swift
      Keymaster

      This question comes from Tim:

      What would be the best cast resin for filling a one pour hole 8″ round by 4″ deep ???
      Will there be shrinkage?
      Can a Polyurethane be put on top of this.

    • #8402
      Katherine Swift
      Keymaster

      Hi Tim,

      A few questions for you:

      1. Will you be demolding this casting?
      2. Is the 8″ x 4″ hole you are filling inside another object?
      3. What are you trying to accomplish with the polyurethane?

      • #8404
        Tim Jensen
        Guest

        Applying to hole in exotic wood table, sealed on bottom. Shrinking issue is to bring resin up to flush
        on table surface which the table top coat will be polyurethane or similar.
        Will I need hair dryer or heat source if using your super clear casting resin ?????
        Thank you for every second of your time concerning this for all who will be educated.
        Tim the ignorant…..

    • #8409
      Katherine Swift
      Keymaster

      Hi Tim,

      First thing I would suggest is to make sure the hole in the table is sealed well. Otherwise, the wood will release air that will show up as bubbles in your casting.

      If using the super clear casting resin, if you are careful in mixing, bubbles are almost never a problem. Having a hair dryer handy though would be good as there will likely be a few bubbles you will have to get out. You should know however, that when using the Resin Obsession super clear resin, we recommend mixing no more than 3 ounces at a time. It is going to take you several pours to get your hole filled.

      Were you looking at a polyurethane varnish to coat your surface? I ask because I like to use the Alumilite Amazing clear cast epoxy resin as it is considered food safe once cured. https://shop.resinobsession.com/collections/resin/products/alumilite-amazing-clear-cast-epoxy-resin-16-ounces It will give a glossy finish and would be compatible with pouring over the hole filled with either the same or a different epoxy resin. I haven’t put a coat of polyurethane over epoxy resin in this situation, so I don’t know how well it would work.

    • #12533
      Rob
      Guest

      Hello..Newbie to resin casting here…am wanting to pour a resin table top that will include a burl slab, stones, fossils, etc…am bewildered by all the info online regarding thick casting…can anyone point me in the right direction for the right resin that is crystal clear, relatively safe to use, and I can pour large areas of resin at once?…am confused by the instructions of only mixing 3 ounces of resin at a time…my table top will be about 2 by 3 feet, so three ounces at a time seems like alot of frantic mixing periodically, etc…🤤…help!…lol..and thanks in advance!

      • #12536
        Katherine Swift
        Keymaster

        Hi Rob,

        Were you wanting to be able to sand and finish the table afterwards or is using the resin the final step?

    • #13610
      Dave Benson
      Guest

      Hey hope you guys can help, I’ve been looking at scale models (ships) that are particularly imbedded into resin to make it look like water. Is there a certain resin that would suit this type of application? There are water products available for dioramas but can’t be made too deep…

      • #13613
        Katherine Swift
        Keymaster

        A polyester resin is what I would use in this case. Do you have any experience with them? They can be a bit fussy to work with. We have one in our store here:
        https://shop.resinobsession.com/collections/resin/products/castin-craft-polyester-resin-16-oz?variant=965320113

        • #13676
          Dave Benson
          Guest

          I don’t have any experience with any resins, what I’m aiming to achieve is a deep water diorama. Maybe a sunken ship, clear resin or slightly tinted blue with a ship on top… but I’d like for the resin to be 200mm deep or 7-8 inch deep… will the resin have to be poured multiple times in the layers?

          • #13705
            Katherine Swift
            Keymaster

            It depends on which kind/brand of resin you are using. The manufacturer should be able to tell you how much resin you can mix/pour at once. (Otherwise, the resin overheats and cures very quickly.) A seven to eight inch pour is likely going to be a lot of resin. Polyesters tend to do well with this large a pour.

