[Katherine Swift]

This question comes from Deanna:

First, I just ordered some of your fantastic molds and can’t wait to use them! 😃.
Here is my delema. I just poured a 32oz pyramid. (I do have resin experience). I used alcohol inks in it. The little bugger is solid all over. However the top is slightly tacky and one corner in particular it’s really gummy and strings if you touch it with a spoon. It settles back into place but it isn’t hardening. It’s been 2 days. I really don’t want to scrap this thing but I’m not sure I would be able to dig out the resin and sand the tacky top to try and add a clear coat to make the repair and salvage it without ruining it entirely. This is the first time I’ve done a piece this large and in this shape. Never had this happen before. Not sure either why it would harden properly everywhere else but the corner and the top get tacky. Your help would be greatly appreciated as I am ready to chuck this out the window the more I look at it and it refuses to harden

[Katherine Swift]

Hi Deanna,

I’m afraid there isn’t going to be an easy fix to this.

First, it sounds like your resin wasn’t completely mixed. Thirty-two ounces is a lot to mix well at once! In the future, you may want to consider mixing smaller batches and pouring the next layer once the first layer has started to gel.

Now — how to fix this one.

If resin is simply sticky, I have had good luck repouring with another layer of resin. I have even had this work with a gooey spot provided you can completely surround it with new resin. Since your gooey part is in a corner, it doesn’t sound like this can happen. I’m afraid sanding and recoating is going to be the only way to salvage the piece.

As an alternative, you can try scooping out the gooey resin, creating a dam with tape (which hopefully matches the mold pretty well), then repouring. You will still likely have to do some sanding, but it might be less.

Good luck!

[Katherine Swift]

This article explains why your resin is sticky and how to fix it: https://www.resinobsession.com/resin-frequently-asked-questions/why-is-my-resin-sticky/

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