[Katherine Swift]

This question comes from Dom:

I need to achieve a 3d effect as follows: 1. Lay an image into a pouring tray as a guide 2. Pour my glass liquid resin into the tray 3. Before the resin dries, remove material that will not be 3d 4. Mould the remaining resin into the 3d shapes needed 5. Once dry and hard, overlay a color transparent acetate and bond it to the dried resin So my questions are: – at what point can I manipulate the resin as above – how best to dry it once sculpted – If there is not a product that cures to just soft enough to manipulate can I chip away at it afterwards once its hard with tools to sculpt it? Thanks

[Katherine Swift]

Hi Dom,

Resin gets syrup-y as it cures. I’m afraid it’s not going to work well for you to try to remove some of the resin as it cures. You can, however, cast a large block of it and grind it off later. I would recommend a polyurethane (first choice) or a polyester (second choice) for this purpose. I wouldn’t suggest chipping the resin away as it will be hard like glass. I don’t know that you will be able to do it without creating cracks throughout your entire piece.

Once the resin has cured, you can grind it and work on with tools. It will do well on a lathe as well.

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