    • #13823
      Jersy Alva
      Guest

      Hello, thanks in advance for the help. I’m making a live edge conference table that’s 8’L x 4’ W x 2”H. I’m not encapsulating the top but rather filling voids and any dead space in the mold to crate a rectangular table that’s flush with the slab. Hopefully I’m describing it right.
      I’ve been thinking of using a polyester resin but from what I’ve been told by merchants is that polyester doesn’t adhere as well as an epoxy resin does. I’ve never poured Polyester but all I’ve read says polyester is harder to work as far as smell and cure time. Is there a benefit to using one over the other for my application? Is there a clear epoxy resin that can be poured 2” thick and won’t overheat and crack? Thanks!

      • #13829
        Katherine Swift
        Keymaster

        I’m not clear, are you casting the resin by itself or with wood?/

    • #14326
      RAHUL PATEL
      Guest

      Hello, I want to cast table top. But what kind of epoxy resin I should use. Should I use epoxy cast resin or something else. Table top thickness has to be 2 inches.

    • #14447
      EzeOne
      Guest

      I am looking to fill the center of a tree stump that has 3 large branch sections coming off the main stump. I’m thinking the holes i want to make will be 6-8″ diameter and 14-16″ deep. I think i will need at least 3-4 gallons. I will light them from the bottom with some type of lamps. A) what type of resin to get; B) should i keep the resin clear and use multi color changing lights or can i put a little pigment in each hole to make them different color? thanks!

      • #14452
        Katherine Swift
        Keymaster

        For a project like this, I suggest using a clear polyurethane resin. We don’t sell them, but instead recommend going to alumilite.com. Please let them know we referred you. 🙂

        You can either color the resin or use lights for your project.

        Good luck!

        • #122235
          B Miano
          Guest

          I have a similar project in which I plan to fill in the voids in an old tree stump with glow in the dark resin/epoxy. They are fairly deep and some of them go all the way through to the bottom of the stump. How do I fill in the bottom of the void so that the resin does not run out the bottom? Can I fill the lower half of the void with something to reduce the amount of resin I need? Sand? Silicone caulk? Spray foam? These stumps will remain outdoors. Thanks for any advice.

    • #15156
      Robert Ketterlinus
      Guest

      Hi. I have maple wood slabs (between 1-3 inches thick) with holes (some as larges as 4-5 inches diameter) that I want to fill with clear resin, then will finish wood with poly. From what I can see in this thread maybe it would be better to use a clear polyurethane product than one you sell? I have other projects that I think your products will work for but for now I am working on the slabs. p.s. Ive never worked with resin so please provide advice or show me where to find if possible. Thanks!

    • #15629
      Randy
      Guest

      Hi, I’m new to casting and wanting to make essential oil bottle holders that would be blocks about 1.5”wide, 2” tall and 8” long with holes either cast into the top or drilled. I’d like to use something that I could cast in a single pour so that I can use paints to make a sort of mottled translucent color scheme. What type of resin would work best?

      • #15633
        Katherine Swift
        Keymaster

        Unfortunately, I don’t know of any resin that has been tested to hold oil for long periods of time.

        • #15638
          Randy
          Guest

          They won’t be holding the oil directly, it’s more for displaying the bottles

          • #15639
            Katherine Swift
            Keymaster

            That helps.

            When you say you want to use paint to create a mottled appearance do you want to use it to color the resin or on the surface of the resin?

            • #15640
              Randy
              Guest

              I’m wanting to do like white wisps inside of a translucent blue.

    • #15860
      Sean Backus
      Guest

      Hello. Im looking for some advice on finishing off our bathroom vanity top. I have placed smooth small lake rocks we collected from a beach on top of backerboard and built a form around them. We would like to finish them with a clear seal. Due to different sized rocks i need to pour it 3 inches thick. Its about 10 square feet total. What do you recommend for product to use and how to apply? Thank you.

    • #18539
      John
      Guest

      I’m looking to fill a 3D printer trophy with resin. What kind is going to be best?

    • #18591
      Gabby
      Guest

      Hi, I am trying to cast a 10″ Christmas tree in resin. I would like to do it all in one pour. What kind of resin would work for this? Thanks

      • #18601
        Katherine Swift
        Keymaster

        It’s going to be hard for you to get it done in one pour and have it be bubble free. Do you have access to a pressure pot?

