[Kaye]

 Hi, 

Thanks so much for your answers, they are great!  I hadnt thought about the moisture in the varnish, thats a good point!

Going back to my earlier questions; are you able to tell me which is the most cost effective and which I should use for bezels and shallow castings?  

Is there a difference between ice resin and epoxy resin?  

Are these the three main types of resin I should be looking at for bezels or are there others and if so what?  

Is polyester resin the least popular for jewellery making and if so, is this due to it being more toxic, or just that they others are easier to use and more reliable?  (I seem to have wasted quite a lot due to tackiness, this probably is just me being useless) but would I just be better off with a different type of resin?  Are other resins more reliable (for beginners anyway)?

Im really sorry for all of these questions.  Im just really wanting to make sure that I get the right resin and the stuff I have at the moment seems to take a very long time to cure (a good couple of days) when it does that is.

Sorry and thanks again for your help, I really appreciate it.

Im hoping to order some items from you soon, but had noticed that there may be extra charges when delivered.  Is this usual or something that doesnt happen very often?

Kaye

[Katherine Swift]

Hi Kaye,

Here are my answers:

Are you able to tell me which is the most cost effective and which I should use for bezels and shallow castings?  

I recommend an epoxy resin.  While not as hard as polyester or polyurethane, the bezel will protect the resin.  Epoxy resin is also easier to use versus the other two. We have several epoxy resins in our store here: https://shop.resinobsession.com/collections/resin/epoxy

Is there a difference between ice resin and epoxy resin?  No, ice resin is an epoxy resin. 

Is polyester resin the least popular for jewellery making and if so, is this due to it being more toxic, or just that they others are easier to use and more reliable?

I would say it is because polyester resin is meant to go in molds and not bezels. It is a casting resin and doesn’t dome. The surface exposed to air remains tacky, even after fully curing. I talk more about polyester resin in this article: https://www.resinobsession.com/resin-resin-resin/polyester-casting-resin

Would I just be better off with a different type of resin?  Are other resins more reliable (for beginners anyway)?

Yes, I always recommend epoxy resins for beginners.  Easiest to use.

Im hoping to order some items from you soon, but had noticed that there may be extra charges when delivered.  Is this usual or something that doesn’t happen very often?

Duty charges may be incurred when purchasing items from Resin Obsession and them being delivered to a different country.  I don’t know exactly how much they are, but I know it varies between countries.

[Kaye]

Hi,

I have been working with polyester resin recently to make coasters etc, and they have turned out okay.  They had tackiness, which I sanded, buffed and polished, however I feel that since coating them in polyurethane varnish they dont feel sticky to touch, just sticky when removed from a surface.  Can this happen from polyurethane varnish?  Should I not use it to coat polyester resin?

I am also wanting to make bezels and unfortunately since practicing with polyester resin, I have realised that I should be using another type of resin for this, as polyester doesnt set in such shallow pieces.  My main question regarding this is what type of resin should/could I use for this and not just what is the best, but the most cost effective, as I dont want to just buy the most expensive for the sake of it (which I believe is epoxy).  Could you please advise me on what sort of resin I should get?  I think my choices are epoxy/polyurethane and ice resin?  However I wasnt sure if ice resin was just epoxy?  I would really like to know the following:-

Which is the clearest?

Which result lasts the longest (i.e. doesnt go yellowy)?

How long they take to cure?

Which may still be tacky?

What coating should you use to finish if any?

Should a curing spray always be used?

(I am not asking these questions only about making bezels, but everything and what are your views on polyester resin?)

Also, as I initially started with polyester resin, I bought lots of pigments for polyester resin and wondered if they could be used to colour other type of resin, or if they can only be used with polyester resin?  If you need more details on the type of pigments etc, I can give you more info.

Sorry for all the question marks!

Hope you can help me.

Many thanks in advance.

Kaye

[Katherine Swift]

Hi Kaye,Great questions!  I will answer them one at a time:

I feel that since coating them in polyurethane varnish they dont feel sticky to touch, just sticky when removed from a surface.  Can this happen from polyurethane varnish?  Should I not use it to coat polyester resin?

I have never used polyurethane to coat polyester resin.  Mostly because polyurethane hates moisture, which we have plenty of in Florida.  I have always used the resin gloss sealer spray to coat my polyester castings if they were tacky. You can find it in our store here: https://shop.resinobsession.com/collections/tools-and-supplies/products/castin-craft-gloss-resin-sealer-spray

Which is the clearest?