    • #19765
      nolan
      Guest

      Hi there, after ~pouring~ over dozens of articles, videos, etc. online, I can’t deduce if what I have in mind is feasible, and if so, which resin would be best.

      I’m trying to create a clear, single-piece, 40″x40″x15″ block. Let’s assume a proper mold has been constructed, and also that an infinite number of friends have readily offered their help entirely unprompted.

      Is there any material that won’t require numerous layers, each with a lengthy cure? This wouldn’t kill the project in the water, I suppose, but it unarguably complicates the undertaking.

      I read that pouring epoxy thickly causes it to heat and cure very quickly, but I’m tempted to think that that would work to the advantage of our theoretical monster block:

      E.g. my infinite friends and I mix the total amount of resin needed in separate safely-mixed quantities, and then pour all of it into the mold at once. As long as it didn’t explode or melt the mold, the faster it cured the better. Would it explode or melt the mold?

      Is this how any of this works? I apologize to be so clueless. I just want a giant epoxy resin block.

      I really appreciate any guidance anyone’s willing to offer. Have a great week!
      -Nolan

      • #19793
        Katherine Swift
        Keymaster

        Hi Nolan,

        Here are the things to watch out for as you are doing this project:

        1. Yes, too much heat can be a bad thing. It may cause your resin to crack or cure so quickly you don’t have the opportunity to get the bubbles out.

        2. You need to find a casting resin that allows you to do large pours at once. (We don’t have one that does this large a quantity at once.) Doing some quick math, you will need 50 gallons or more of resin. Follow the directions for the maximum amount of resin to mix and pour at once.

    • #25467
      Robert Wendt
      Guest

      Sorry if this is rude or not aloud only thing i found so far with recent activity my friend wants to turn their back window of chevy blazer into a table and i had brought up making a wood frame for it and filling it with a resin or epoxy to make flat since obviuosly back windows are curve what would be best to use since its glass and will have wood frame will be carving about half inch to inch in wood and insert glass into for border

    • #26724
      Bridget
      Guest

      This is all very helpful information. I’m a woodworking making a clear resin river between two live edge oak slabs for a dining table top, I’m very familiar with the West System epoxy but haven’t used it for this purpose in the past. I am looking to both fill the void and coat the wood in epoxy but would like to avoid a high-gloss finish. What are your suggestions? Thanks in advance for any information you can give me!

      • #26738
        Katherine Swift
        Keymaster

        If you don’t want a high-gloss finish, you can rough it up with a little sandpaper once cured.

    • #37333
      jeffrey
      Guest

      hi i do not have any experience with resin but am about to attempt a large project and woul like so experienced input for what product to use and how to prep the surface. i am planning on making a coffee table bordered with wood that i am going to have rocks with sharpy writing on them on the middle. the rocks will be set in grout. i am then wanting to fill it in with resin. what product would you suggest for clarity and minimizing bubbles. also is there anything i would need to do to the grout, rock, or wood surface to seal or prep it before pouring resin around it

      • #37350
        Katherine Swift
        Keymaster

        Hi Jeffrey,

        You have a lot going on here!

        I want to help you with your project, and I think this situation is best suited for a one-on-one consulting call where you and I talk back and forth about what’s going on, especially since you are a beginner. I can set you up for a 15 or 30 minute consultation call. If you want to send an email through our contact page, I am happy to respond with prices and availability.

    • #39050
      Jasilyn
      Guest

      Hey I’m looking to use resin for a gift and I have some preserved flowers and I’m putting them in a glass fishbowl type container and wanted to cast it in resin so the flowers don’t have to be dusted to prevent them from breaking. What resin do you suggest for it to still be clear in the jar

      • #39069
        Katherine Swift
        Keymaster

        How large is your jar?

        • #39076
          Jasilyn
          Guest

          It is 4 inches tall and 5 inches wide

        • #39213
          Jasilyn
          Guest

          Also should I pour it all at once or in multiple pours

    • #41499
      Andrew Hallquist
      Guest

      Hello! I’m pouring a resin river table and am looking for ideas on resins that can be poured in large quantities but won’t cost $150 per gallon. I am going to seal the edges of the wood before I do the large pour. But my large pour will be about 4.5 gallons. With a little teal pigment, what resins can be poured in such volumes without risking a poor quality and costing me so much? (Table is 70.5″x30″x1.5″, river of resin is approx 9″x70.5″x1.5″ [rounding up, if course]).

      • #41879
        Katherine Swift
        Keymaster

        Hi Andrew, I’m afraid I don’t have a list of resins that meet that requirement.

        I suggest finding a resin you think will work, then checking with the manufacturer about the maximum amount that can be mixed and poured at once.

    • #41675
      Kaye Jones
      Guest

      Good evening and thank you, in advance, for any asssistance.

      I have a plastic mold that is 8cm x 11cm in the shape of a sneaker and its 2 1/2″ thick. The mold says its hold 2.07 oz of liquid.

      I plan to use the casting as a photography prop. I intend to use my foredom drill to create notches to hold my jewelry piece as it us being photographed.

      My research leads me to believe that a polyester resin is my best option.

      I have a few questions:
      1. Will the resin give me an issue in the silicone molding?
      1a. I’ve read 3 oz at a time…that seems to cover my needs. Should I adhere to the 1/8 inch thick at a time…or does that just apply to flat surfaces?
      2. I read that the surface dries sticky…what is my best option to create a clear glassy look using a foam applicator (I would rather not spray)
      3. I read mixing slow and keeping a heat gun handy are my best defensed against bubbles w/o using a vacuum device. Any other suggestions?
      4. Once I pour the resin in the mold, while its drying should I place a cover on top w/ some sort of ventaliation?

      Any help would be greatly appreciated.

      • #41880
        Katherine Swift
        Keymaster

        Hi KLaye,

        You have a lot going on here!

        I want to help you with your project, and I think this situation is best suited for a one-on-one consulting call where you and I talk back and forth about what’s going on. I can set you up for a 15 or 30 minute consultation call. If you want to send an email through our contact page, I am happy to respond with prices and availability.

    • #50173
      Jacqueline
      Guest

      Hello,
      I will be making paperweights using a silicone baking mold of 6 dome shapes. Each individual dome is 2 3/4”dia and 1 1/3” deep. I intend to adhere a picture to the flat bottom.
      1. Which product will work to create a clear outcome in a single pour?
      2. After using ModPodge to seal the picture, do i use the same resin as a glue to affix the picture to the cured dome? Or do I use additional ModPodge?
      Thank you.

      Respectfully,
      Jacqueline

      • #50464
        Katherine Swift
        Keymaster

        Hi Jacqueline,

        How much resin do you want to mix and pour at once? That will help me with a recommendation. There is a resin volume calculator at this link: https://www.resinobsession.com/resin-calculator/

        Yes, you can use the Mod Podge as a glue to glue the paper down to your sealed resin.

    • #54277
      Tyson Andrews
      Guest

      Hello,
      Ive decied to start a project of encapsulating a 3’x8’x1.5″ kit table.
      im encapsulating 3/4″ pecky cypress on bottem.
      i dont really know what would be the best product for this type of project,
      looking for it to be a clear, and very hard as there will be a mounting bracket under the table.

    • #54324
      Gary
      Guest

      I want to use a full size plastic baseball bat for my mold and pour resin so I have a clear bat, filled with the resin and some large marbles in it. I tested with the marbles and water and would need 16oz. The resin I got said its for pours of 6oz or less. What type of resin could I use for this long 30 mold? Also after I crack open the bat mold, I’m sure I’ll need to sand off some pieces of the plastic mold, so I want something I can sand.