Polyester, polyurethane and epoxy can all come in clear formulas.

Which result lasts the longest (i.e. doesnt go yellowy)?

A clear when cast (no yellow) epoxy resin or polyurethane will stay clear the longest, however you should know that all resins yellow with time.

How long they take to cure?

Every resin is different, but most all resins cure to be able to demold within 24 hours or less.  Some require a couple of extra days for a complete cure (to make sure you dont scratch it with a fingernail or something similar).

Which may still be tacky?

When casting with polyester, the surface exposed to air will cure tacky.  As you found out, you can sand this off or spray with a sealer.  I have seen others talk about covering the castings (so that it actually touches the resin) with papers, plastics, etc., but have not experimented with that myself.  If you mix epoxies and polyurethanes correctly, they should not be tacky after curing.

What coating should you use to finish if any?

I like our resin surface spray.  You can find it in our store here:
https://shop.resinobsession.com/collections/tools-and-supplies/products/castin-craft-gloss-resin-sealer-spray

Should a curing spray always be used?

Are you talking about applying something while the resin is curing?  I don’t have experience with those except that I know while it can encourage curing (and no stickiness) it can make the surface cloudy.

What are your views on polyester resin?

I love that polyester cures hard enough that I can polish it with my buffing wheel and appropriate compound to get that super glossy finish without needing to coat it again.  I really don’t like that I have to wear a respirator with it, which applies more to having to get things done in my studio.  (When I pour polyester, I close things up for at least 12 hours, which can be a scheduling nightmare.  For those that have never worked with it — the fumes are horrible.)  It can also cure brittle, which means it may break if dropped on a hard surface.

I initially started with polyester resin, I bought lots of pigments for polyester resin and wondered if they could be used to colour other type of resin, or if they can only be used with polyester resin?

I would think they would be okay, but try a few test pieces first.

[Katherine Swift]

Hi Kaye,

Great questions!  I will answer them one at a time:

I feel that since coating them in polyurethane varnish they dont feel sticky to touch, just sticky when removed from a surface.  Can this happen from polyurethane varnish?  Should I not use it to coat polyester resin?

I have never used polyurethane to coat polyester resin.  Mostly because polyurethane hates moisture, which we have plenty of in Florida.  I have always used an acrylic spray to coat my polyester castings if they were tacky.

Which is the clearest?

Polyester, polyurethane and epoxy can all come in clear formulas.

Which result lasts the longest (i.e. doesnt go yellowy)?

A clear when cast (no yellow) epoxy resin or polyurethane will stay clear the longest.  Polyester and some epoxies will eventually turn yellow, especially with repeated sun exposure.

How long they take to cure?

Every resin is different, but most all resins cure to be able to demold within 24 hours or less.  Some require a couple of extra days for a complete cure (to make sure you dont scratch it with a fingernail or something similar).

Which may still be tacky?

When casting with polyester, the surface exposed to air will cure tacky.  As you found out, you can sand this off or spray with a sealer.  I have seen others talk about covering the castings (so that it actually touches the resin) with papers, plastics, etc., but have not experimented with that myself.  If you mix epoxies and polyurethanes correctly, they should not be tacky after curing.

What coating should you use to finish if any?

I like our resin surface spray.  Its an acrylic spray that can seal a project or give it a final gloss.  This is optional if your project cured correctly.

Should a curing spray always be used?

Are you talking about applying something while the resin is curing?  I dont have experience with those except that I know while it can encourage curing (and no stickiness) it can make the surface cloudy.

What are your views on polyester resin?

I love that polyester cures hard enough that I can polish it with my buffing wheel and appropriate compound to get that super glossy finish without needing to coat it again.  I really dont like that I have to wear a respirator with it, which applies more to having to get things done in my studio.  (When I pour polyester, I close things up for at least 12 hours, which can be a scheduling nightmare.  For those that have never worked with it — the fumes are horrible.)  It can also cure brittle, which means it may break if dropped on a hard surface.

I initially started with polyester resin, I bought lots of pigments for polyester resin and wondered if they could be used to colour other type of resin, or if they can only be used with polyester resin?

I would think they would be okay, but try a few test pieces first.

I hope this helps!

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