    • #61268
      Ciara
      Guest

      I want to preserve my wedding bouquet in resin. It is about 6 in wide and 8in deep. Is this even possible and if so what should I use? Please help

    • #61384
      Sadreddin Baharnezhad
      Guest

      hi,

      I am choosing an expanding ultra-fast curing foam system that cured below 3 min and yield a rigid foam with a hardness of>75 (shore D) with an expansion of 400%. What is your suggestions?

      Thanks

    • #64879
      leanne
      Guest

      hello

      this is my first time using resin, I would like to make some clear gear knobs for my car using a 50mm sphere silicone mould and have no idea which resin to use. also which paint do you recommend. could you please help. also can you ship to Australia.

      • #64951
        Katherine Swift
        Keymaster

        Hi Leanne,

        I’m afraid we aren’t able to ship to you in Australia. I don’t have a supplier I can refer you to either.

    • #80604
      Sierra Reid
      Guest

      Hi,
      I’m looking to preserve dried flowers in resin and am wondering which resin would be the most bubble free and resist yellowing over time. Also, some of the silicon molds I am hoping to use are pretty thick. The biggest one is a square that is 7″ in length and width and about 2.5″ in depth. Which resin would be the best for my project? Also, will I have to do multiple pours?
      Thank you so much,
      Sierra

    • #82384
      Kasey
      Guest

      I’m new to resin casting and I was wondering what the best type of resin would be to use for sphere molds, anywhere from a 2″ to a 8″ sphere.
      Your feedback is valued and appreciated

    • #83413
      Ryan O
      Guest

      I have a mold for a Greek goddess style statue head that I want to cast using resin and opalescent materials in the resin. How can I do this without seeing the layers between pours? Can I pour something all at once so the opalescent is consistent all the way through? The head mold is just slightly larger than a human head. Thank you

      • #83417
        Katherine Swift
        Keymaster

        Hi Ryan,

        You need to check the maximum mixing amount for the resin you are using to see if you can pour that much at once. Otherwise, Pour a resin layer when the previous layer has started to cure and is sticky. That will minimize the lines between layers.

    • #83772
      Dorothy Haldiman
      Guest

      I have a love edge fuel of Walnut wood that I want to make into a coffee table.I think I’ll have to do one pour to get base of table then put sealed piece of wood on top of this base,clamp it down then continue the pouring, in steps, until it is covered with 1/4 inch of epoxy to make smooth surface for table top. I’ve made a form and measurements are 38″ x 18″ x 4″ . Do you know how much epoxy this is going to take?

    • #84212
      Gary
      Guest

      Looking for advice re-resin I was wondering if I could pour resin about 60mm thick and 560mm round to form a table top in one go and if so what kind and how much would I need
      Thanks

    • #84758
      Pete Conaty
      Guest

      I would like to encase a root ball of a crepe myrtle I dug up. Making that the base of a table made out of the trunk/branches that would come out of the top of the cylinder of resin/roots. The cylinder would be about 20″in diameter by 5-6″ thick. Close to 1/3 to 1/2 the volume of the cylinder would be taken up by the tangle of roots. It would be for outside use (unless it comes out really good!), so I was wondering about tinting the resin a light smokey color since yellowing would happen eventually anyway. Do you have something that might work?

    • #84776
      Pete Conaty
      Guest

      Thanks! And the best resin for this type of deep casting project?

    • #90818
      Margaret Peltier
      Guest

      Hi,
      I’m really new to resin and am not sure which to pick, or even how feasible my project is. I make tree suncatchers and wrap them on stone crystals. Usually I put felt on the bottom so they don’t scratch table surfaces. However recently I’ve acquired three stones that are a smidge flaky on the bottom (the outer layer of a geode) and also are really pretty on the bottom.
      I would like to partially cast them in resin. One of them is about 5 inches long and 2-3 inches tall, then the tree. Ideally I’d like to have the bottom half or so of the stone in a cast, so the five inches long and maybe 1.5 inches of it cast. I’d like it to be clear, and be able to be sanded so that its not a big block thats far outside the shape of the stone (its oval ish). (But maybe the shape of the cast could be helped with whatever mold I use?)
      Would I need to use the same polyester resin as suggested for the builder of ship models? Or would a different type be preferable (I won’t be adding any color or anything like that).
      Thanks so much!
      Maggie

    • #93191
      Steven
      Guest

      Hi I just found your site and I’m needing help on choosing a resin for a 5-6″ deep pour. What I’m going to try and do is encase a dried flower and a picture of my late parents. Depending on how I need to get the flower to stand probably add some colored glass stones in the bottom of the container. Actually I could use your opinion on the type of container to use too. I was thinking like a plastic pop bottle with the top cut off, and cleaned of course. Would that be sufficient?

      • #93195
        Katherine Swift
        Keymaster

        Hi Steven,

        The Resin Obsession deep pour resin is great for a project like this. You can mix anywhere from 3 ounces to 3 gallons at one time and pour it up to two inches thick in one pour.

        You can buy the resin in our store here: https://shop.resinobsession.com/collections/resin/resin-obsession-deep-pour-resin

        As for the container, I’m afraid a pop bottle isn’t sturdy enough for a project like this. If you’re not going to demold it, an acrylic box will work well.

    • #93228
      Jacki R Clausen
      Guest

      My daughter is a huge Pokemon lover so we are wanting to build a Pokemon base mailbox. So as everyone knows a base to a mailbox has to be atleast 18 to 24 inches in the ground for it to not easily be knocked over. So I need resin to connect not only the the top portion of a treated wood which would be above ground in a round form (like what a concrete deck base would use) with 6 to 8 inches inside of the resin then Pokemon themed items in the clear section of the resin so it would have to be done in layers to have the effect I am looking for. In total it will be around 12 inches wide and like 40 inches tall them a mail box will sit on top of that. So needs to be very clear and able to be poured very thing

    • #95282
      Stephanie
      Guest

      Hi!!

      So I saw an old post of yours from 2017 about casting resin pillows! But couldn’t reply directly to it anymore. But! I figured it out and would love to share with you if you’re interested!! I figured out how to keep the pillow full and shapely to recreate it in resin! I’m not sure how this forum works for contacting but if you’re able to contact me, please feel free to do so! I’d love to share this technique with you 🙂

      Thanks!

      • #95360
        Katherine Swift
        Keymaster

        Hi Stephanie,

        How thoughtful of you to share your technique! We’re welcome to create a new topic to share the details.

    • #99441
      Julia
      Guest

      Hello! I have some expiriance with smaller pours but I’m looking to cast in a silicone mold that’s about 14.5″ x 4.5″ x 4.5″. I was hoping to do it all in one pour so I can make sure the color of the resin remains consistent And there are no awkward lines from different pours. Any advice on the type of resin I should use? Thanks!

    • #126888
      Ashley Barnett
      Guest

      I am new to the resin world but need advice on a project. I have a wooden stick that is spiraled naturally. I’ve carved out a type of “channel” following the spiral around the stick. The carved channel is only about 1/4 of an inch at it’s deepest point and is carved around the stick about 6 inches from the bottom. I am wanting to make a wand out of it for a gift. I want to fill this small carved channel with a colored resin but have absolutely no idea what to do or where to start.
      What kind of resin should be used? How do I prep the stick? How do I keep the resin from pouring out of the channel? How can I get the resin to set on a spiraled surface, do tiny sections?
      Absolutely any advice would be greatly appreciated 🙏

    • #38851
      Katherine Swift
      Keymaster

      Hi Shantelle,

      If it were me, I would only add enough glue to cement down the diamonds. If you completely flood them, they won’t sparkle as much.

      Any of our clear doming resins will work as a glue. They are in our store here:
      https://shop.resinobsession.com/collections/resin/doming

    • #38882
      Shantelle Lewicki
      Guest

      How would I create a smooth flat top? Because it is a table I would need it to be even and flat.

    • #38961
      Katherine Swift
      Keymaster

      If you use a doming resin, it will self-level and shouldn’t need to be sanded provided you use enough resin. This calculator will help you to figure out the amount you need: https://www.resinobsession.com/resin-calculator/

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